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Net crew gains valuable experience

March 22, 2024 by David Svien

Kauri Hamilton (left), seen here with fellow CHS basketball manager Melanie Wolfe, is bringing her A-game to the tennis court this spring. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Some days are more about growth, and less about wins and losses.

Friday was one of those afternoons, as two high school tennis programs in very different places found a way to meet in the middle.

Granite Falls has more than twice as many students as Coupeville, and that carries over to its net program, where the Tigers have 24 girls wielding rackets.

The Wolves, who have brand new coaches and no home matches on the schedule as they wait for new courts to be built, have eight players.

And one of those netters was MIA Friday as the two teams dodged rain drops and played a different format than normal.

To give Granite Falls a chance for both its varsity and JV to see action, Coupeville’s players each squared off with two opponents, playing a set apiece instead of the normal best two-of-three.

While keeping the Tigers busy, the format also allowed a very-young Wolf squad to get plenty of court time.

“It was more of a coaching style match to help our newer players to tennis get more comfortable playing more of a variety of opponents,” said CHS assistant coach Starla Seal.

Along the way, the Wolves captured their first wins of the season, with 8th grader Tenley Stuurmans and sophomore Brynn Parker standing tall.

 

Friday’s results:

1st Singles — Tenley Stuurmans lost to Giorgia Felizzuni 6-2; beat Gola Paolikova 6-0

2nd Singles — Brynn Parker lost to Samantha Hagman 6-3; beat Audrey Vanwinkle 6-1

3rd Singles — Kaitlyn Leavell lost to Hailey Granger 6-2; lost to Samantha Hagman 6-4

1st Doubles — Stuurmans/Parker beat Luanne Thurston/Vanwinkle 6-1; beat Ari Dimitrova/Alisha Wright 6-3

2nd Doubles — Kauri Hamilton/Sofia Phay lost to Dimitrova/Ava Combs 6-0; lost to Brooke Mann/Marjorie Garcia 6-1

3rd Doubles — Delanie Lewis/Rafaela Silva De Campos Conceicao lost to Ashlee Meusling/Wright 6-0; lost to Mann/Garcia 6-2; lost to Hailey Grangley/Yolanda P. 6-3

Posted in Girls Tennis | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Six remain in play for superintendent gig

March 22, 2024 by David Svien

And then there were six.

The Coupeville School Board narrowed its list of candidates to replace departing Superintendent Steve King after holding an executive session Thursday night.

Who are those six? That part is hush-hush, for a logical reason.

With many of the candidates currently working in other districts, the search consultant firm being used by the school board recommended keeping names private through the early rounds.

It is believed that helped to increase the applicant pool, School Board president Morgan White said in a statement.

The six candidates still in play will be interviewed during another private meeting Tuesday, Mar. 26, with the three finalists publicly announced by Mar. 29.

The final trio will tour the Coupeville School District and meet with staff and community between Apr. 8-10.

A detailed schedule of stakeholder meetings will be released next week, with opportunities to meet candidates and provide feedback.

The current plan is to hire a new superintendent in April, with that person starting the job in July.

Whichever of the six candidates wins the top spot, school board members are looking forward to the positives they will bring to the job.

“We are hopeful about the future of our district,” White said. “And we are grateful for wonderful candidates who are eager to serve Coupeville Schools.”

Posted in Administration | Tagged , , , | Leave a Comment »

Coupeville AD Willie Smith retiring

March 22, 2024 by David Svien

Willie Smith, best dressed athletic director in the state? (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

One more year in the gym, but with a lot less stress.

Willie Smith, the last of a “trinity” of longtime Coupeville High School/Middle School coaches/teachers/admins, is moving towards joining former compatriots Ron Bagby and Randy King on the sidelines.

He plans to teach one more year of PE but will step down as Athletic Director at the end of this school year.

That will put a cap on Smith’s second run as Coupeville’s AD, which began in 2016. He previously held the position from 2005-2010.

