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Wolf hoops hotshot Danica Strong scored big on scholarship night. (Photo courtesy Danette Beckley)

They earned.

Capping four years of hard work, Coupeville High School Class of 2026 grads raked in $180,000+ in scholarship money, which should make their transition to post-Cow Town life easier to navigate.

The Wolves were honored Wednesday night at the school’s annual spring awards night, and here are some of the highlights.

Topping the Class of 2026 are valedictorian Teagan Calkins and salutatorian George Spear.

Noelle Western, Dahlia Miller, Lucas Habeck, Jeann Nitta, Sydney Wallace, Killian Shaw, Finn Price, and Easton Green round out the top 10 career GPAs.

 

Scholarships:

 

Allen-Phipps ($1000)

Jennifer Camarena-Herrera
Riverwind DeArmond
Aiden O’Neill
Killian Shaw
Danica Strong
Avery Williams-Buchanan

 

AOC Whidbey Roost – STEM Scholarship ($1500):

Teagan Calkins

 

AOC Whidbey Roost – CEA Future Educators Scholarship ($1500):

Jeann Nitta

 

Bud Madsen Masonic Lodge ($1000):

Aiden O’Neill

 

Central Whidbey Sportsman’s Association ($1000):

Jennifer Camerena-Herrera

 

Chamber Foundation, Crows Nest, and Chris Watson Insurance ($1000):

Killian Shaw

 

CHS Class of ‘74 Jim & Linda Hosek Community Leadership ($2000):

Danica Strong

 

Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival ($2,000):

Jacob Schooley
Sydney Wallace
Avery Williams-Buchanan

 

Coupeville Booster Club ($1000):

Teagan Calkins
Aiden O’Neill
Finn Price
Killian Shaw
Danica Strong
Noelle Western

 

Coupeville Chamber ($1000):

Dylan Burrow

 

Coupeville Lions:

Finn Price ($5000)
George Spear ($5000)
Sydney Wallace ($4000)
Peyton Lucero ($3000)
Frankie Tenore ($3000)
Riverwind DeArmond ($2000)

 

Coupeville Lions – John Kohlmann LEO’s ($5000):

Dahlia Miller

 

Coupeville Lions – Parker Medical ($5000):

Teagan Calkins

 

Coupeville Lions – Pat Kolman Memorial Nursing ($4000):

Noelle Western

 

Coupeville School Foundation ($1000):

Dylan Burrow
Jennifer Camarena-Herrera
Jeann Nitta
Killian Shaw

Killian Shaw (9) excelled in the classroom and on the baseball diamond. (Jackie Saia photo)

 

Earlene Beckley Memorial ($2000):

Danica Strong

 

Edward L. “Gomer” Jones ($2500):

Killian Shaw

 

Endeavor Scholarship ($1000):

Jennifer Camarena-Herrera

 

Family of John Rodriguey ($1000):

Noelle Western

 

Friends of the Coupeville Library — Herb and Evelyn Strasler ($2000):

George Spear

 

Friends of the Coupeville Library — Evelyn Day ($2000):

Jennifer Camarena-Herrera

 

Friends of the Coupeville Library — Darrell and Carol Dyer ($2000):

Killian Shaw

 

Friends of the Coupeville Library — Leslie Franzen ($2000):

Sydney Wallace

 

Front Street Grill ($1500):

Hayden Kendall

 

Harada Family ($1000):

Danica Strong

 

Harvey-Pickard:

Regan Callahan ($2500/4 years)
Hayden Kendall ($2500/4 years)
Danica Strong ($5000/4 years)

 

John and Vivian Moon Scholarship ($1000):

Jennifer Camarena-Herrera

 

Ken Hofkamp ($1000/2 years):

Danica Strong

 

Leganieds ($1000):

Dylan Burrow
Jennifer Camerena-Herrera
Danica Strong

 

Living Like Lathom ($4000):

Killian Shaw

 

New Leaf Jo Balda Trade School ($2000):

Aleera Kent
Jacob Schooley
Killian Shaw

 

Patrick Brown Class of 1970 ($1000):

Jacob Schooley
Dylan Burrow

 

Penn Cove Shellfish ($2500/4 yrs):

Danica Strong

 

Prairie Center Market ($1500):

Killian Shaw
Danica Strong

 

Riley Sampson Foundation ($5000):

Finn Price
Teagan Calkins

Finn Price, a winner in the swimming pool, and with a book in his hand. (Rachel Price-Rayner photo)

 

Soroptimists — Aspire Award ($1000):

Riverwind DeArmond

 

Soroptimists — Empowerment Through Education Award ($1000):

Teagan Calkins
Dahlia Miller

 

Spirit of Cheer Booster Club ($1500):

Jacob Schooley
Avery Williams-Buchanan

 

Toby’s Exceptional Student Athlete ($1000):

Easton Green

 

Tom and Donna Chan Memorial ($5000):

Danica Strong

 

Tom Roehl Memorial Scholarship ($3000):

Aiden O’Neill

 

A Touch of Dutch ($500):

Sydney Wallace

 

Welch-Rixie Family ($1000):

Teagan Calkins

 

West Family Foundation ($1500):

Dahlia Miller
Noelle Western
Avery Williams-Buchanan

 

Whidbey Island Center for the Arts Bridge Scholarship ($1500):

Sydney Wallace

 

Windermere ($2000):

Killian Shaw

Milana Light blasts a winner. (Jackie Saia photo)

The last ace has been served, the last racket put away.

