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“I can’t do all the work myself!” (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Stir the mussels, help fill the (financial) pot.

The Coupeville Booster Club is looking for a few good volunteers to help out with one of its biggest fundraisers.

That would be the annual Mussel Fest, which is set for Mar. 2-3 this go round.

The booster club serves up warm food to festival goers, with the resulting money helping them fulfill their goal of being the wind beneath the wings of Coupeville athletes.

While you get bonus points if you have a food handlers’ card, no prior experience is needed, as the club will teach you to duel with the briny buggers on the fly.

“We just need new blood,” said booster club mover and shaker Leann Leavitt with a laugh.

“I’m not sure how many more years I can convince (my husband) Nate to cook these for an entire weekend.”

 

To sign up, pop over to:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0A49A4AC2AA2FB6-47806900-booster?fbclid=IwAR2Uxko79hg-gYLYqyhNbuMv_n2lmJMLrWyc8TTzaUuqYouGmNefBG3ZNfw#/

Garth Batchelor (far left) was deeply committed to helping both his own children and their friends play sports. (Photos courtesy Jenny Dill)

There are Wolves, Falcons, and Wildcats, but ultimately, it’s one Whidbey for those involved in sports.

The unexpected death of Garth Batchelor Tuesday leaves a huge hole for the South Whidbey community, and I’m asking Wolf Nation, if possible, to join in helping them.

Batchelor, who along with his wife Olivia, grew up on the south end of the island, was an avid little league coach and athletic supporter.

All three of the couple’s children — Brent, Morgan, and Levi — are strong multi-sport athletes who provided great competition for Coupeville.

Even as I gently harassed Olivia during her own coaching days, imploring her to transfer her children to the middle part of Whidbey, they remained steadfast Falcons — something I respect.

Garth, Olivia, and their children.

This will be a very tough time for the family, beginning with the fact Garth was the primary source of income for the Batchelor’s.

If you have the ability to financially help, please consider doing so. If not, pass on info to others.

Together, we can help keep alive the idea of “One Whidbey,” a band of small-town folk standing together regardless of what school colors we wear.

 

For more info and to help, pop over to:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/garth-batchelor?qid=2bba1deffa870353f4dcd8e76f3d2df6

Tate Wyman (far left) made his college track debut this past weekend. (Photo property Oregon Tech track and field)

One is just getting started, while the other is reaching new heights.

Coupeville High School grads Taygin Jump and Tate Wyman are both pursuing college track and field careers and already finding success.

Jump, a freshman in New York, has vied in several meets and captured her first win Wednesday afternoon.

Competing at the Plattsburgh State Track and Field Invite, she repped the home team while capturing a victory in the weight throw.

Jump tossed the implement 42 feet, 5.50 inches, besting seven other competitors and earning points for the Cardinals.

She also came back around to claim 5th in the shot put (out of 12 women), chucking it 31-08.50.

Taygin Jump shows lil’ sis Aleksia her throwing arm. (Christina Jump photo)

Back on the West Coast, Wyman, a freshman at Oregon Tech, made his indoor track debut this past weekend, running the 60-meter hurdles at a meet hosted by George Fox University.

Originally expecting not to compete until the outdoor season, the former Wolf had his schedule moved up and hit the tape in 10.58 seconds the first time out.

Tate’s coach decided to throw him into a couple indoor meets to see how he does,” said mom Amber Wyman.

“He knocked over a hurdle, but was happy he got to compete,” she added.

“He is making some changes after watching the video of the event and is excited to see some improvement in his next meet.”

Mikey Robinett, flexing on La Conner. Yes, on the whole town. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

The loudest ones in the gym, even when it isn’t their own gym.

Coupeville High School hoops players and fans trekked to La Conner Tuesday and shook the joint.

Capping the evening with a varsity boys’ win that clinched at least a share of a league title, the Wolves (and their faithful followers) put the locals on notice.

We will invade your gym, and we will own it. Every night.

Capturing the flexin’ on camera was photo whiz kid John Fisken, who delivers the pics seen above and below.

To see his action shots from the games, pop over to:

 

Girls’ basketball:

https://www.johnsphotos.net/Sports/Coupeville-Basketball-2023-2024/GBB-2024-02-06-at-LaConner

 

Boys’ basketball:

https://www.johnsphotos.net/Sports/Coupeville-Basketball-2023-2024/BBB-2024-02-06-at-LaConner

 

“Excuse me, coming through. Pardon me … get out of my way, sister!!” (Jackie Saia photo)

A pause, and then the hardwood life returns.