After arriving from Sequim in 1994, Smith has been actively involved in Wolf athletics at every level for the past three decades.

As a coach, he led the girls’ varsity basketball program from 1994-2000, advancing to state twice and earning the school’s first-ever big dance win for a girls’ team in any sport.

Smith also was a CHS football assistant coach from 1995-2011, ran the middle school program for three years, and put in 19 years at the helm of the Wolf varsity baseball team.

Coaching back when baseball guys wore stirrups, like God intended. (Shelli Trumbull photo)

During his AD stints, he set a high standard for his coaches and programs, with both high school and middle school teams collecting a wide range of awards, trophies, honors, and praise from rivals.

He has led CHS through life in both the 1A and 2B classifications, guided transitions through numerous leagues, and was a resolute leader during the pandemic.

Currently the Northwest 2B/1B League president, Smith is known and respected throughout the state.

Last year, right after CHS sports teams earned three academic state titles, on the heels of football and baseball advancing to state for the first time in decades, the AD position was put in jeopardy.

A list of proposed budget cuts included taking Smith’s admin duties away and giving them to an already overworked assistant principal.

The uproar was deafening.

In a very short time, school district officials were hammered from all sides, with numerous AD’s, coaches, fans, parents, and athletes – former and current – speaking out on his behalf.

The proposed cut was removed long before the final budget was approved by school board members.

Without skipping a beat, Smith continued to merrily chug along, doing what he has always done for three decades plus — put his athletes, coaches, and students first.

The Wazzu super fan has never been about the glitz and glamour or tooting his own horn.

Few realize how much time and effort he has put in, or how complicated the AD job is, especially in the modern world where cell phones make sure you can always be reached.

Taking a real vacation, or simply spending time with wife Cherie, is hard, as everyone with a question — including yours truly — is always looking for his calm answer.

There’s a rumor he once sat on a tree stump during a hunting trip, watching elk wander by and stick their tongues out at him, while he talked everyone through a football-related meltdown back at home.

Which goes a long way to explaining why now is the time for Smith to step aside and let a new generation live and die by the email tsunami.

Grandpa’s coming home. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

“I’ve got five grandchildren I need to see,” he said.

“I’ve been coaching or involved on a direct basis with sports for 30 years here in Coupeville, and before that in Sequim.

“I have truly enjoyed it, but I’ve got other things to do.

“Need to figure out what that it is,” he chuckled. “But it’s time.”

Posted in Everything changes | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment »

To gaze, or not to gaze? To gaze!

March 21, 2024 by David Svien

Things were never the same after they had to put Old Yeller down. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

People staring thoughtfully into the mid-distance.

It’s the bread and butter for photographers, as these pics demonstrate.

Captured at Wednesday’s home Coupeville High School track and field meet, the photos seen above and below come to us courtesy John Fisken.

What’s everyone staring at? That’s the eternal question.

Posted in Track | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Home honor, defended

March 20, 2024 by David Svien

Cael Wilson touches the heavens as he finishes first in the pole vault. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Welcoming six other schools to Cow Town Wednesday, the Coupeville High School track and field team put on a show, picking up eight wins and 55 PR’s.

That carried the Wolves to a pair of team titles, as well, with the boys rolling and the girls pulling out a thriller.

Coupeville’s male athletes finished with 144.6 points, well ahead of runner-up Mount Vernon Christian, which tallied 117.5.

La Conner (115.2) closed out the top three, with Orcas Island, Friday Harbor, Lopez Island, and Concrete rounding out the remainder of the team title chase.

On the girls’ side of things, individual wins from Reese Wilkinson (Discus), Lyla Stuurmans (1600), and Carly Burt (Pole Vault) propelled the Wolves to a 137-135 win over MVC.

La Conner tallied 127 points, with Lopez, Friday Harbor, and Orcas well back.

Reese Wilkinson lets it rip in the discus, an event she won.

