Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Coupeville vs. La Conner — a rivalry for all time. Bet on the Braves to get back and bet on the Wolves to hammer them once they do. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

A proud program refuses to go down without a fight.

La Conner High School football, which has decades of success, but has hit tough times of recent, was given a new shot at life Monday night.

The district’s school board voted unanimously to commit to the Braves playing an independent 8-man schedule for at least the next two years.

That was one of three options on the table, with the other two being to kill football and focus on boys’ soccer, or to make a deal for La Conner players to join up with Anacortes.

The La Conner board also approved a request from Athletic Director Christine Tripp to form a committee which will focus on setting actionable benchmarks for the gridiron program to achieve.

She stressed the importance of this, stating officials and coaches need to be able to see that football will be ready for play this fall.

From an emphasis on weight room use to the number of students committing to attending a camp and being in place for summer practices, Tripp wants the Braves fully able to move forward in a positive direction.

Safety is a high priority for the AD and her coaches, and they want to have 16+ players on the roster.

La Conner football has advanced to the state tourney as an 11-man team 14 times — 11 times at the 2B level and three times as a 1A school — with the most recent trip in 2016.

The Braves have played in the state semifinals three times, losing to Brewster in 1975, Mossyrock  in 1982, and Morton-White Pass in 2012.

But falling school attendance and a reduction in the number of students playing football in the last couple of years have taken a toll on La Conner.

The Braves have struggled to field a viable roster, and suffered a string of defeats, with lopsided losses to league rivals Coupeville and Friday Harbor.

When the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association tallied its numbers for the next round of classifications, which run from 2025-2028, La Conner just barely made the cut to remain at the 2B level.

While Mount Vernon Christian and Orcas Island, which don’t play football, are moving up to 2B, La Conner will be the smallest of the Northwest League’s five 2B schools in terms of student body.

The Braves appealed to the WIAA to be allowed to play 8-man football, joining 1B league mates Darrington and Concrete, but were denied.

That decision was based on several factors, Tripp told board members.

Two of the biggest was that La Conner was running two “large boys programs side by side,” with soccer and football sharing the fall since the early ’90s.

Also, there are no active community or middle school gridiron programs, which the WIAA said “provides no structure or framework in place to grow the high school program.”

Denied a chance to play 8-man football in a league, La Conner will have to scrape together a schedule, which will present somewhat of a hardship.

Tripp cautioned that the Braves will likely have to play many of their games on the road, as they grab contests by slipping into open spaces where other schools have a bye week.

Also, there is no path to the postseason for independent teams.

Still, Tripp, her coaches, and community members wanted football to remain at La Conner.

“It’s not going to fix itself, but we can fix it,” said one person during the public comment section.

“I don’t believe we are at the point where we give up on our kids,” added another alum and former player.

In the end, Tyler Zimmerman, a 1995 grad and proud former Braves player, summed it up best.

“Don’t give up on La Conner football!”

While Monday night’s results don’t keep La Conner playing 11-man football or competing for state titles, it at least lays the groundwork for a return to that level.

I may be hugely pro-Coupeville, but the Wolves need the Braves.

Some wins mean more than others, and CHS beating LHS when both teams are at full strength is a benchmark for Cow Town.

We all want to see a day when the best pre-game moment in local sports signals the start of a true rivalry game again.

And yes, Wolf fans, that moment is when La Conner football players thrust their helmets skyward and bellow in unison “Home of the Braves!” at the end of the National Anthem at a home football game.

You can’t deny the power and pageantry of that ritual, no matter what school you rep.

So, go, get better, get stronger, La Conner.

The Wolves still want to whup your collective fannies. But they want to do it straight-up, old-school style.

See you in a few years and have your chin strap on tight for the reunion.

Hurlee Bronec powers to the hoop. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

It’s ever evolving.

Game to game, season to season, the career scoring chart for Coupeville High School boys’ basketball remains fluid.

Even during the offseason it can change, as we continue to hunt down numbers from 107 seasons of Wolf hoops.

We’ve confirmed at least partial scoring totals for 420 varsity players and are pretty dang solid from the ’60s up to 2024.

But we’re still missing chunks from the olden days, from Tom Sahli’s sophomore campaign in 1951-1952 to countless unknown (to me at least) hardwood heroes of the ’20s and ’30s.

The puzzle will likely never be 100% solved — unless a prairie barn out there conceals a treasure trove of old-school scorebooks — but we’re getting closer and closer.

With a loss Saturday at the state tournament, the 2023-2024 edition of CHS hoops closes its chapter.

We have a new all-time top scorer in Logan Downes, and he and his fellow seniors, and their scoring stats, are now frozen in time like Banky Fisher or Dale Sherman.