The 50th season of Coupeville High School girls’ basketball closed Tuesday, which just means the countdown to the 51st season is underway.

Other athletic pursuits come and go, but God’s Chosen Sport is eternal.

Through good weather and bad, through school days and summer afternoons, the pursuit of hoops excellence rolls on, every young woman in a Wolf uniform chasing the greatest scorer in school history.

Her name is Brianne King, and no one, boy or girl, has come close to racking up numbers like she did in the late ’90s and early 2000’s.

But never say never.

Jeff Stone held his share of the CHS boys’ basketball career scoring record for 54 years, until Logan Downes came calling in 2024.

Go back four years, to a freshman season cut down to 12 games by the pandemic, and who among us would have assumed the current Wolf senior would be standing atop the mountain?

Which is a way of saying, you never know.

Haylee Armstrong. Tenley Stuurmans. Tamsin Ward.

Or a 3rd grader working on her shot right now.

They could be the one who joins Downes in shocking the world.

You’ll never know if you don’t keep coming back, season after season, documenting bucket after bucket.

A gym, a basketball, a dream — who knows how they’ll play out?

“These shoes? Why, thank you for asking, Mia. These are my special sweet shooting shoes!! I put ’em on, every shot hits nothing but net!!” (Bailey Thule photo)

 

CHS girls’ hoops career scoring (1974-2024), with active players listed in BOLD:

Brianne King – 1549
Zenovia Barron – 1270
Makana Stone – 1158
Megan Smith – 1042
Ann Pettit – 932
Ashley Ellsworth-Bagby – 892
Terry Perkins – 673
Lexie Black – 622
Kristan Hurlburt – 598
Tina Lyness – 594

Marlene Grasser – 574
Judy Marti – 545
Brittany Black – 502
Jen Canfield – 497
Erica Lamb – 497
Emily Vracin – 467
Tina Barker – 464
Vanessa Davis – 448
Lindsey Roberts – 448
Maureen Wetmore – 438

Sarah Powell – 425
Mika Hosek – 424
Cassidi Rosenkrance – 423
Maddie Georges – 407
Ashley Manker – 404
Shawna West – 388
Katie Smith – 374
Whitney Clark – 359
Amy Mouw – 353
Tracy Taylor – 350

Kailey Kellner – 339
Amanda Allmer – 331
Misty Sellgren – 331
Taniel Lamb – 330
Marie Grasser – 321
Mia Littlejohn – 317
Amanda Fabrizi – 299
Scout Smith – 290
Bessie Walstad – 288
Hailey Hammer – 282

Madeline Strasburg – 261
Carly Guillory – 260
Sarah Mouw – 259
Julie Wieringa – 252
Danette Beckley – 249
Chelsea Prescott – 249
Marlys West – 247
Kendra O’Keefe – 244
Breeanna Messner – 235
Hilary Kortuem – 231

Ema Smith – 228
Mikayla Elfrank – 227
Annette Jameson – 223
Beth Mouw – 216
Lisa Roehl – 216
Alita Blouin – 215
Audrianna Shaw – 212
Linda Cheshier – 210
Katie Marti – 208
Izzy Wells – 204

Your active scoring leader, one Katie Marti. (CHS Yearbook Staff photo)

Pam Jampsa – 202
Julia Myers – 202
Kim Warder – 193
Lyla Stuurmans – 192
Kacie Kiel – 188
Stephanie Clapp – 185
Kassie Lawson – 184
Heather Davis – 182
Jaime Rasmussen – 181
Trudy Eaton – 180

Heidi Bepler – 179
Jodie Christensen – 174
Aimee Messner – 168
Danielle Vracin – 167
Sherry Bonacci – 165
Marie Hesselgrave – 165
Marilyn Brown – 164
Hayley Ebersole – 163
Yashmeen Knox – 163
Traci Perkins – 161

Suzette Glover – 159
Carolyn Lhamon – 153
Jai’Lysa Hoskins – 151
Jennifer Bailey – 150
Emily Young – 149
Vanessa Bodley – 146
Joli Smith – 142
Jennie Cross – 140
Mia Farris – 135
Savina Wells – 133

Taya Boonstra – 132
Sarah Burgoyne – 126
Christi Messner – 125
Kayla Lawson – 124
Avalon Renninger – 123
Gwen Gustafson – 122
Cheryl Dunn – 119
Ryanne Knoblich – 119
Hannah Davidson – 116
Jill Whitney – 116

