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Win today, build for the future

April 28, 2023 by David Svien

Cousins Haylee Armstrong (left) and Capri Anter, just 8th graders, promise a bright future for Wolf softball. (Jackie Saia photo)

“We did great!”

Coupeville High School JV softball coach Katrina McGranahan came away from Thursday’s road trip to Darrington pleased with what she witnessed.

Her Wolves rapped out 16 hits on their way to a 17-7 win, but getting field time for her young players was the biggest victory.

With most of Coupeville’s foes not fielding JV squads, McGranahan and Co. went 2-0 in limited action.

CHS was supposed to have one more contest for its second team, but a game next week at 2A Sedro-Woolley was canceled due to the potential host team having a lack of players.

That was even more reason for the Wolves to take advantage of Darrington being ready, willing, and able to play Thursday.

Coupeville was missing several players due to illness, but shuffled its roster, sliding a few varsity players down to fill gaps in the lineup.

Wolf 8th graders Capri Anter and Haylee Armstrong both saw time in the pitcher’s circle, with the duo combining to whiff four Loggers.

Coupeville’s three varsity hurlers — Allie Lucero, Maya Lucero, and Gwen Gustafson — are all seniors, leaving plenty of opportunity for the young guns to claim that role going forward.

“Capri did a great job,” McGranahan said. “She was able to hold her own right from the start and stayed solid the entire time.

“Haylee also got some much-needed work in. They both have potential so they need all the time they can get to practice!”

Coupeville pounced from the get-go, raining down six runs in the top of the first and never looking back.

While Darrington narrowed the gap to 7-6 after three frames, the Wolves roared right back into killer mode, slapping five runs on the board in both the fourth and fifth innings.

Along with bashing a ton of hits, CHS took time to work on the finer points of the game.

“Darrington was a decent JV team,” McGranahan said. “They put the ball in play and ran the bases and made the outs.

“But it just wasn’t comparable with what our team was, and for that reason the girls got to work on some skills that tend not to get any work.

“They were batting lefthanded, slap hitting, bunting, and push bunting,” she added. “These were all skills that we have practiced before but never really get the chance to use in games!”

 

Thursday stats:

Capri Anter — Two singles, one double, one walk
Haylee Armstrong — One triple, one walk
Teagan Calkins — Three singles, one walk
Gwen Gustafson — Three singles
Layla Heo — Two singles, one walk
Melanie Navarro — One walk
Sofia Peters — Two singles
Bailey Thule — One single, one triple, two walks

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Hit-happy JV rolls to win

April 28, 2023 by David Svien

Landon Roberts, covering first base in a varsity game, got the win on the mound in Thursday’s JV game. (Morgan White photo)

Lights on, bats rarin’ to go.

The first time Coupeville and Darrington clashed in a JV baseball game this season, sunset on the prairie forced a tie after six hard-fought innings.

Thursday was different, as the squads took advantage of the Loggers being able to click on field lights, allowing the Wolves time to hammer out a 16-5 win.

The victory lifts the CHS young guns to 1-4-1 on the season, with two games remaining on the schedule.

Coupeville’s JV is slated to play Monday, May 1 at home against non-conference foe Sultan, then travel to Sedro-Woolley the next day for their finale.

Thursday’s rumble under the lights was all Coupeville, all the way, though Darrington did manage to narrowly avoid being ten-runned after five innings, pushing the game to six frames before the Wolves closed things out.

Coupeville jumped on the Loggers for seven runs in the top of the first to set the mood, added a single tally in the second, then pushed three more across in the third to build an 11-2 lead.

The Wolves failed to score only once, in the fourth, tagging Logger hurlers for three more runs in the fifth and a final two in the sixth.

Coupeville’s biggest blow came from Jack Porter, who launched a legit inside-the-park home run which missed hitting the football stands beyond center field by just a few feet.

The Wolves sent three pitchers to the mound, with starter Landon Roberts whiffing six of the 18 hitters he faced.

Jack Porter came on in relief in the fourth, while Peyton Caveness was lights out in the sixth, setting three straight Loggers down on strikes.

“Peyton had a wicked off-speed pitch that froze guys,” CHS coach Jon Roberts said. “Good game under the lights! Cool experience for all.”

 

Thursday stats:

Piotr Bieda — Two walks
Myca Clarkson — One single
Jaje Drake — Three walks
Jack Farrell — One single, one walk
Marcelo Gebhard — One walk
Matthew Gilbert — One single, two walks
Aidyn McDermott — One walk
Jack Porter — One home run, one walk
Johnny Porter — Two singles, one double, one walk
Landon Roberts — One single
Yohannon Sandles — One walk
Seth Woollet — One single, two walks

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Steady Wolves nab another win

April 27, 2023 by David Svien

Sophomore sluggers Madison McMillan (left) and Jada Heaton have helped carry Coupeville to a 12-5 record. (Jennifer Heaton photo)

They never flinched.

