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Hardball squad rallies, earns league title

May 4, 2023 by David Svien

Steve Hilborn loves it when a plan comes together. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

They earned it.

On their second long road trip in as many days, the Coupeville High School varsity baseball squad rallied from behind twice Thursday to upend host Friday Harbor in a high-scoring, high-tension affair.

In the end, the Wolves headed back to the ferry carrying an 11-8 win and a share of the Northwest 2B/1B League title.

Steve Hilborn’s crew wraps the regular season at 13-1 in conference action, matching the record put up by Mount Vernon Christian.

The Wolves and Hurricanes split their two-game season series but go in opposite directions for the playoffs.

MVC opens the 1B district tourney this Saturday, while Coupeville, now 15-5 overall, is off until May 13.

That’s when the 2B playoffs go down at Lakewood High School in Arlington.

Northwest Christian (Lacey) and Friday Harbor face off in a loser-out game at noon that day, with the victor squaring off with top-seeded Coupeville at 2:00 (or thereabouts) in a loser-out, winner-to-state clash.

Chase Anderson and the Wolves dive into playoff action May 13. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

The week-plus gap between the regular season finale and postseason opener gives the Wolves some time to rest and add up all the stats they threw down against Friday Harbor.

Coupeville rapped out 12 hits Thursday, with eight different batters garnering at least one base knock apiece.

Friday Harbor, by contrast, collected eight hits, but none after the fourth inning, as Wolf relief pitcher Jonathan Valenzuela tossed 3.2 innings of no-hit ball to get the win.

The senior hurler came on in support of freshman Chase Anderson, and promptly ended most of the Wolverines hopes and dreams, whiffing five and retiring the final seven hitters he faced.

The game was a classic back-and-forth affair, the kind which can drive coaches to inhale Tums.

Coupeville had the early advantage, building a 4-2 lead with the game headed to the bottom of the fourth inning.

Scott Hilborn tapped home to open the scoring in the top of the first, taking advantage of a wild pitch, before Valenzuela came around in the second to deliver a two-run double to center field.

Tack on an RBI double off of Anderson’s bat, and a couple of nice defensive plays from Hilborn behind the plate, and the Wolves were looking good.

Then things got sticky for a bit, as Friday Harbor put together five straight hits in the bottom of the fourth to reclaim the lead at 7-4.

That was where Valenzuela ambled in to pitch, promptly closing the inning by striking out the first guy to challenge him, before inducing a groundout.

CHS jumped right back on their hosts, scoring three in the top of the fifth, but Friday Harbor scratched out a run in the bottom of the frame to go back in front 8-7.

The Wolves got consecutive hits from Peyton Caveness, Cole White, Aiden O’Neill, and Scott Hilborn to launch their first comeback, and the bats stayed hot for the visitors.

Fab frosh Camden Glover smoked an RBI single to left in the sixth to bring the game to 8-8, then it was time for Cole White to grab the white-hot spotlight.

Riley’s big brother laced a game-busting two-run single to center to put Coupeville on top for good, before the Wolves added an insurance run thanks to one of Friday Harbor’s five errors.

Jonathan Valenzuela deals. (Morgan White photo)

That set up Valenzuela to close out the game, and help his team match MVC, which shattered Orcas Island 11-1 earlier in the day in their own finale.

Throwing heat and smiling as the Wolverine hitters went down in flames, he wrote another chapter in a senior year which has included multiple big moments.

Valenzuela played key roles for football and baseball teams which won league titles, while also banking in a nearly-halfcourt buzzer-beater in basketball which made all of La Conner sob salty tears.

 

Thursday stats:

Chase Anderson — One double
Peyton Caveness — Two singles
Coop Cooper — One walk
Camden Glover — One single
Scott Hilborn — One single, one double, one walk
Aiden O’Neill — One single
Jack Porter — One single, one double, one walk
Jonathan Valenzuela — One double, one walk
Cole White — Two singles

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We want all the wins!

May 3, 2023 by David Svien

CHS seniors Josh Upchurch (left) and Dominic Coffman are part of the best boys’ track and field team in the Northwest 2B/1B League. (Brittany Kolbet photo)

Hear the Wolves howl.

