Coupeville Sports

Diamond queens nab All-League honors

May 27, 2023 by David Svien

Wolf freshman Teagan Calkins earned First-Team All-Conference honors for her superb play. (Jackie Saia photos)

The future is bright for Coupeville High School softball.

Coming off a strong 14-6 season, seven Wolves were tabbed to All-Conference teams by Northwest 2B/1B League coaches.

Better still, four of those seven, including all three players to land First-Team honors, still have two or more seasons left to play.

Sophomores Madison McMillan (SS) and Mia Farris (OF) were joined by freshman catcher Teagan Calkins in receiving top honors.

Four other Wolves — sophomore Taylor Brotemarkle (2B) and seniors Allie Lucero (P/1B), Gwen Gustafson (3B/OF), and Maya Lucero (P/1B) — were named to the Second Team.

Coupeville’s seven All-League players make for a formidable lineup.

Coach of the Year honors went to a former Wolf assistant coach, with Concrete’s Stephanie Henning honored by her fellow diamond gurus for reviving the Lion program.

“She kept her girls playing all season,” said CHS coach Kevin McGranahan. “Something to be said for her and her coaching.”

Posted in Softball | Tagged All-League, CHS Wolves, Madison McMillan, Mia Farris, Softball, Teagan Calkins | Leave a Comment »

Sluggers swing through awards shindig

May 27, 2023 by David Svien

Sophomore softball slugger Jada Heaton earned Most Improved status at a season-ending barbecue. (Jennifer Heaton photo)

It was a season of success.

Playing through brutal “spring” weather until the final week, with a non-conference schedule stuffed full of top-level foes, the Coupeville High School softball squad still went 14-6.

And while the Wolves lose five seniors to graduation, their normal starting lineup featured six players who were sophomores, freshmen, or 8th graders.

While that bodes well for the future, Saturday afternoon was all about hailing what had just been accomplished, as Kevin McGranahan and his assistant coaches honored the 2023 squad.

Sophomore Mia Farris claimed the team’s Offensive MVP award, with senior Gwen Gustafson earning Defensive MVP.

They were joined by sophomore Jada Heaton (Most Improved) and 8th grader Haylee Armstrong (Rookie of the Year).

Haylee Armstrong made a big impression while still in middle school. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Gustafson, Allie Lucero, Melanie Navarro, Sofia Peters, and Maya Lucero — a group which stayed together even after losing their freshman season to pandemic restrictions — were also honored with four-year awards.

Varsity letter winners:

Haylee Armstrong
Taylor Brotemarkle
Teagan Calkins
Mia Farris
Gwen Gustafson
Jada Heaton
Layla Heo
Allie Lucero
Maya Lucero
Chloe Marzocca
Madison McMillan
Melanie Navarro
Sofia Peters

Participation certificates:

Capri Anter
Candace Meek
Rhylin Price
Bailey Thule
Melanie Wolfe

Wolf seniors (l to r) Maya Lucero, Gwen Gustafson, Melanie Navarro, Sofia Peters, and Allie Lucero. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Posted in Softball | Tagged awards banquet, CHS Wolves, Haylee Armstrong, Mia Farris, Softball | Leave a Comment »

Net ace, coach exit after state run

May 27, 2023 by David Svien

Helen Strelow closed out her stellar CHS tennis career with a strong run at the state tourney. (Jackie Saia photo)

Class and competitive fire.

Coupeville High School senior netter Helen Strelow has both traits, and so does her coach, Ken Stange.

So, it’s sort of fitting the two concluded their prep tennis careers at the same time, putting a bow on things at the 1B/2B state championships in Yakima.

Strelow battled hard in her third match of the tourney before falling 6-2, 6-3 to Gwen Gilliam of Goldendale in a loser-out match Saturday morning.

The Wolf ace, who split a pair of bouts Friday, finishes her final campaign with an 11-3 record.

Gilliam advanced to the 3rd/4th place match, where she lost 6-0, 6-4 to Liberty Linklater of Okanogan.

That was a reversal of fortune for both, as Gilliam beat Linklater in the first round of the two-day tournament.

The championship match was a family affair, with Avi Sahota of Jenkins (Chewelah), last year’s runner-up, knocking off lil’ sis Simi 6-2, 6-3 to claim the title.

For Strelow and Stange, the van ride back to Whidbey Island caps their time with the CHS tennis program.

The former graduates in a few days, while the latter is retiring after a nearly two-decade run coaching Wolf girls’ and boys’ tennis.

