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Coupeville junior Mia Farris leads the attack. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

He was an equal opportunity cameraman.

Wanderin’ photo clicker John Fisken, back from a summer RV jaunt across America, spent Saturday in the gym, snapping pics at the Oak Harbor Volleyball Jamboree.

His photos showcase Coupeville, South Whidbey, and the host school in action, and we have a bit of all three in this story.

To see everything he shot, pop over to:

 

Coupeville:

https://www.johnsphotos.net/Sports/CHS-Volleyball-2023-2024/VB-2023-09-02-Jamboree-at-OHHS/

 

Oak Harbor:

https://www.johnsphotos.net/Sports/OH-Volleyball-2023-2024/VB-2023-09-02-Jamboree-at-OHHS/

 

South Whidbey:

https://www.johnsphotos.net/Sports/South-Whidbey-HS/VB-2023-09-02-Jamboree-at-OHHS/

 

Phoenix Da Costa-Ford, livin’ the mermaid life.

There’s magic in the air, and the sea.

Phoenix Da Costa-Ford — Wolf Mom, master scoreboard operator and all-around mega talent — is embracing a second persona as a bewitching mermaid.

She was in full costume Saturday at “Ye Old Yarrrd Sale” at The Enchanted Beedle, a gift boutique in Coupeville.

Da Costa-Ford and friends were helping raise money for a Renaissance Fair scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend 2024, which will go down at the Whidbey Island Fairgrounds and Events Center.

It’ll be the first local Ren Faire in close to a decade.

“I know that for years people on Whidbey have been begging for a Ren Faire,” Da Costa-Ford said. “And we are now underway to making that dream come true!”

While selling mermaid-themed merchandise, she also dressed the part, bringing the magic of the sea alive.

“At the yard sale I met not only excited kids but excited adults as well, who were living out their dream of meeting a real mermaid!” Da Costa-Ford said.

“I had the best time bringing smiles to our Coupeville community and now I know for sure that this is the career for me!”

Da Costa-Ford, who has launched an Instagram page to celebrate her mermaid lifestyle, is available for birthday parties and events as well.

To see more photos and follow her fantastical adventures, pop over to:

https://www.instagram.com/siren_phoenix_/

Cousins Haylee Armstrong (left) and Capri Anter are ready for their freshman season. (Michelle Armstrong photo)

It’s more about learning lessons than the final score, but the scores were pretty nice as well.

With both its varsity and JV seeing action against larger schools Saturday, Coupeville High School’s volleyball program kicked off a new season in style at the Oak Harbor Jamboree.

The Wolf varsity, reppin’ a 2B school, swept 1A South Whidbey 25-16, 25-19, 25-13, and held up well against their 3A hosts.

Oak Harbor’s main crew eventually escaped with a 25-11, 17-25, 25-18 win.

The results pleased CHS coach Cory Whitmore, as the Wolves continue to show growth as they prep for the start of regular season play.

“Today went well for what we went in hoping to come away with,” he said.

“The jamboree was about going out and gaining competition-experience, connecting as a team through that experience, and starting to settle into new roles and responsibilities.

“We definitely know more than what we did prior to today,” Whitmore added. “And the jamboree is always the first look at where our strengths and weaknesses lie.”

Coupeville’s varsity opened against Oak Harbor, showing “disciplined and tenacious defense, then turning it into brave offense.”

The Wolves followed up by clashing with South Whidbey, who they host next Wednesday, Sept. 6 in the first match that counts in the win/loss column.

“We took all three sets staying pretty focused and on top of the pace,” Whitmore said. “It’ll be fun to see them on Wednesday at full force and at our place.”

More important than the scores were showcasing growth — individual and teamwise.

“A lot of individual efforts stood out,” Whitmore said. “It was fun to see a few of them grow throughout the progression of the day and lessons learned in a jamboree really have that early impact.”

Wolves (l to r) Aby Wood, Chloe Marzocca, and Carly Burt wait for their turn. (Jennifer Marzocca photo)

Bow Down to the … beat

“Dance to the music, my minions!” (Larry Grella cartoon)

The internet is a weird place.

Randomly type in something like, “Bow Down to Cow Town,” and you may find out Coupeville isn’t the only place to embrace said concept.

Oh, it’s true.

Sitting there on SoundCloud, with 160 views, is a rap song with just that name, uploaded two years ago, credited to JMB, featuring JSN.

The main rapper, who hasn’t uploaded anything new in a year, is apparently one Matt Baltazar, and appears to be a teenager or young adult.

It might be my imagination, but he sort of looks like a cross between Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite and former Coupeville hoops star Risen Johnson.

Other than that, there’s not much info out on there on the internet about our music man.

And his song?

It veers a little away from Coupeville, with him rapping in support of an athletic team wearing blue and gold, instead of red and black.

But it does have plenty of rhymes about “suckers and haters” needing to “Bow Down to Cow Town,” so about 95% of its two-minute-plus running time could be lifted and used in support of the Wolves.

On the slim (shady) chance the mysterious JMB stumbles across this story while doing his own internet time-wasting, he should think about a road trip to perform live on Whidbey Island.

Until then, it’s another internet quirk, something you probably didn’t need to be told about, but hey … content.

If nothing else, in the words of our maestro, “If you didn’t know, you do now.”

 

The song:

Alysia Burdge gets the crowd fired up. (Bailey Thule photo)

Two cameras to capture twice the school spirit.

Jackie Saia and Bailey Thule were both busy clicking away Friday night at Coupeville High School’s football season opener, and their pics capture Wolf cheerleaders at their loudest ‘n proudest.

(Jackie Saia photo)

(Bailey Thule photo)

(Jackie Saia photo)

(Jackie Saia photo)

(Bailey Thule photo)

(Jackie Saia photo)

(Bailey Thule photo)