Coupeville High School track and field lit up Jack Whitaker Field in La Conner Wednesday, throwing down a dominant performance at the Northwest 2B/1B League Championships.

Boasting a deep roster, the Wolf boys cruised to a team title, doubling up their closest rival, while the CHS girls narrowly finished second to powerhouse Mount Vernon Christian.

Coupeville’s male athletes captured nine wins en route to rolling up 155 points.

La Conner (77), MVC (62), Friday Harbor (37), and Orcas Island (23) rounded out the team scoring.

Among the girls, the battle was much closer, with MVC holding off CHS 154.5-129.5.

Friday Harbor (36), La Conner (31), and Orcas (20) were way, way back of the titanic twosome.

Coupeville’s girls brought home eight titles of their own, with the Wolves claiming the top spot on the podium in 17 of the day’s 35 events.

Wolf senior Aidan Wilson led the way, earning top honors in the 400, 800, and triple jump, while sophomore Lyla Stuurmans (400, 800) and senior Mitchell Hall (1600, 3200) were double winners.

CHS female stars notching wins included Monroe Myles (100), Claire Mayne (100 Hurdles), Carolyn Lhamon (Shot Put), Katie Marti (Javelin), and Ryanne Knoblich (High Jump).

Zac Tackett (Discus), Nick Guay (High Jump), and Nehemiah Myles (Long Jump) are also league champs, as are the girls 4 x 400 relay squad and the boys 4 x 100 unit.

“They all ran, jumped, threw beautifully!” said Coupeville coach Elizabeth Bitting. “It was a good day!!!!!!!”

Next up for the Wolves is the district meet Saturday, May 13, which they will host.

That event, which is the direct lead-in to the state meet, kicks off at 11:00 AM at Coupeville’s Mickey Clark Field.

Foreign exchange students (l to r) Lavinia Tomba, Valentina Nadela, Carlota Marcos-Cabrillo, Sara Omega, and Anna Annunziato all competed Wednesday. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

 

Wednesday’s results:

 

GIRLS:

100 — Monroe Myles (1st) 13.29 *PR*; Anna Annunziato (8th) 15.09 *PR*; Alysia Burdge (11th) 15.54; Isabella Gaspio (14th) 15.71; Carlota Marcos-Cabrillo (15th) 15.74; Gwen Crowder (17th) 16.20 *PR*; Sara Omega (19th) 17.25; Frankie Tenore (20th) 18.05

200 — Annunziato (10th) 32.48 *PR*; Noelle Western (11th) 32.98; Ayden Wyman (12th) 33.33; Desi Ramirez (16th) 37.18 *PR*; Reagan Callahan (17th) 38.07 *PR*; Valentina Nadela (18th) 43.31 *PR*

400 — Lyla Stuurmans (1st) 1:03.60 *PR*; A. Wyman (5th) 1:14.04; Aleera Kent (6th) 1:14.24; Aleksia Jump (7th) 1:17.21 *PR*; Tenore (9th) 1:27.07 *PR*; Callahan (10th) 1:33.84 *PR*; Delanie Lewis (11th) 1:35.41 *PR*

800 — Stuurmans (1st) 2:24.22; Kent (3rd) 2:50.76; Western (4th) 3:01.47

1600 — Erica McGrath (4th) 8:00.50 *PR*; A. Jump (5th) 8:41.56 *PR*; Taygin Jump (6th) 8:51.77 *PR*

3200 — Kent (3rd) 14:00.14 *PR*; Western (4th) 14:42.46 *PR*; Cristina McGrath (5th) 16:43.55