Hunter Bronec lines up a free throw. (Bailey Thule photo)

There are four active Wolves on the chart, with Hunter and Hurlee Bronec having one more year to amass points, while Aiden O’Neill and Chase Anderson have two.

Who will join them next year?

Camden Glover? Landon Roberts? Jack and Johnny Porter? Perhaps someone we don’t even know yet, a transfer from another town or country?

That’s part of the mystery which drives us forward, year after year, point after point.

Until we know the answer, here’s where things sit as of Feb. 26, 2024, with active players in bold:

 

Logan Downes – 1305
Jeff Stone – 1137
Mike Bagby – 1137
Randy Keefe – 1088
Mike Criscoula – 1031
Jeff Rhubottom – 1012
Bill Riley – 934
Pete Petrov – 917
Brad Sherman – 874
Denny Clark – 869

Arik Garthwaite – 867
Bill Jarrell – 855
Hunter Smith – 847
Corey Cross – 811
Hawthorne Wolfe – 800
Jack Elzinga – 770
Barry Brown – 769
Hunter Hammer – 755
Steve Whitney – 730
Dan Nieder – 729

Tom Sahli – 719 (**MISSING SEASON**)
Chris Good – 688
Gavin Keohane – 677
Virgil Roehl – 674
Foster Faris – 668
Pat Bennett – 659
Wade Ellsworth – 659
Jason McFadyen – 654
Rich Morris – 637
Kramer O’Keefe – 636

Wiley Hesselgrave – 632
John O’Grady – 611
Greg White – 604
Denny Zylstra – 602
Joe Whitney – 601
Brian Miller – 597
Mike Syreen – 594
Gabe McMurray – 592
Pat Clark – 583
Randy Duggan – 552

Roy Marti – 551
Jim Syreen – 550
Marc Bissett – 549
Gary Hammons – 533
Jerry Zylstra – 527
Brad Miller – 526
Gary Faris – 524
JJ Marti – 520
Cody Peters – 518
David Lortz – 502

Jason Bagby – 499
Xavier Murdy – 482
Pat O’Grady – 472
Harold Buckner – 469
Sean Dillon – 469
Frank Marti – 462
Alex Murdy – 448
Del O’Shell – 440
Tony Ford – 432
Caleb Powell – 421

Mason Grove – 414
Ben Biskovich – 407
Casey Clark – 407
Nick Sellgren – 406
Cole White – 405
Blaine Ghormley – 393
Tom Logan – 385
James Smith – 382
Don Cook – 377
Chad Gale – 373

Cole White netted a fair number of jumpers over the past four seasons. (Parker Hammons photo)

Mike Millenbach – 373
JD Wilcox – 373
Ty Blouin – 369
Caesar Kortuem – 369
Ray Harvey – 368
Pat Brown – 355
Dick Smith – 352
Ethan Spark – 352
Glenn Losey – 350
Timm Orsborn – 345

Robin Larson – 342
Byron Fellstrom – 340
Kevin Faris – 339
Michael Vaughan – 337
Jim Yake – 331
Aaron Trumbull – 330
Brad Brown – 328
Charlie Tessaro – 328
Utz Conard – 326
Ian Smith – 324

David Ford – 323
Bob Rea – 320
Chris Marti – 319
Gabe Wynn – 316
Nick Streubel – 314
Ben Hayes – 306
Allen Black – 305
Noah Roehl – 301
Blake Day – 299
Noel Criscoula – 298

John Beasley – 293
Risen Johnson – 291
Brian Fakkema – 290
Matt Frost – 290
Mike Mallo – 282
Keith Jameson – 277
Terry Roberts – 277
Kit Manzanares – 275
Boom Phomvongkoth – 275
Zepher Loesch – 274

Alex Evans – 272
Aaron Curtin – 271
Tyler King – 270
Joe Tessaro – 270
Eric Hopkins – 265
Harvey Wainio – 265
Chase Anderson – 260
Rick Keefe – 259
Troy Blouin – 256
Sean Callahan – 256

Greg Fellstrom – 248
Richard Hammons – 248
Casey Larson – 247
Don Schreiber – 247
Brandon Huff – 245
Grady Rickner – 245
Brad Haslam – 235
Sean Toomey-Stout – 235
Geoff Hageman – 227
Curt Youderian – 226

Rich Vaughan – 219
Ed Wood – 219
Joel Walstad – 217
Richard Cook – 216
Ryan Keefe – 214
Nick Guay – 213
Jordan Ford – 210
Andrew Mouw – 204
Vance Huffman – 203
Tim Quenzer – 202

Alan Hancock – 198
Shawn Ryan – 197
Mitch Aparicio – 195
John Engstrom – 195
Trevor Tucker – 194
Roy Mattox – 191
Dale Sherman – 188
Scott Stuurmans – 188
Ryan Blouin – 185
Pat Millenbach – 181

