Jada Heaton (left) and Lyla Stuurmans open state tourney play Wednesday morning in Yakima. (Jackie Saia photo)
The path is set.
The Coupeville High School volleyball team, headed back to the state tournament for the first time since 2017, now knows its opening round foe.
The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association released the official bracket Sunday morning, having seeded the 16 qualifiers for the Nov. 8-9 royal rumble.
The Wolves?
Sitting at 12-5, having won 11 of their last 12 matches, they’re #12, and begin their adventure at the Yakima SunDome against #5 Lind-Ritzville-Sprague.
Oh, and by the way, Coupeville spiker coach Cory Whitmore is a Ritzville grad (Class of 2009) who was a standout three-sport athlete there in his younger days.
His dad Greg, now superintendent in Entiat, was also a longtime coach, teacher, and athletic director at the school, so ties still run deep.
Cory Whitmore, Ritzville legend, now rockin’ Coupeville colors. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
“Looking forward to matching up with my alma mater, see some familiar faces in the crowd,” Cory Whitmore said.
“They’re a strong team and I recognize a good number of the names.
“Cari Galbreth’s (head coach) kid is their setter and I definitely remember Zoe splashing around the city pool I lifeguarded at each summer.
“Gotta love the small-town connections. Go Wolves!”
PS — If you’re wondering about that pool, the internet remembers forever:
https://www.ritzvillejournal.com/story/2012/06/21/news/pool-managers-prepare-for-swim-season/2724.html
Coupeville and Lind-Ritzville-Sprague, which is 17-2 on the season, play at 9:45 AM on Court #5.
You can see the bracket here:
http://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4082&school_year=2023-24&district=-1&sport=10&class=2B
Win or lose that opening match, Coupeville returns to the courts later in the day as the tourney is a double-elimination event.
#4 Goldendale (19-1) and #13 Liberty of Spangle (12-5) are opposite the Wolves and Broncos.
Right now, the losers from those two matches are slated to clash at 3:30, with the winners vying at 7:15, but time flows at its own pace once a state tourney begins.
Overall, four teams will go two and out Wednesday, while four more will be sliced early Thursday, with the final eight guaranteed to bring home a trophy.
Coupeville’s Northwest 2B/1B League rival La Conner, which is the four-time defending state champs, have their lowest ranking in years.
The Braves (12-7), who edged the Wolves for the bi-district crown after CHS ended La Conner’s 12+ year conference win streak, are seeded #11 and open against #6 Toutle Lake (14-6).
Top-seeded Adna (18-0) and #2 Manson (20-0) are the last unbeaten teams standing, while #15 Kalama (11-11) is the only school to reach state without posting a winning record.
Wolf spikers Lyla Stuurmans (4), Madison McMillan (11), and Mia Farris (3), ready to write their own tale. (Bailey Thule photo)
This is Coupeville’s sixth trip to the state volleyball tourney, and its first as a 2B school.
The previous five appearances all came at the 1A level.
Whitmore, now in his eighth season at CHS, led the Wolves to the royal rumble in 2017, where they fell to Castle Rock and Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls).
Prior to that, Kim Meche and Toni Crebbin guided Coupeville as it qualified four straight seasons between 2001-2004.
The Wolf spikers went 4-8 at state in that span, collecting a win each time around.
Coupeville KO’d King’s (2-0), Freeman (2-0), Toutle Lake (3-2) and Zillah (3-1) in successive years, but came up just short of bringing home a trophy.
Coupeville Sports 