100 Hurdles — Claire Mayne (1st) 17.58 *PR*; Katie Buskala (6th) 22.17; Tenore (8th) 24.13; Crowder (9th) 25.63 *PR*

300 Hurdles — Mayne (4th) 56.35; Crowder (7th) 1:05.68

4 x 100 Relay — M. Myles, Ryanne Knoblich, Issabel Johnson, Mayne (2nd) 54.13

4 x 200 Relay — Knoblich, Burt, A. Wyman, Stuurmans (2nd) 2:00.19

4 x 400 Relay — Mayne, Burt, Kent, Stuurmans (1st) 4:27.11

Shot Put — Carolyn Lhamon (1st) 31-04.25; Katie Marti (4th) 27-01; Reese Wilkinson (5th) 23-06.50; E. McGrath (6th) 22-10; Anna Myles (7th) 22-01 *PR*; Burdge (8th) 20-09 *PR*; Ramirez (10th) 19-08.25

Discus — Wilkinson (2nd) 91-11 *PR*; Lhamon (3rd) 87-09; Marti (4th) 83-03; A. Myles (5th) 80-08 *PR*; E. McGrath (6th) 77-10; T. Jump (7th) 77-03; Ramirez (10th) 60-05 *PR*; Aby Wood (15th) 46-00

Javelin — Marti (1st) 95-08; T. Jump (3rd) 88-05; Wood (9th) 56-07; Johnson (10th) 55-00; Burdge (11th) 53-05; Marcos-Cabrillo (12th) 53-00 *PR*; Nadela (14th) 52-09; Wilkinson (15th) 52-08; Crowder (17th) 45-06; A. Myles (18th) 40-07 *PR*; Lewis (20th) 27-09 *PR*; Lavinia Tomba (21st) 22-09

High Jump — Knoblich (1st) 5-00; Buskala (5th) 4-00; Marcos-Cabrillo (7th) 3-10 *PR*

Pole Vault — Burt (3rd) 7-00 *PR*; A. Jump (6th) 6-06 *PR*; Johnson (7th) 5-06 *PR*

Long Jump — Knoblich (3rd) 13-09; Burt (4th) 13-08; Buskala (9th) 12-04; Tenore (11th) 11-04; Wood (12th) 11-02 *PR*; Annunziato (14th) 10-02.25; Omega (15th) 10-02; Nadela (17th) 9-08.75; Lewis (18th) 9-07; Tomba (19th) 9-00

Triple Jump — C. McGrath (3rd) 27-01

 

BOYS:

100 — Tim Ursu (3rd) 11.94; Nehemiah Myles (4th) 11.95; Dominic Coffman (7th) 12.24; Preston Epp (12th) 12.55

200 — Ursu (3rd) 24.80; Alex Murdy (4th) 24.83 *PR*; N. Myles (5th) 25.91 *PR*; Nick Guay (6th) 24.93; Reiley Araceley (7th) 25.68; P. Epp (8th) 25.86; Marquette Cunningham (11th) 26.29; Hank Milnes (15th) 27.03; Quinten Simpson-Pilgrim (17th) 27.65 *PR*; Easton Green (18th) 27.65 *PR*; Alex Merino-Martinez (20th) 27.93; Kris Sturtevant (22nd) 28.05

400 — Aidan Wilson (1st) 53.47; P. Epp (4th) 56.26 *PR*; Milnes (6th) 57.93 *PR*; Cunningham (8th) 59.52 *PR*; Ezra Boilek (10th) 1:00.74 *PR*; Anthony Smolen (11th) 1:01.62; Merino-Martinez (14th) 1:03.16 *PR*; Sturtevant (15th) 1:04:10 *PR*; Simpson-Pilgrim (16th) 1:05.09

800 — A. Wilson (1st) 2:12.41; Boilek (3rd) 2:27.14; Ezekiel Allen (6th) 2:32.41; George Spear (9th) 2:35.90 *PR*

1600 — Mitchell Hall (1st) 4:44.85 *PR*; Malachi Somes (2nd) 5:06.32; Spear (4th) 5:22.46 *PR*; Allen (8th) 5:37.50 *PR*; Green (14th) 5:55:61 *PR*

3200 — Hall (1st) 10:36.29; Cameron Epp (2nd) 10:41.70 *PR*; Somes (3rd) 11:17.16; Spear (4th) 11:51.88 *PR*