Ken Stange is retiring after coaching Wolf tennis since 2005. (Jackie Saia photo)

As he exited Yakima, Stange paused for a moment to praise Strelow, who provided him with the sixth, and final, trip to state during his coaching tenure.

“She is an amazing person,” he said. “Artist, scholar, athlete, and one of the kindest people anyone could ever know.

“She improved from week to week, day to day, on a consistent basis,” Stange added.

“She certainly has a spot on my all-time CHS team!”

Posted in Girls Tennis | Tagged CHS Wolves, girls tennis, Helen Strelow, Ken Stange, state championships, Yakima | Leave a Comment »

Sandahl sisters cap successful season

May 27, 2023 by David Svien

Lucy (left) and Sophie Sandahl, hanging out with the parental units. (Photo courtesy Jeannie Sandahl)

They went for one final early morning row.

Coupeville sisters Sophie and Lucy Sandahl were in the boat Saturday at the crack of dawn, competing in New Jersey at the NCAA D-II women’s rowing championships.

Their Seattle Pacific University varsity 4+ boat, which finished 2nd in a pair of races Friday, claimed 4th place in the grand finale, with Humboldt State edging Central Oklahoma for the title.

Sophie, a senior making her final appearance as a member of the SPU crew, was in the first seat, while Lucy, a junior, was coxswain for the Falcons.

The Seattle Pacific varsity 8+ boat finished 3rd in its championship race.

The weekend performance, with the Sandahl sisters and company competing on the Cooper River in Pennsauken, caps a strong season for the Falcon crew program.

Sophie, who has majored in art history, with a minor in museum studies, and Lucy, who is studying physiology, were both named to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Academic team this spring.

Their time in the water with SPU has been an extension of athletic careers which blossomed on Whidbey Island.

After moving to Coupeville from South Carolina, Lucy played volleyball and competed in track and field at CHS, while Sophie swam for Oak Harbor High School.

Posted in Rowing, Wolves in college | Tagged CHS Wolves, Lucy Sandahl, NCAA championships, Rowing, Seattle Pacific University, Sophie Sandahl | Leave a Comment »

Friday work equals Saturday medals

May 26, 2023 by David Svien

Coupeville High School senior Josh Upchurch capped his prep track career with an appearance at the state meet. (Photo courtesy Brittany Kolbet)

They’re set up for an awards windfall.

Coupeville High School track and field athletes have claimed three medals, including a state title, at the three-day 2B state championships in Yakima, and will add between 8-11 more during Saturday’s finale.

The big news on day #2 was Wolf senior Alex Murdy claiming the title in the long jump, smashing his PR by eight inches.

He’s the 10th athlete in school history to stand atop the podium, and the first ever to win a title in a field event.

Murdy’s big win comes a day after Carolyn Lhamon claimed a 4th place medal in the shot put and Aidan Wilson earned 5th place in the triple jump.

Coupeville is slated to compete in 11 events Saturday, all finals.

The Wolves are guaranteed medals in eight running events, after they successfully made it through all their prelims.

Three other CHS athletes — Cael Wilson (pole vault), Ryanne Knoblich (high jump), and Zac Tackett (discus) — are in field events, where all 16 competitors vie in the finals, with the top eight claiming medals.

In the prelim running events, Coupeville’s best finish was also its most controversial.

The boys 4 x 100 relay team, comprised of Tim Ursu, Tate Wyman, Aidan Wilson, and Dominic Coffman, originally didn’t make the cut.

But after a protest, and a counter-protest, the Wolves, who had the fastest time of the day, were moved back into first place and advance to Saturday’s rumble.

Barring a lineup change in the 4 x 1, Aidan Wilson is guaranteed to exit Yakima with three state meet medals in his final go-round.

The senior will be the 12th Wolf to finish with five or more for their career.

Sophomores Lyla Stuurmans (400, 800, 4 x 400) and Monroe Myles (200, 400, 4 x 400) will also take home three medals apiece in their first state meet appearance, while senior Claire Mayne (100 hurdles, 4 x 4) will collect a pair.

With 11 finals, and eight guaranteed medals on the Saturday schedule, Coupeville is also in play for its first-ever team title.

The Wolf boys sit in 4th place with 14 points.

Goldendale (22), St. George’s (20), and Raymond (17.50) hold the top three slots, with 11 of 17 events to be decided Saturday.

On the girls side, there’s work to be done, with Coupeville in 14th place with five points.

St. George’s (40), Okanogan (31), and Asotin (22) are the front runners, and six of 18 events have been scored.