Coupeville senior Nick Guay paced the boys’ squad, winning the high jump and running a leg on triumphant 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relay units.

Other winners included Carson Field (3200) and Cael Wilson (Pole Vault).

Preston Epp joined Guay in running on both victorious relay teams, with Hank Milnes, Quinten Simpson-Pilgrim, Wilson, and Marquette Cunningham each appearing once.

While the Wolves excelled in the spotlight, CHS coach Bob Martin also paid tribute to the many people who stepped up to help the school pull off a successful home meet.

“The day was not solely about the athletes competing on the track today,” he said. “It was equally about the volunteers from our community and the competing teams who came together; we were impressed!”

Keeping an eagle eye on things.

Martin also praised athletes and coaches from Coupeville’s rival schools.

“The day presented its fair share of challenges,” he said.

“Despite encountering some delays due to technical issues with our camera system, we were impressed by the patience and support demonstrated by the teams in attendance.”

Coupeville’s younger athletes will get back at it this Saturday, Mar. 23, when they compete at the Stanwood Frosh/Soph Invitational.

The full Wolf roster returns to action Mar. 28 with a Northwest 2B/1B League meet in Mount Vernon.

 

Wednesday’s results:

**Times and places in girls 100, 300 Hurdles, and 4 x 100, and boys 200 in flux**

 

GIRLS:

100 — Issabel Johnson (6th) 14.52; Tirsit Cannon (7th) 14.56

200 — Ivy Rudat (12th) 33.59; Reagan Callahan (14th) 35.08 *PR*

400 — Callahan (5th) 1:23.38 *PR*; Frankie Tenore (7th) 1:2403 *PR*

800 — Kayla Crane (2nd) 2:56.25; Callahan (7th) 3:33.11 *PR*

1600 — Lyla Stuurmans (1st) 6:18.06; Crane (2nd) 6:33.0; Lydia Price (7th) 7:21.38 *PR*; Ayden Wyman (9th) 7:29.20

3200 — Price (2nd) 15:13.47 *PR*; Aleksia Jump (4th) 15:35.79 *PR*

100 Hurdles — Lexis Drake (9th) 22.71 *PR*; Tenore (10th) 23.64 *PR*

300 Hurdles — Stuurmans (2nd) 53.35 *PR*; Drake (5th) 54.11; Myra McDonald (9th) 56.01

4 x 100 Relay — Johnson, Drake, McDonald, Cannon (4th) 1:02.00

4 x 200 Relay — Carly Burt, Wyman, I. Rudat, McDonald (7th) 2:18.47

4 x 400 Relay — Burt, I. Rudat, Wyman, Stuurmans (3rd) 5:15.75

Shot Put — Reese Wilkinson (2nd) 28-06; Katie Marti (3rd) 28-03.25; Erica McGrath (5th) 23-08.50 *PR*; Alysia Burdge (6th) 21-07.75 *PR*

Discus — Wilkinson (1st) 104-04.50 *PR*; Marti (3rd) 83-06.50; McGrath (4th) 81-06.50; Burdge (8th) 56-06 *PR*

Javelin — Marti (2nd) 91-10; Burdge (8th) 64-09; McGrath (10th) 56-03; Wilkinson (11th) 53-00

Pole Vault — Burt (1st) 6-06; Johnson (2nd) 6-06 *PR*; Jump (4th) 6-00

High Jump — Burt (8th) 4-00 *PR*

Long Jump — Stuurmans (7th) 12-10 *PR*; I. Rudat (12th) 11-0.25; Tenore (15th) 10-07

 

BOYS:

100 — Dayvon Donavon (7th) 12.52; Marcelo Gebhard (10th) 13.10 *PR*; Matthew Ward (11th) 13.13; Alex Merino-Martinez (15th) 13.21; Dane Hadsall (18th) 13.42; Timothy Nitta (19th) 13.44; Matthew Kuzma (21st) 13.48; Ethan Walling (27th) 14.06