110 Hurdles — Tate Wyman (3rd) 16.90 *PR*; Araceley (5th) 18.70; Cael Wilson (6th) 19.15

300 Hurdles — T. Wyman (2nd) 44.92; C. Wilson (6th) 47.77 *PR*; Araceley (7th) 47.92 *PR*

4 x 100 Relay — N. Guay, T. Wyman, A. Wilson, Ursu (1st) 45.20

4 x 400 Relay — N. Guay, Milnes, P. Epp, C. Epp (2nd) 3:50.33

Shot Put — Zac Tackett (3rd) 36-10.25 *PR*; Kai Wong (4th) 35-11.50; Zane Oldenstadt (6th) 92-09; Josh Upchurch (9th) 31-04; Ursu (13th) 29-08 *PR*; Josh Guay (24th) 21-07.25; Nick Shelly (26th) 19-09.50

Discus — Tackett (1st) 126-02; C. Epp (4th) 98-03 *PR*; Oldenstadt (6th) 92-09; Wong (8th) 84-03; Upchurch (10th) 82-08 *PR*; J. Guay (13th) 79-06 *PR*; Shelly (19th) 73-00 *PR*

Javelin — Boilek (5th) 120-07 *PR*; Hall (8th) 106-04; Wong (9th) 102-05 *PR*; Upchurch (10th) 101-08; Coffman (11th) 100-10 *PR*; Somes (14th) 95-01; Tackett (15th) 93-06; Oldenstadt (17th) 91-00 *PR*; Shelly (21st) 74-09; Cunningham (22nd) 74-05; Allen (26th) 55-03 *PR*; J. Guay (27th) 51-07

High Jump — N. Guay (1st) 6-00 *PR*; C. Wilson (3rd) 5-08 *PR*; Murdy (4th) 5-06; Coffman (5th) 5-06; Simpson-Pilgrim (7th) 4-10

Pole Vault — C. Wilson (3rd) 8-06 *PR*; Cunningham (4th) 8-00 *PR*

Long Jump — N. Myles (1st) 19-07 *PR*; Murdy (3rd) 18-09; Merino-Martinez (11th) 15-09; Sturtevant (14th) 14-10.50 *PR*; Green (15th) 14-05.50; Allen (19th) 13-03 *PR*

Triple Jump — A. Wilson (1st) 40-09; Milnes (5th) 35-09; Araceley (9th) 32-09.50; Hall (10th) 29-05 *PR*

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Turks trip up Wolves

May 3, 2023 by David Svien

Chase Anderson flies around the bases. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

First it was a home game. Then it was off the schedule. And, finally, it became a road trip.

By the time the dust settled, the Coupeville High School varsity baseball squad found itself in Sultan Wednesday, where it absorbed a rare loss.

Despite having runners on base in every inning, the Wolves had trouble getting them all the way around the bags, falling 8-2 to the Turks.

The non-conference loss, only Coupeville’s second defeat in its last 12 games, drops it to 14-5 heading into the regular season finale Thursday afternoon.

That game is also on the road, with the Wolves traveling to Friday Harbor for a Northwest 2B/1B League showdown.

Win or lose against the Wolverines, CHS is the #1 seed for the 2B District 1/2 playoffs, which go down Saturday, May 13 at Lakewood High School in Arlington.

Northwest Christian (Lacey) and Friday Harbor face off in a loser-out game at noon that day, with the victor squaring off with Coupeville at 2:00 (or thereabouts) in a loser-out, winner-to-state clash.

The bout with Sultan was originally intended to be played Monday on Whidbey Island but was bounced from the schedule as the Turks scrambled to complete their league schedule.

With a little tinkering from the AD’s, however, the game was revived, with the Wolf hardball heroes sharing a bus with Coupeville’s track and field team, which was also listening to the wheels go round and round Wednesday afternoon.

Once in Sultan, CHS baseball jumped on Sultan, with leadoff hitter Scott Hilborn thumping a double.

Unfortunately for the Wolves, that was where they started to spin their wheels, following the two-bagger with three consecutive strikeouts to end the top of the first without a run.

That was a trend which stung Coupeville all game, as the Turks continually dodged dangerous situations to emerge mostly unscathed.

CHS batters hit into three double plays, with two of those coming after the Wolves started the inning with two runners aboard and no outs on the scoreboard.

