Coupeville Sports

Wolf netters swing into a new season

March 16, 2023 by David Svien

Kaitlyn Leavell, ready to fire aces. (Jackie Saia photo)

The weather was fair, and the tennis was hot.

The Coupeville High School netters kicked off a new season Thursday, putting up a strong fight before being nipped 3-2 by visiting Granite Falls.

“Not bad for a first match,” said longtime Wolf tennis guru Ken Stange.

With only one other Northwest 2B/1B League rival playing girls tennis — the Wolves and Friday Harbor clash four times — CHS has four non-conference matches scheduled against 1A schools.

Coupeville will play home and away series with Granite Falls and South Whidbey, with the rematch against the Tigers set for Mar. 27.

After opening at home, the Wolves play their next three matches on the road, not returning to their own courts again until Mar. 31.

Wolf netters (l to r) Vivian Farris, Hayley Fiedler, and Emma Morano kick off a new season. (Lucy Tenore photo)

Thursday’s results:

1st Singles — Helen Strelow beat Blair Johnson 6-0, 6-1

2nd Singles — Djina Radenovic lost to Ava Combs 6-0, 6-1

1st Doubles — Hayley Fiedler/Vivian Farris beat Alexa Mace/Danika Mace 6-1, 6-1

2nd Doubles — Skylar Parker/Elizabeth Lo lost to Paige Buchholz/Ashlee Meusling 6-4, 6-0

3rd Doubles — Kaitlyn Leavell/Emma Morano lost to Marjorye Garcia/Brooke Mann 8-2

Posted in Girls Tennis | Tagged CHS Wolves, girls tennis, Granite Falls, Helen Strelow, season opener | Leave a Comment »

Winter cheer hosts awards shindig

March 16, 2023 by David Svien

Miley Gerber earned Most Spirited during the winter cheer season. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

The cheers are still lingering in the Coupeville High School gym.

Basketball season is done, with Wolf athletes having moved outdoors for spring sports, but winter teams are putting a cap on things with awards banquets.

CHS cheer held its season-ending shindig Thursday, with coaches handing out awards, letters, and certificates.

Miley Gerber earned Most Spirited for the winter campaign, with Makenna Jonker-Chambers (Wolf Award), Gracie McFarlin (Most Improved), and Isabella Schooley (Coaches Award) also honored.

Varsity letter winners:

Piotr Bieda
Lucy Crouch
Miley Gerber
Makenna Jonker-Chambers
Ember Light
Gracie McFarlin
Emma Morano
Pamela Morrell
Marz Safford
Josh Upchurch
Avery Williams-Buchanan
Kai Wong

Participation certificates:

Abbigail Bond
Alysia Burdge
Lynn Cosner
Hayley Fiedler
Isabella Schooley
Maylin Steele
Hayley Thomas

Piotr Bieda shows off his teamwork skills.

Posted in Cheer | Tagged awards banquet, Cheer, CHS Wolves, Gracie McFarlin, Miley Gerber | Leave a Comment »

Diamond dazzlers, sizzlin’ snaps

March 16, 2023 by David Svien

It’s a shot to the heart (or at least a shot to the chest protector). (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

The diamond is alive once more.

Spring sports officially launched Wednesday, with Coupeville High School baseball and softball teams whacking visiting South Whidbey for season-opening victories.

As the day played out, photographers Jackie Saia and John Fisken snapped away, capturing the pics seen above and below.

Wolf 8th graders Haylee Armstrong (left) and Capri Anter get their first taste of high school ball. (Jackie Saia photo)

Aaron Lucero, international man of mystery. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

CHS baseball parents Morgan and Greg White get their side hustle on. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Gwen Gustafson owns the plate. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Teagan Calkins comes up firing. (Jackie Saia photo)

Steve Hilborn silently prays for the prairie wind to stop blowing. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Rhylin Price is the future, and the future is talented. (Jackie Saia photo)

Posted in Baseball, Softball | Tagged Aaron Lucero, baseball, CHS Wolves, Haylee Armstrong, Softball | Leave a Comment »

Run, jump, win

March 16, 2023 by David Svien

Coupeville junior Issabel Johnson and friends kicked off the track and field season Wednesday in La Conner. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

“So proud of them! Real excited to see what the season brings!”

Coupeville High School track coaches Elizabeth Bitting and Bob Martin were beaming Wednesday after their team travelled to La Conner and made a loud, proud statement.

Showcasing the program’s deepest roster in years, the Wolves captured the boys team title at a season-opening 10-team meet, while the CHS girls claimed 2nd place.

The Coupeville boys, led by double-winner Aidan Wilson (800, triple jump) demolished the field, finishing with 168 points while runner-up’s Mount Vernon Christian (90) and Friday Harbor (89) were well back of the Wolves.

The meet champs won seven events, with Mitchell Hall (1600), Nick Guay (long jump), Zac Tackett (discus) and both the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relay teams coming out on top.