Locked in a low-scoring rumble for a bit Thursday in Darrington, the Coupeville High School varsity softball squad could have panicked when the host Loggers cut their deficit to a single run.

Instead, the Wolves ripped off seven unanswered runs, threw down back-to-back scoreless innings on defense, and rolled to their ninth win in their last 10 games.

Eventually exiting with an 11-5 win, Coupeville gets to 9-1 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, 12-5 overall.

Now the Wolves head home for Senior Night Saturday — played at 1:00 PM in the afternoon — then close the season on the road.

After facing off Saturday with La Conner (2-7, 2-13), CHS travels to Friday Harbor (7-1, 10-4) Thursday, May 4, before playing a non-conference game May 12 at South Whidbey.

The Friday Harbor clash will determine the NWL champs, and which team earns District 1’s lone playoff berth for 2B schools.

Thursday’s rumble with 1B Darrington, while having no effect on playoff positioning for the Wolves, was still a solid test for Kevin McGranahan’s squad.

“We had to earn this one today; took us awhile to get the bats going,” Coupeville’s coach said.

“The girls stayed the course, and eventually we got some clutch hits to plate some runs and pull away enough to get the W.”

The Loggers, who sit in third place in the conference, hung tough, trailing just 4-3 after four innings.

Both teams went down 1-2-3 in the first, with Wolf hurler Allie Lucero striking out the side, before Coupeville pushed three runners across in the top of the second.

Walks to Madison McMillan and Allie Lucero primed the well, with Maya Lucero crunching a two-run double to left to get the scoreboard operator working.

Melanie Navarro laced an RBI single over the shortstop’s head to make it 3-0 — one of three times the senior slugger reached base — before Darrington escaped.

Melanie Navarro has swung a big bat for the Wolves. (Jackie Saia photo)

The Loggers scraped together their own run in the bottom half of the inning, capitalizing on a bunt which burrowed deep into the dirt in fair territory, but CHS immediately matched the score.

Taylor Brotemarkle singled, went to second on an error, coasted into third on a wild pitch, then tapped home on a hard-hit grounder off the bat of the always-mashin’ McMillan.

Navarro doubled to center in the fourth, only to be stranded, while Darrington scored twice during their at-bats– without getting the ball out of the infield — and suddenly it was a nail-biter at 4-3.

But, no fear, no blinking, just going out and executing for the Wolves.

Fab frosh Teagan Calkins used a bit of alert base running to score in the fifth, before CHS tacked on two runs in the sixth and four more in the seventh to stretch the lead back out to 11-3.

Super sophomores Jada Heaton and Mia Farris both picked up two RBI’s during the surge, with Calkins coming back around to swat a two-run single past Darrington’s diving shortstop.

As important as the runs were, Coupeville’s pitching and defense also came up big in the moment, blanking the Loggers in the fifth and sixth.

Allie Lucero, who finished with 11 strikeouts, set down five consecutive Darrington hitters, while McMillan ended the sixth by tracking down a wayward pop fly over second base.

While the Loggers made one final push, scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh, Calkins ended things.

Jumping out from behind home plate, she plucked a spinning ball off the dirt and fired it to Maya Lucero at first for out #21, sending her team home carrying yet another victory.

 

Thursday stats:

Taylor Brotemarkle — Two singles
Teagan Calkins — Two singles
Mia Farris — One double, one walk
Jada Heaton — One single
Allie Lucero — One walk
Maya Lucero — One double, two walks
Madison McMillan — One walk
Melanie Navarro — One single, one double, one walk
Sofia Peters — One walk

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Timberrrr!!

April 27, 2023 by David Svien

Scott Hilborn whacked four hits Thursday afternoon. (Morgan White photo)

They might want to build a storm shelter in Darrington.

Why?

To protect the locals from the kind of missiles being rained down Thursday afternoon.

The red-hot ‘n rollin’ Coupeville High School varsity baseball squad was in town and smashed 19 hits on its way to a 16-6 win before departing town in a blaze of glory.

Twelve different Wolves collected a base knock during the decimation, even with the game mercy-ruled after five innings, as CHS won for the ninth time in its last 10 tilts.

Now 11-1 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, 13-4 overall, Coupeville heads home for Senior Night Saturday, when it hosts La Conner (3-9, 4-11).

First pitch is 1:00 PM.