200 — Nick Guay (2nd) 25.10; Marquette Cunningham (7th) 26.47; Quinten Simpson-Pilgrim (8th) 27.56 *PR*; Ward (13th) 28.10; Merino-Martinez (18th) 29.20; Kuzma 31.10 (21st) *PR*, Hadsall (23rd) 31.13; Nitta (24th) 31.20

400 — Preston Epp (2nd) 55.41; Simpson-Pilgrim (8th) 1:02.12; Hank Milnes (9th) 1:02.22; Solomon Rudat (13th) 1:05.24 *PR*

800 — Carson Field (2nd) 2:16.15 *PR*; Thomas Strelow (8th) 2:33.08; S. Rudat (10th) 2:33.41 *PR*; Santiago Ojeda Fernandez (11th) 2:34.19 *PR*; Preston Howard (15th) 2:41.97 *PR*; Devin Neveu (17th) 2:57.12 *PR*; Sam Richards (18th) 3:08.41 *PR*

1600 — Field (2nd) 5:04.21; Kenneth Jacobsen (8th) 5:28.01; Strelow (9th) 5:28.64; Howard (18th) 6:18.73 *PR*; S. Rudat (19th) 7:15.03 *PR*; Damiano Giacobbe (20th) 7:23.94 *PR*

3200 — Field (1st) 11:30.36 *PR*; George Spear (2nd) 12:59.02

110 Hurdles — Cael Wilson (3rd) 19.09

300 Hurdles — Mikey Robinett (5th) 49.07 *PR*

4 x 100 Relay — Cunningham, Wilson, Epp, Guay (1st) 47.92; Hadsall, Walling, Nitta, Ward (4th) 52.26

4 x 400 Relay — Epp, Simpson-Pilgrim, Milnes, Guay (1st) 3:54.66; Jacobsen, Blake Burrows, Strelow, Cunningham (4th) 4:14.92

Shot Put — Zac Tackett (2nd) 37-01 *PR*; Zane Oldenstadt (8th) 31-09; Gebhard (11th) 29-08.50; Robinett (15th) 26-10.25; Zachary Saho (18th) 24-08.75 *PR*; Jacobsen (24th) 22-10.75 *PR*; Mason Butler (27th) 22-03.50; Giacobbe (32nd) 19-03.75 *PR*

Discus — Tackett (2nd) 117-02.25; Oldenstadt (5th) 109-0.25; Butler (11th) 83-00 *PR*; Jacob Schooley (13th) 80-00 *PR*; Gebhard (20th) 65-08.25; Saho (21st) 62-09 *PR*; Peerapong Prombut (26th) 53-02.25 *PR*; Giacobbe (30th) 40-08.25 *PR*

Javelin — Gebhard (7th) 107-09 *PR*; Robinett (13th) 92-01 *PR*; Ward (17th) 85-09 *PR*; Butler (21st) 82-06; Schooley (22nd) 77-03; Ojeda Fernandez (28th) 67-10 *PR*; Hadsall (29th) 66-04 *PR*; Giacobbe (39th) 46-10 *PR*; Prombut (40th) 44-11 *PR*

Pole Vault — Wilson (1st) 10-06; Axel Marshall (3rd) 8-00 *PR*

High Jump — Guay (1st) 5-10; Davin Houston (2nd) 5-04; Marshall (7th) 5-00 *PR* Simpson-Pilgrim (7th) 5-00; Wilson (7th) 5-00

Long Jump — Robinett (6th) 16-08 *PR*; Marshall (9th) 15-08.25 *PR*; Ojeda Fernandez (11th) 15-06 *PR*; Merino-Martinez (12th) 15-03.75; Walling (13th) 14-08.50; Kuzma (15th) 14-04 *PR*; Field (17th) 14-03; S. Rudat (18th) 13-11 *PR*

Triple Jump — Cunningham (4th) 34-00; Milnes (5th) 33-10

Posted in Track | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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