Caleb Meyer – 179
Wayne Hardie – 178
Chris Cox – 177
Evan Tingstad – 177
Jerry VandWerfhorst – 177
Anthony Bergeron – 176
Mike Ankney – 173
Ron Naddy – 172
Dale Libbey – 169
Roger Sherman – 168

Tim Walstad – 168
Randy Blindauer – 166
Mark Bepler – 165
Chad Brookhouse – 163
Jered Brown – 156
Monty Moore – 155
Geoff Wacker – 154
Bill Baas – 153
Ulrik Wells – 152
Jim Faris – 151

Steve Konek – 149
Gavin O’Keefe – 149
Ryan McManigle – 148
Ryan Griggs – 147
Hugh Abell – 145
George Libbey – 142
Sandy Roberts – 134
Craig Anderson – 132
Scott Franzen – 129
Ben Etzell – 127

Gavin Knoblich – 126
Len Buckner – 125
Brian Shank – 125
Joey Lippo – 121
Jessie Smith – 119
Scott McGraw – 116
Christian Townsdin – 116
Mitch Pelroy – 115
Taylor Ebersole – 114
Eric Taylor – 112

Jim Casey – 111
Jacobi Pilgrim – 111
Jonathan Valenzuela – 110
Brian Barr – 108
Joe Donellon – 101
Jason McManigle – 101
Bryan Hamilton – 99
Brian Knoll – 98
Morgan Payne – 96
Christian Lyness – 95

Koa Davison – 94
Ted Weber – 91
Hunter Downes – 89
James Meek – 89
Dan Miller – 89
Steve Bissett – 87
Hunter Bronec – 87
Andrew Cashen – 87
Carson Risner – 86
John Sinema – 86

Nick Morris – 83
Dominic Coffman – 81
Logan Martin – 81
Roy Armstrong – 80
Cameron Toomey-Stout – 80
Caleb Valko – 78
Ross Buckner – 77
Matt Shank – 77
JJ Johnson – 76
Duane Score – 76

Quinten Farmer – 75
Matt Ortega – 75
Mike Ellsworth – 74
Don Spangler – 72
John Zimmerman – 72
Joe Bruzas – 71
Jason Fisher – 71
Tony Prosser – 70
Les Jacobson – 69
Tom Conard – 68

Dean Grasser – 68
Matt Bepler – 67
Zack Swerdfeger – 66
Ron Lanphere – 65
Sage Downes – 64
Ben Hancock – 63
Randy Stone – 63
Mike Brown – 62
Jason McDavid – 62
Jeremy Staples – 62

Brian Hageman – 61
Erik King – 61
David Davis – 60
Tom Mueller – 59
Brandy Ambrose – 58
Sam Kieth – 58
Steve Smith – 58
Martin Walsh – 58
Matt Helm – 57
Dennis Terrell – 57

Drew Chan – 56
DeAndre Mitchell – 56
Daniel Olson – 56
Ellis Schultz – 56
Dave Stoddard – 56
CJ Smith – 54
Larry Zylstra – 54
Asa Owensby – 52
Marc Aparicio – 51
Chris Chan – 51

Joe Kelley – 51
Marvin Darst – 50
Troy Hurlburt – 49
Stanley Bruzas – 48
Dalton Engle – 48
Jerry Helm – 48
Dalton Martin – 47
Eddie Fasolo – 45
Doug Speers – 45
Banky Fisher – 44

Keith Dunnagan – 42
Zane Oldenstadt – 42
Gaylord Stidham – 41
Erick Harada – 40
James Jorgensen – 40
Nevin Miranda – 40
Jeff Thomas – 40
John Wyatt – 40
John Moskeland – 39
Hurlee Bronec – 37

Danny Bonacci – 36
Chuck Ruthford – 36
Charlie Toth – 36
Jim Marti – 35
Zeb Williams – 35
Robert Cushen – 34
Dante Mitchell – 34
Sid Mudgett – 34
Dave Brandt – 33
Ryan Kelley – 33

Brian Roundy – 32
Richard Barber – 31
Joe Libbey – 31
Ray Cook – 29
Tim Leese – 29
Ralph Lindsay – 29
Kyle Rockwell – 29
Rick Marti – 28
Toby Martinez – 28
Daniel McDonald – 28

Joe Rojas – 28
Todd Smith – 28
Scott Sollars – 28
Richard Benson – 27
Mike Duke – 27
John Holmes – 26
Lewis Berry – 25
Mark Short – 25
Tim Youderian – 25
Jared Helmstadter – 24

Trent Diamanti – 23
Trevor Mueller – 22
Dan Schleiffers – 22
William Davidson – 21
Jay Roberts – 21
Dustin Van Velkinburgh – 21
Matt Douglas – 20
Jordan Emerson – 20
Dane Lucero – 20
Dean Strom – 20