With three regular season games left, and two of those conference clashes, the Wolves have clinched the #1 seed for the District 1/2 tournament, and are tied with Mount Vernon Christian (11-1, 12-3) atop the NWL.

Facing off with a decent Darrington squad — the Loggers are a solid .500 team — CHS abused its hosts all afternoon.

The Wolves pushed four runs across in the top of the first, added a single tally in the second, then broke the game wide-open by slapping eight runs on the board in the third.

Three more visitors tapped home plate in the top of the fourth, stretching the lead all the way out to 16-1.

While the Loggers chipped away at the lead late, it came only after Coupeville coach Steve Hilborn cleared his bench.

The Wolves used two of their three freshman hurlers, with starter Coop Cooper whiffing six in three innings of work, while Camden Glover followed with two punch-outs across two frames.

Fab frosh Coop Cooper slings strikes. (Morgan White photo)

Freshman catcher Chase Anderson threw out a pair of would-be base stealers, keeping Darrington honest, while the Wolves strung together hit after hit while at the plate.

Five of the knocks went for extra bases, with senior slugger Scott Hilborn leading the way with two doubles and a bombastic triple.

Young gun Glover and grizzled vet Jonathan Valenzuela each added a two-bagger, with every Wolf starter, and three back-ups, collecting hits.

 

Thursday stats:

Chase Anderson — Two singles
Peyton Caveness — One single, one walk
Coop Cooper — Two singles, one walk
Jaje Drake — One single, one walk
Camden Glover — One double, one walk
Scott Hilborn — One single, two doubles, one triple, one walk
Aiden O’Neill — One single
Jack Porter — Two singles
Johnny Porter — One single
Landon Roberts — One single
Jonathan Valenzuela — One single, one double
Cole White — One single

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“The team did amazing!”

April 26, 2023 by David Svien

6th grader Tamsin Ward won two events at her first middle school track meet. (Jon Gabelein photo)

Edmund Kunz sends the shot put flying far away. (Jon Gabelein photo)

It didn’t take Tamsin Ward long to catch people’s attention.

Competing in her first middle school track meet Wednesday, the Coupeville 6th grader captured wins in both the 100 and shot put.

Besting fields of 38 and 14 athletes, respectively, Ward helped spark the CMS 6th/7th grade girls to a team win as well.

The young Wolves finished with 90 points to host South Whidbey’s 77, while Granite Falls and Northshore Christian Academy brought up the rear.

Coupeville finished 2nd in the boys 6th/7th grade team rumble, led by wins from 7th grader Nick Laska in the shot put and discus.

The Wolf 8th grade girls finished 3rd, while the CMS 8th grade boys were 4th in their battle.

Ward and Laska’s double victories led the way as Coupeville won nine events.

7th graders Marin Winger (400), Lillian Ketterling (discus), Shiloh Sandlin (800), and Roger Merino-Martinez (200) also captured the top rung on the ladder, while a girls 4 x 200 squad made up of 7th graders Niella Bryan, Denali Kalwies, Amelia Crowder, and Lisette Bentabou hit the tape first.

With the first meet of the season in the books, CMS coaches were flying high afterwards.

“The team did amazing!” Amber Wyman said. “There were some tears, scrapes and lots of nerves, but these athletes came to compete!

“I am so proud of all they accomplished.”

That was a feeling shared by Jon Gabelein.

“It was a great first meet with lots of top-notch performances!” he said.

“While some athletes may have been nervous about getting out there on week one, they can now take their first PR and generate improvements throughout the season.”

CMS hosts its next two meets, which are set for May 4 and 10.

Kennedy O’Neill (far right) prepares to leave her foes choking on her dust. (Amber Wyman photo)

 

Wednesday’s results:

 

GIRLS:

 

8th grade:

100 — Tirsit Cannon (3rd) 15.34; Natalie Perera (11th) 17.42

200 — Kayla Crane (3rd) 37.01

100 Hurdles — Lexis Drake (5th) 23.54

4 x 100 Relay — Cannon, Drake, Crane, Lydia Price (3rd) 1:07.68

Long Jump — Drake (9th) 10-00; Perera (14th) 7-11

 

6th/7th grade:

100 — Tamsin Ward (1st) 14.11; Willow Leedy-Bonifas (4th) 15.08; Laken Simpson (5th) 15.16; Isabella De Souza Oliveira Mc Fetridge (7th) 15.37; Amayia Curry (9th) 16.11; Niella Bryan (21st) 17.53; Lisette Bentabou (26th) 18.09; Denali Kalwies (27th) 18.10; Maci Wofford (33rd) 19.10; Kaleah Matros (34th) 19.47