On the girls side of things, the Wolves, whose 135 points were second to the 149 amassed by MVC, netted wins from Carolyn Lhamon (shot put, discus), Katie Marti (javelin), Claire Mayne (100 hurdles) Lyla Stuurmans (400), and Ryanne Knoblich (high jump).

The meet attracted Northwest 2B/1B League rivals Coupeville, Friday Harbor, Orcas Island, MVC, and La Conner, as well as Grace Academy, Lopez Island, Lummi Nation, South Whidbey, Cedar Park Christian-Lynnwood, and Shoreline Christian.

Fresh off their stellar performance, the Wolves head to the Rainier Icebreaker Invitational this Saturday, Mar. 18, then host a home meet next Wednesday, Mar. 22.

Complete Wednesday results:

GIRLS:

100 — Monroe Myles (10th) 14.75 *PR*; Ava Mitten (17th) 15.30; Alysia Burdge (22nd) 16.09 *PR*; Anna Annunziato (23rd) 16.19 *PR*; Gwen Crowder (26th) 16.35 *PR*; Edie Bittner (27th) 16.37 *PR*; Issabel Johnson (31st) 16.63; Avery Williams-Buchanan (37th) 17.86 *PR*; Sara Omega (38th) 18.02 *PR*

200 — Ryanne Knoblich (7th) 31.12 *PR*; M. Myles (12th) 31.90 *PR*; Carly Burt (14th) 32.08 *PR*; Mitten (16th) 32.77; Ayden Wyman (17th) 32.79 *PR*; Crowder (22nd) 34.14 *PR*; Bittner (23rd) 34.16 *PR*; Williams-Buchanan (33rd) 40.35 *PR*

400 — Lyla Stuurmans (1st) 1:05.53; Katie Marti (12th) 1:22.30 *PR*

800 — Aleera Kent (2nd) 2:47.45 *PR*; Noelle Western (7th) 3:01.45 *PR*

100 Hurdles — Claire Mayne (1st) 19.79 *PR*

300 Hurdles — Mayne (7th) 1:01.85; Liza Zustiak (10th) 1:08.62 *PR*

4 x 100 Relay — Mitten, Mayne, Burt, Knoblich (3rd) 58.16

4 x 200 Relay — Stuurmans, A. Wyman, Western, Johnson (2nd) 2:05.22

4 x 400 Relay — Western, Zustiak, Kent, A. Wyman (2nd) 5:14.21

Shot Put — Carolyn Lhamon (1st) 29-07; Marti (5th) 25-00 *PR*; Reese Wilkinson (7th) 23-09.50; Erica McGrath (8th) 23-03.50 *PR*; Grier Mooney (10th) 21-02.50 *PR*; Zustiak (12th) 18-08 *PR*

Discus — Lhamom (1st) 97-08 *PR*; McGrath (4th) 78-10.50 *PR*; Wilkinson (6th) 69-05; Taygin Jump (8th) 61-01.50; Marti (9th) 60-08 *PR*; Mooney (10th) 56-09 *PR*; Jackie Contreras (17th) 45-03.50 *PR*; Aby Wood (20th) 42-06

Javelin — Marti (1st) 84-10 *PR*; Jump (3rd) 73-05; Burdge (13th) 52-09 *PR*; Wood (14th) 51-05; Wilkinson (21st) 44-07; Contreras (22nd) 42-07 *PR*; Crowder (23rd) 40-09 *PR*; Mercedes Kalwies-Anderson (26th) 33-04 *PR*; Delanie Lewis (27th) 25-02 *PR*

High Jump — Knoblich (1st) 4-10; Stuurmans (4th) 4-04 *PR*; Kalwies-Anderson (5th) 4-02

Long Jump — Burt (6th) 11-08.50 *PR*; Western (9th) 11-00 *PR*; Johnson (14th) 10-05.50 *PR*; Annunziato (15th) 10-05 *PR*; Wood (17th) 8-05.50 *PR*; Lewis (18th) 8-04 *PR*; Omega (18th) 8-04 *PR*; Williams-Buchanan (21st) 6-09 *PR*

Triple Jump — Knoblich (4th) 27-07.50 *PR*

BOYS:

100 — Tim Ursu (4th) 11.98 *PR*; Dominic Coffman (7th) 12.18; Nehemiah Myles (10th) 12.36 *PR*; Preston Epp (19th) 12.77 *PR*; Alex Merino-Martinez (35th) 13.46 *PR*; Kris Sturtevant (41st) 13.95 *PR*

200 — Nick Guay (3rd) 24.91; Epp (11th) 26.34 *PR*; Cael Wilson (14th) 26.97 *PR*; Adrian Cunningham (17th) 27.49 *PR*; Hank Milnes (20th) 27.96 *PR*; Quinten Simpson-Pilgrim (25th) 28.54 *PR*; Malachi Somes (30th) 30.23 *PR*