Wrapping up a successful season, the Coupeville High School girls’ tennis team was the first Wolf spring sports team to hold an awards banquet.

The occasion also marked the end of the run for CHS coach Tim Stelling, who has stepped down after three seasons of guiding Cow Town netters.

This spring the Wolves captured the Bi-District team title and sent three girls — sophomore Tenley Stuurmans and seniors Aleksia Jump and Dahlia Miller — to the state tourney in Yakima.

 

Varsity letter winners:

Savannah Coxsey
Annabelle Cundiff
Natylie Driscoll
Lakshmi Erickson
Miles Gerber
Hailey Goldman
Hazel Goldman
Joanna Hagen
Kauri Hamilton
Aleksia Jump
Milana Light
Dahlia Miller
Jade Peabody
Sophia Phay
(Manager)
Rowan Stoner
Tenley Stuurmans
Jovanah Villagomez

 

Participation certificate:

Brinsley Bergman

Dahlia Miller (left) and Aleksia Jump reunite with Wolf net guru Starla Seal (and her young associate). (Photo courtesy Seal)

The work is already underway.

Coupeville High School volleyball teams don’t play matches again until September, but Wolf coaches and players are already preparing for a new season.

CHS coach Scout Smith, heading into her second year at the head of the program, named five spikers Tuesday as her leadership team, with the group expected to lead the way going forward.

“Leadership team is a select group of athletes whose influence extends beyond the court, setting the tone for our entire program which represents the heart of our program’s mission,” Smith wrote on Instagram.

“The CHS volleyball leadership team is composed of players who consistently demonstrate leadership, excellence, accountability, and discipline — our program’s core values.

“These individuals lead by example on the court, in the classroom, and in the community.”

The leadership team is comprised of two girls who will be seniors (Haylee Armstrong and Lexis Drake), two who will be juniors (Arianna Cunningham and Tenley Stuurmans) and sophomore-to-be Kennedy O’Neill, who celebrates her 15th birthday Tuesday.

Smith, who was a strong leader during her own CHS playing days, will look to the five-pack to walk in her footsteps.

“Leadership team members are expected to go above and beyond the standard expectations of a player,” she said.

“Responsibilities include being a pack leader, managing team gear, and participating in leadership development trainings.

“Above all, leadership team members are a bridge between players and coaches.”

Shaloma Allen (back, far left) helped keep CMS volleyball thriving.

Shaloma Allen stepped up. Now she’s hoping someone else will follow in her path.

The Coupeville Middle School volleyball coach is leaving the program, with her resignation on the agenda for Thursday’s school board meeting.

That she even ended up on the sideline last season was a surprise, she said, but a challenge she gladly accepted to help keep the spikers playing.

“The whole reason I signed on was because we didn’t have a coach last year,” Allen said.

“It was the Thursday before the season started that I offered to coach so my two daughters and the middle school girls could play.

“I have no history with playing or coaching volleyball, so it was a new experience for me.”

Allen learned on the fly and fielded very-competitive teams, helping fuel the continued growth of the Coupeville spiker program.

“I really enjoyed coaching the girls last fall,” she said.

“The 8th grade girls stepped up their leadership and helped me teach the younger ones the skills to get started.

“I had a lot of help from the high school volleyball team and some graduated players from the year before. We were also able to get an experienced assistant coach (Katie Rohrbach) halfway through the season.”

Allen, whose four children are all Wolf athletes across multiple sports, considers herself a bridge between experienced former CMS spiker coaches Cris Matochi and Kristina Hooks and her potential successor.

Though there is a possibility she could return.

“I resigned hoping that someone with more knowledge and vision comes in to keep the program going,” she said. “But I have talked with (Athletic Director) Willie (Smith) about coaching again if no one steps up.

“A part of me is sad to let the position go, but I’m excited to be able to watch my other kids play their sports in the fall too.”

Allen is grateful for what volleyball has given her family, both for her children and herself.

“The volleyball program that (former CHS varsity coach) Cory (Whitmore) put together was a pivotal part of my daughter’s ability to integrate into community when we first moved here in 2022,” she said.

“The sense of belonging through teamwork and practice was amazing for both my girls.

“The middle school girls love volleyball so much. Our community really needs to keep this program going.”

Coupeville sluggers hug it out. (Photos courtesy Grant Van Dyke, Jess Lucero, Michelle Armstrong, Kristi Stevens, and Bettie Sifuentes-Hart)

The games are done, but the memories will remain.

Fresh off making their second-straight trip to the 2B state tourney, and fifth in program history, Coupeville High School softball players are back on Whidbey, already visualizing another run to the big dance.

The Wolves will lose senior catcher Teagan Calkins to graduation, but otherwise can return everyone from a team which went 19-4 and won league and district titles.

But first, a last glance back at their recent trip to Yakima, thanks to the cameras of moms, dads, and assorted family members.