200 — Hyley Farrell (2nd) 31.82; Olivia Hall (4th) 34.45; Anmarie Solis (5th) 34.91; Sage Stavros (10th) 36.50; Savannah Niewald (16th) 38.70; Camilla Wolfe (17th) 40.00

400 — Marin Winger (1st) 1:21.41; S. Niewald (4th) 1:35.29; Lily Fisher (5th) 1:42.15

800 — Lillian Ketterling (2nd) 3:07.40; Devon Wyman (7th) 3:47.24

1600 — Tenley Stuurmans (2nd) 6:44.30; Mikayla Wagner (3rd) 6:55.05; Rebekah Dangerfield (5th) 7:25.06

100 Hurdles — Stuurmans (3rd) 20.18; Elizabeth Marshall (9th) 21.80; Kennedy O’Neill (10th) 21.80; Amelia Crowder (16th) 24.72; Arianna Cunningham (19th) 26.36; Wyman (24th) 30.84; Fisher (25th) 32.82

4 x 100 Relay — Hall, Wagner, Winger, Simpson (2nd) 1:03.93; Cunningham, Leedy-Bonifas, Curry, Taylor Marrs (3rd) 1:04.67

4 x 200 Relay — Bryan, Kalwies, Cunningham, Bentabou (1st) 2:29.37; Farrell, O’Neill, E. Marshall, Stavros (2nd) 2:33.61

Shot Put — Ward (1st) 24-08.50; Marrs (2nd) 22-00.50; Bentabou (3rd) 20-07; Winger (4th) 20-02.50; Simpson (5th) 19-07.25; Matros (10th) 15-03.50; Wofford (10th) 15-03.50; E. Marshall (12th) 14-11

Discus — Ketterling (1st) 50-05; Cunningham (2nd) 46-00; Marrs (3rd) 43-09; Matros (10th) 30-04; Wofford (12th) 27-01; Kalwies (13th) 26-03

Long Jump — Leedy-Bonifas (2nd) 12-06; Ward (4th) 12-02; Stuurmans (5th) 12-02; Mc Fetridge (7th) 12-01; Farrell (8th) 12-00; Cunningham (14th) 10-08; O’Neill (15th) 10-07.50; Wagner (19th) 9-11; Ketterling (23rd) 9-04.50; S. Niewald (27th) 8-11; Wyman (27th) 8-11; Stavros (30th) 8-08; Solis (35th) 7-11; Dangerfield (35th) 7-11; Wolfe (41st) 6-09

The Wolf boys, ready to rumble on the oval. (Amber Wyman photo)

 

BOYS:

 

8th grade:

100 — Davin Houston (7th) 12.97; Kenneth Jacobsen (12th) 13.45; Captain Teuscher (25th) 15.47; Ethan Walling (26th) 15.66; Zach Blitch (29th) 17.64

1600 — K. Jacobsen (2nd) 5:42.04

110 Hurdles — Axel Marshall (5th) 21.16

Shot Put — K. Jacobsen (3rd) 26-08.75; Teuscher (9th) 19-08; Blitch (10th) 17-06

Discus — Blitch (12th) 57-01; A. Marshall (14th) 51-00

Long Jump — Houston (2nd) 16-08; Teuscher (13th) 11-09

 

6th/7th grade:

100 — Carson Grove (2nd) 14.54; Jonathan Jacobsen (13th) 15.74; Collin Mirabile (17th) 16.11; Benji Wertz (21st) 16.74; Ossian Merkel (28th) 17.37

200 — Roger Merino-Martinez (1st) 28.87; Beckett Green (4th) 30.57

800 — Shilo Sandlin (1st) 2:38.22

1600 — Nathan Niewald (4th) 6:20.71; Brantley Campbell (8th) 6:52.19; Edmund Kunz (10th) 7:11.73; Diego Gonzalez (12th) 7:45.65

100 Hurdles — Campbell (6th) 21.97

Shot Put — Nick Laska (1st) 28-01; Green (5th) 23-10; Mirabile (7th) 22-06.50; Sandlin (9th) 20-04.75; Wertz (16th) 14-09.50; Kunz (17th) 13-00.50

Discus — Laska (1st) 79-00; Grove (3rd) 70-01; Gonzalez (22nd) 33-03

High Jump — J. Jacobsen (2nd) 4-02; Wyatt Fitch-Marron (4th) 3-08

Long Jump — Merino-Martinez (2nd) 14-04; N. Niewald (3rd) 13-05; Campbell (6th) 12-08; Grove (7th) 12-07; Sandlin (9th) 12-03; Kunz (17th) 10-09; Merkel (30th) 7-10; Gonzalez (33rd) 6-04

Is every kid at CMS on the track team? Possibly. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

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