Sarah Wright – 115
Laurie Estes – 114
Debbie Snyder – 113
Tiffany Briscoe – 111
Madison McMillan – 110
Lauren Escalle – 109
Sally Biskovich – 108
Kara Harvey – 108
Kalia Littlejohn – 106
Kyla Briscoe – 104

Kelly Snyder – 104
Sue Wyatt – 100
Lupine Wutzke – 98
Monica Vidoni – 97
Christine Barr – 95
Lauren Grove – 95
Babette Owensby – 93
Toni Thiefault – 92
Jennifer Pettit – 85
Laura Young – 83

Marnie Bartelson – 81
Cheryl Pangburn – 79
Courtney Arnold – 78
Tonnalea Rasmussen – 78
Sharon Jolly – 75
Amanda Manker – 73
Beth Cavanaugh – 72
Wynter Thorne – 68
Rachelle Solomon – 64
Lindsey Sherwood – 61

Ann Kahler – 60
Teagan Calkins – 59
Ja’Kenya Hoskins – 59
Chelsea Rosenkrance – 59
Judy Wallace – 58
Rose Marti – 57
Jean Wyatt – 57
Jennifer Eelkema – 55
Christine Larson – 53
Courtney Boyd – 52

Jada Heaton – 52
Kari Johnson – 52
Erin Ryan – 52
Anya Leavell – 51
Nicole Shelly – 50
Traci Barker – 49
Paige Mueller – 49
Stephanie Kipp – 48
Lynn Wilson – 47
Andilee Murphy – 46

Janiece Jenkins – 43
Meghan Metlow – 43
Tia Wurzrainer – 43
Jessy Caselden – 41
Karen Jampsa – 40
Jennifer Meyer – 40
Jill Keeney – 39
Suzanne Enders – 38
Mandi Murdy – 37
Shawn Diem – 35

Min Powell – 35
Abby Mulholland – 32
Lauren Rose – 32
Tammie Hardie – 31
Nezi Keiper – 29
Shannon Rutledge – 29
Taylor Sherman – 29
Anna Myhr – 28
Kirsty Croghan – 27
Lori Friswold – 27

Sarah Vass – 27
Tina Jansen – 26
Kim Stuurmans – 26
Kathy Jolly – 25
Shelby Kulz – 25
Kylie Van Velkinburgh – 25
Melissa Cox – 23
Haley Marx – 23
Haylee Armstrong – 21
Lori Hart – 21

Haylee Armstrong, ready to make the scoreboard jump. (Jackie Saia photo)

Skylar Parker – 21
Allison Wenzel – 21
Courtney Williams – 21
Aleshia McFadyen – 20
Nancy Dyer – 18
Dina Lanphere – 18
McKenzie Bailey – 17
Carol Estes – 17
Kristina Clark – 16
Dawn Clampet – 15

Nicole Laxton – 15
Mollie Bailey – 14
Lindsey Tucker – 13
Jeannette Fixel – 12
Tammy Shubat – 12
Nikki Snyder – 12
Kelly Ankney – 11
Naomi Prater – 11
Michelle Riddle – 11
Emily Wodjenski – 11

Alyssa Kelley – 10
Zarah Leaman – 10
Toni Hudson – 9
Georgie Smith – 9
Cindy Bennett – 8
Susan Estes – 8
Ami Garthwaite – 8
Eileen Hanley – 8
Keri Iverson – 8
Kristine Macnab – 8

Michelle Smith – 8
Carlie Rosenkrance – 7
McKayla Bailey – 6
Lexi Boyer – 6
Rhiannon Ellsworth – 6
Debbie Johnson – 6
Grace LaPoint – 6
Skyler Lawrence – 6
Corrin Skvarla – 6
Janie Wilson – 6

Kayla Arnold – 5
Katy Bennett – 5
Penny Griggs – 5
Marissa Slater – 5
Denise McGregor – 4
Jessica Sherwood – 4
Kara Warder – 4
Reese Wilkinson – 4
Christina Mowery – 3
Samantha Roehl – 3

Ashlie Shank – 3
Jamie Townsdin – 3
Brenda Belcher – 2
Rusty Brian – 2
Carol Davis – 2
Lisa Davis – 2
Nicole Fuller – 2
Bryley Gilbert – 2
Cathy Higgins – 2
Daisy Kent – 2

Katie Kiel – 2
Charlotte Langille – 2
Brynn Parker – 2
Morgan Stevens – 2
Tracy Barber – 1
Amy Biskovich – 1
Corinne Gaddis – 1