Scott Fisher – 19
Scott Losey – 19
Bud Merryman – 19
Matt Petrich – 19
Jason Raymond – 19
Rob Blouin – 18
Rick Keith – 18
Marvin Mitchell – 18
Guy Walker – 18
Gary Boyke – 17

Jim Keith – 17
Jean Lund-Olsen – 17
Cedric McIntosh – 17
TJ Rickner – 17
Rick Frieze – 16
Frank Nelson – 16
Chad Nixon – 16
Josh Wilsey – 16
Steven Cope – 15
Eric Dyer – 15

Mike Lester – 15
Brad Rogers – 15
Henry Edwards – 14
Todd Brown – 13
DJ Kim – 13
LaVerne Arnold – 12
Mike Eaton – 12
Guy George – 12
Kole Kellison – 12
Glen Lanphere – 12

Desmond Bell – 11
Bill Hamilton – 11
Howard Libbey – 11
Ken Pickard – 11
Jon Roberts – 11
Chris Squires – 11
Ben Winkes – 11
Jermiah Copeland – 10
Ron Edwards – 10
Travis Hooker – 10

Mikey Robinett – 10
Daniel Graham – 9
Kyle King – 9
Bruce Seiger – 9
Jimmy Sullivan – 9
Fred Wyatt – 9
Erik Anderson – 8
Dave Bowers – 8
Rob Fasolo – 8
Kraig Gordon – 8

Cody Roberts – 8
Robert Shafer – 8
Dave Wells – 8
Charlie Cook – 7
Bobby Engle – 7
Brian Folkestad – 7
Wayne Hesselgrave – 7
Aiden O’Neill – 7
Ed Cook – 6
Tucker Hall – 6

Quinten Simpson-Pilgrim walks into history, forever a part of an exclusive club. (Bailey Thule photo)

Chuck Hardee – 6
Kevin King – 6
Robert Kirkwood – 6
Quinten Simpson-Pilgrim – 6
George Smith – 6
Nic Anthony – 5
Ariah Bepler – 5
Scott Davidson – 5
JD Myers – 5
Timothy Nitta – 5

Nate Steele – 5
Ron Zylstra – 5
Andrew Bird – 4
Bill Boze – 4
Miles Davidson – 4
Ralph Engle – 4
Jason Legat – 4
Morgan Roehl – 4
Rusty Bailey – 3
Luke Currier – 3

Frank Mueller – 3
Tracy Wilson – 3
Teo Benson – 2
Norm Enders – 2
Chris Locke – 2
Jeremy McCormick – 2
Rich McCormick – 2
Fred Meadors – 2
Denny Moss – 2
Tony Sherman – 2

Marion Sill – 2
Stephen Stietenroth – 2
Robbie Wanamaker – 2
Paul Baher – 1
Bill Engle – 1
Robert Engle – 1
Bob Franzen – 1
Meryl Gordon – 1
Oscar Liquidano – 1
Raleigh Sherman – 1

You can’t always get what you want, except maybe this time you can.

The Community Foundation for Coupeville Public Schools is running a raffle in which someone will walk away with $2,000+ in Rolling Stones tickets.

The foundation, which provides help to students and teachers, has been gifted two ducats to Mick Jagger and gents playing May 15 at Lumen Field in Seattle.

The tickets are located in Section 137, Row C, seats 1 and 2, and they could be yours.

Raffle tickets are being sold for $25 apiece, with the drawing set for Mar. 23.

There are no limits on how many raffle tickets you can buy, but there are only 200 available.

All raffle transactions must be done person to person, so no online sales.

You can buy tickets at either Aqua Gifts or Branch Business Services in Coupeville, or from a member of the foundation.

Those members are James Steller, Chic Merwine, Bill Evans, Diane Eelkema, Molly McPherson, Karen Koschak, Christie Sears, Kathy Harada, Aaron Lucero, Danette Beckley, Jerry Kroon, and Fran McCarthy.

The Wolves bring the noise and spirit, no matter where the gym is located. (Jackie Saia photos)

Loud ‘n proud, home or away.

The Coupeville High School cheer squad hit the road Saturday, traveling 60+ miles to Arlington to provide the soundtrack for Wolf fans at the state basketball playoffs.

Capturing Jenniffer Morrell’s squad in action was intrepid yearbook advisor Jackie Saia, who delivers the pics seen above and below.

Ready to protect home court advantage. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

The future of Coupeville boys’ basketball is ready for its closeup.

The pics above and below, which come to us courtesy John Fisken, capture Wolf SWISH players on the same court where they hope to excel one day as high school hardwood heroes.

It’s a dynasty being built, one bucket at a time.