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Ryanne Knoblich excelled in three sports as a senior. (Karen Carlson photo)

They’re going up on the wall.

The display in the Coupeville High School gym hailing the school’s Athlete of the Year winners is growing by three.

That was the official word Monday, as CHS Athletic Director Willie Smith inducted seniors Ryanne Knoblich, Tim Ursu, and Scott Hilborn into the club.

All three are first-time honorees, and join past winners such as Corey Cross, Makana Stone, and Valen Trujillo.

Knoblich was a busy bee during her final year, playing key roles for Wolf volleyball, basketball, and track and field teams.

She did a bit of everything for the spikers, compiling 108 kills, 109 digs, 29 service aces, two solo blocks, and two block assists.

A Second-Team All-Conference pick, Knoblich tied for the team lead in solo blocks, was #2 in kills, and #3 in digs and aces.

On the basketball court, she was a scrappy, rebound-snatching defensive presence who also landed #3 on the team in scoring.

Knoblich capped the year by soaring to her second-straight 2nd place performance in the high jump at the state track and field championships.

In doing so, she cleared the bar at five feet, two inches, tying a school record set by Yashmeen Knox back in 1999.

Tim Ursu lays down the law. (Photo courtesy Kathy Ursu)

Tim Ursu kicked off the year by tearing up the football field, where he was a two-way terror for the first Wolf gridiron squad to win a league title and advance to state since 1990.

He scored 12 touchdowns, was Coupeville’s leading receiver and punt returner, and finished #1 in passes defensed and #2 in tackles and interceptions.

Jump forward to the spring, and Ursu competed in seven different events for the Wolf track team.

He was part of a 4 x 100 relay team which finished 2nd at state, and was among the fastest sprinters in 2B for much of the season.

Scott Hilborn swings into action. (Morgan White photo)

Scott Hilborn was tabbed as Northwest 2B/1B League MVP in both football and baseball, helping lead both teams to state.

On the gridiron, he took the ball to the end zone 13 times, while leading the Wolf defense in tackles, sacks, and tackles for loss.

In the spring, Hilborn led CHS in virtually every offensive category, while also anchoring the team’s pitching staff.

He capped his high school days by tossing a complete game shutout against Toledo at the state tourney, lifting the Wolves to a 3-0 upset and the program’s first state playoff win since 1987.

Alita Blouin played two sports and was Homecoming Queen as a senior. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

A trio for the win.

Three multi-sport stars claimed awards Monday night, with Coupeville High School seniors Maddie GeorgesAlita Blouin, and Aidan Wilson receiving the Cliff Gillies Award.

That honor, handed out by schools across the state, is named for a former longtime Executive Director of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association.

It recognizes student/athletes who excel in scholarship, citizenship, and participation in activities.

Georges and Blouin were team captains for Wolf volleyball and basketball teams, with the duo selected to participate in the 1B/2B/1A All-State volleyball games.

Both were First-Team All-Conference selections as well, with Blouin honored for her play as a libero and Georges as a setter.

Maddie Georges made the All-Conference team in volleyball and basketball.

When basketball season rolled around, both players lit up the bucket.

Blouin led the Wolves in scoring, singing the nets for 204 points, while Georges, who finished as the #24 career scorer in program history, was tabbed as a Second-Team All-Conference player.

Wilson opened his senior year by scoring a team-high 10 goals on the soccer pitch, notching First-Team All-Conference honors.

Aidan Wilson soars to new heights.

Wilson came back around in the spring to claim three medals at the state track and field championships.

He finished 2nd in the 800 and 5th in the triple jump, before running a leg on a 2nd place 4 x 100 relay unit which missed a state title by the blink of an eye.

The Wolf ace wrapped things up by competing in the 51st annual Dennis McDonald Multi Events State Championship this past weekend.

While there, Wilson finished 7th out of 32 competitors in a two-day, 10-event decathlon.

Win big this fall and Wolves (l to r) William Davidson, Zane Oldenstadt, and Logan Downes can close their CHS careers on a big stage. (Michelle Glass photo)

Washington state’s most important high school football games are getting a big stage.

For one year, at least.

After using a mix of sites in recent years, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association has signed a one-year deal with the University of Washington.

That puts all six WIAA state title football games at Husky Stadium this fall.

“Gridiron Classic” goes down Dec. 1-2, with three games on both days.

Kickoff is set for 11 AM, 3 PM, and 7 PM, with 1B, 1A, and 3A playing Friday, and 2B, 2A, and 4A taking the field Saturday.

For Coupeville fans, Saturday’s opener is the one where they hope to be front and center.

Moving all the title games back to one location is an embrace of the past.

When the Kingdome was still standing, teams aimed for an appearance at “Kingbowl” between 1977 and 1994.

The event moved to the Tacoma Dome in 1995, where it ran under the name “Gridiron Classic” until 2018.

At the time, the WIAA cited “rising costs and sagging attendance” for abandoning the joint.

Though, there was also considerable blowback from fans, coaches, and players after Tacoma Dome renovations wrecked sightlines for football in the building.

The WIAA went to a format of two games each at three Pierce County high schools after that, with tepid response from all concerned.

Now, in a one-year trial, it’s Husky Stadium or bust for championship-hungry gridiron teams.

After that, the WIAA will solicit bids for its next five-year cycle (2024-2028).

Coupeville coach Cris Matochi teaches a next gen star the finer points of volleyball. (Phoenix Da Costa-Ford photos)

The love of the game is already in place.

A pack of future Wolf volleyball stars flooded the Coupeville High School gym for a recent skills camp put on by CHS coaches and players.

The young guns, who hail from K-6, are just learning the finer points of the sport, but already showing the enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge which produces winners.

Plus, the lil’ spikers are getting used to having Wolf Moms snap pics as they play, preparing them for the spotlights of tomorrow.

Kennedy O’Neill soars to glory.

No more meets, but a few photos left to deal with.

The Coupeville Middle School track and field team wrapped its season last week with the Cascade League Championships, and today we offer up the remaining pics we had still stashed away.

The action photos are from Wolf Mom Ana Oliveira, the coach portraits snapped by John Fisken.

Ready to launch.

Wolf coach Amber Wyman guided her team to a strong finish.

Feel the burn.

A jumper comes in hot.

Devon Wyman cruises on by.

Jon Gabelein, track guru.

Up, up, and away.