Coupeville did push a runner across in the top of the third to knot things up at 1-1, thanks to Hilborn and his speed demon feet.

The spry senior lashed a two-out single, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch, then zipped home on a passed ball.

Sultan responded quickly, however, and fairly brutally, ringing up seven unanswered runs to blow the game wide open.

A couple of hits, and several Wolf errors, allowed the Turks to plate four runs in the bottom of the third, while five straight Sultan base knocks in the fourth tacked on three more tallies.

Trailing 8-1, Coupeville scratched out a run in the fifth, with Peyton Caveness walking and coming around to score on an error, but that was it for the Wolves.

Jonathan Valenzuela led off the sixth with a single, followed by Camden Glover wearing a pitch, but a double play sucked the life out of the rally.

An inning later, down to their final at-bats, the Wolves put two more aboard, with Caveness walking and Hilborn singling, but a pop up ended the game.

On the mound, Hilborn struck out five through 5+ innings of work, while Valenzuela came on late to retire both of the hitters he faced.

Three of Coupeville’s five losses have come to bigger schools, with the Wolves bowing to 1A rivals Meridian, South Whidbey, and Sultan, in addition to defeats to 2B Forks and 1B Mount Vernon Christian.

The six-run loss to the Turks is the most lopsided defeat of an otherwise stellar season for the Wolves.

 

Wednesday stats:

Peyton Caveness — Two walks
Camden Glover — One single, one walk
Scott Hilborn — Two singles, one double
Jack Porter — One single
Jonathan Valenzuela — Two singles

Coupeville’s baseball players had to get a second ride home after their bus tore up its serpentine belt. (Jon Roberts photo)

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Volleyball skills camps hit in June

May 3, 2023 by David Svien

There’s something for everyone.

Coupeville High School and Middle School volleyball coaches and players are planning three skills camps for summer action.

Children entering grades K-6 can take part in one camp, while there are two separate camps for those headed to grades 7-12.

Money raised by the camps benefits CHS volleyball, and will help cover things such as tournament fees, jerseys, and updating equipment.

“Very excited to keep this annual event going,” said high school spiker guru Cory Whitmore.

All the pertinent information can be found in the photos above and below, so take a gander.

 

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JV caps season, looks to future

May 3, 2023 by David Svien

Piotr Bieda eyeballs the pitcher. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

These are the building blocks for the future.

The Coupeville High School JV baseball squad capped its season Tuesday, going toe-to-toe with 2A Sedro-Woolley as the Wolves continue to “play up.”

Four of Coupeville’s seven JV games have been against 1A, 2A, or 3A schools this season.

And while the 2B Wolves ultimately fell 17-7 at Sedro, the CHS young guns showed resiliency, rallying at one point to slap seven unanswered runs on the board.

Six of those tallies came in the top of the fourth inning, as Coupeville used four hits and two walks to slice away at the lead.

The Wolves added a run in the sixth but couldn’t quite complete the comeback.

Coupeville matched Sedro with eight hits on the afternoon, but was ultimately undone by its defense, which had a rough outing, committing seven errors.

JV coach Jon Roberts mixed and matched his pitchers, giving two innings of work apiece to Landon Roberts, Peyton Caveness, and Matthew Gilbert.

The coach’s son led the way with three strikeouts, while his companions got valuable time to develop their pitching repertoire.

“We have to develop Peyton into a pitcher and he has the stuff to do so,” Jon Roberts said. “Matthew is raw, but he will make a good pitcher. Can’t ever start too early.”

The Wolves got field time for 16 players Tuesday, with Johnny Porter, Yohannon Sandles, Marcelo Gebhard, Seth Woollet, Skylar Sand, David Dominici, Jaje Drake, and Jack Farrell all in action.

Jayme Carranza — in his season debut — Piotr Bieda, Aidyn McDermott, Parker Fuller-Hewitt, and Myca Clarkson filled out the roster.

“Every player played at least an inning,” Jon Roberts said. “Today was a good day.

“We were playing ball in the sun, developing young talent to fill the future CHS varsity team. No win, but a ton of learning!”

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