400 — Milnes (5th) 58.95 *PR*; N. Myles (8th) 1:02.25 *PR*; Anthony Smolen (10th) 1:03.38 *PR*; Somes (13th) 1:04.40 *PR*; Simpson-Pilgrim (15th) 1:05.60 *PR*; Merino-Martinez (16th) 1:06.29 *PR*

800 — Aiden Wilson (1st) 2:07.37; Epp (6th) 2:23.86 *PR*; Ezra Boilek (7th) 2:26.54 *PR*; George Spear (13th) 2:39.65 *PR*; Smolen (15th) 2:40.49 *PR*; Ezekiel Allen (16th) 2:41.57 *PR*

1600 — Mitchell Hall (1st) 4:51.99 *PR*; Alex Murdy (6th) 5:27.94 *PR*; Spear (11th) 5:48.32 *PR*; Allen (15th) 6:01.11 *PR*

3200 — Epp (2nd) 11:19.19

110 Hurdles — Tate Wyman (4th) 19.34 *PR*; C. Wilson (5th) 19.82 *PR*

300 Hurdles — T. Wyman (3rd) 47.59 *PR*; C. Wilson (7th) 51.28

4 x 100 Relay — Ursu, Coffman, T. Wyman, N. Guay (1st) 47.34

4 x 400 Relay — Hall, Boilek, Milnes, A. Wilson (1st) 3:54.22

Shot Put — Kai Wong (4th) 34-07 *PR*; Josh Upchurch (5th) 34-02 *PR*; Zac Tackett (10th) 31.08.50 *PR*; Zane Oldenstadt (18th) 27-06; Josh Guay (35th) 20-06

Discus — Tackett (1st) 116-01 *PR*; Epp (8th) 86-02 *PR*; Oldenstadt (9th) 85-05.5; Wong (12th) 80-08 *PR*; Upchurch (15th) 76-06.50 *PR*; J. Guay (20th) 69-08.50

Javelin — Ursu (6th) 100-09; Hall (14th) 93-06; Wong (18th) 89-09 *PR*; Somes (20th) 85-03 *PR*; Cunningham (27th) 70-06 *PR*; Boilek (28th) 66-07 *PR*; Nick Shelly (31st) 65-08; J. Guay (41st) 47-06

High Jump — N. Guay (1st) 5-11 *PR*; Coffman (2nd) 5-06; A. Wilson (4th) 5-06 *PR*; C. Wilson (5th) 5-04 *PR*

Long Jump — Murdy (2nd) 18-10 *PR*; Ursu (5th) 17-02 *PR*; Cunningham (12th) 15-05 *PR*; Merino-Martinez (16th) 14-05 *PR*; Allen (23rd) 12-08 *PR*; Sturtevant (25th) 12-01 *PR*

Triple Jump — A. Wilson (1st) 38-09; Milnes (3rd) 35-02 *PR*

Posted in Track | Tagged Aidan Wilson, Carolyn Lhamon, CHS Wolves, season opener, track and field | Leave a Comment »

Hardball squad opens with rivalry win

March 15, 2023 by David Svien

Wolf senior Scott Hilborn sizzled as a pitcher and hitter Wednesday in a win versus South Whidbey. (Jackie Saia photo)

He’s perfect if he retires now.

Steve Hilborn stepped into his new role as head coach of the Coupeville High School baseball program Wednesday and did it in style.

Riding a strong pitching performance from son Scott, and a balanced offensive attack, the new hardball guru guided the Wolves to a resounding 13-2 win over visiting South Whidbey in the season opener.

With road games Thursday at Meridian and Saturday at North Mason, Coupeville has a chance to get off to a solid start against non-conference foes.

If they play like they did against the Falcons, all the better.

The Wolves jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning Wednesday, pushed the advantage to 4-0 after two innings, then tacked on three more runs in the third and six in the fourth.

South Whidbey did manage to scrape together a pair of runs in the top of the third, briefly cutting the margin to 4-2, but CHS had an answer at every turn.

Scott Hilborn, launching his senior season on the diamond, threw all five innings in a game ended early by the mercy rule, using just 59 pitches while striking out three Falcons.

At the plate, Coupeville racked up 10 hits and eight walks, keeping its runners moving crisply bag to bag.

Scott Hilborn and Cole White rapped out singles in the first inning, with Jonathan Valenzuela delivering the first of his two doubles to key the attack.

The senior third baseman came back around in the third frame to mash another two-bagger, while Aiden O’Neill and Scott Hilborn both delivered two-out singles.

Coupeville put the game away in the fourth thanks to showing patience at the plate, turning six walks, and a Jack Porter single, into a game-busting six-run rally.

Scott Hilborn led the Wolf hit parade, collecting three singles, while White and Valenzuela each had a pair of base knocks.

Jack Porter, O’Neill, and Chase Anderson also notched hits, with Johnny Porter walking twice.

Camden Glover, Landon Roberts, Coop Cooper, and Peyton Caveness also got playing time, with Caveness bouncing back after being drilled in the neck by a wayward pitch.