Coupeville Sports

Sunshine and spikes for Savina Wells

November 8, 2022 by David Svien

Former Coupeville volleyball ace Savina Wells earned MVP honors at a mid-season tournament in Florida. (Katy Wells photo)

Savina Wells is embracing a bright future.

The former Coupeville supernova made a strong debut on the volleyball court in her new home this fall.

Now a sophomore at Fernandina Beach High School in Florida after a family move to the Sunshine State, Wells worked her way into the Pirates varsity lineup as the season progressed.

Joining a squad headlined by five seniors, she played 41 sets for Fernandina Beach’s top squad.

Wells peppered opponents with 29 kills, recorded 14 block assists, went low for 16 digs, dealt out three assists, and soared for two solo blocks.

A three-sport star during her Coupeville days, she helped the Pirates finish 20-6 on the season.

Fernandina Beach made it to the regional semifinals before falling to Bishop Kenny of Jacksonville, which went on to win the tourney and advance to Florida’s final four.

Growing up in Coupeville, Savina, the youngest of Lyle and Katy’s three talented children, played volleyball, basketball, and softball.

Following in the footsteps of Ulrik and Izzy, she played at the varsity level at CHS in all three of her sports as a freshman, while making her high school basketball debut as an 8th grader.

Posted in Football, Volleyball | Tagged CHS Wolves, Fernandina Beach, Florida, Savina Wells, volleyball | Leave a Comment »

Bitting’s back (but she never left)

November 8, 2022 by David Svien

Elizabeth Bitting (left) replaces the departing Paige Spangler (right) as Coupeville High School cross country coach.

Same trails, new boss.

Well, except the new boss is also the old boss.

Coupeville Middle School cross country guru Elizabeth Bitting, who coached the Wolf high school team in 2020, is returning to reclaim the position, but this time for good.

Bitting replaces Paige Spangler, who exits after two seasons at the helm of the CHS program.

The reason for the departure?

Spangler is moving to the East Coast after her husband, who’s in the military, recently received new orders.

Bitting has been the heart and soul of Coupeville’s running programs since they were relaunched in 2018 after a two-decade absence, building the middle school program into a huge success.

CMS boasted 30+ runners this fall, an extraordinary number for a school of its size.

A huge part of that is Bitting, who infuses her students with joy, regardless of whether they are hardcore runners or first-time athletes.

While she has piloted the middle school program the past five seasons, the high school harriers have had four different coaches.

Natasha Bamberger and Luke Samford each did a season before being pulled away by real-world jobs, Bitting agreed to coach both programs for a season, then Spangler joined her on the trails.

This time, Bitting is making the jump to the high school job for good, and the middle school coaching position will be posted.

“I am truly excited about the move. It is time,” Bitting said. “There’ll be no stepping down this time! I have plans! Lots of plans!”

A lifelong runner herself, Bitting was a team captain on a state title-winning harrier team at Mt. San Antonio College.

She also helped launch Dash for the Bash (later renamed Race the Reserve), which raises money for each year’s senior class at Coupeville High School.

Posted in Cross Country | Tagged CHS Wolves, coaching hires, cross country, Elizabeth Bitting, Mt. San Antonio College, Paige Spangler | 1 Comment »

Pitch-perfect awards night for booters

November 7, 2022 by David Svien

Coupeville High School soccer players celebrate their season. (Morgan White photos)

The net is closed for business.

The Coupeville High School boys’ soccer squad capped its season Monday, with head coach Robert Wood handing out awards and letters to his booters.

Senior Aidan Wilson topped the honorees, earning both the Golden Boot as the team’s leading scorer and the Ballon d’Or for being the top player.

Aidan Wilson slows down for a second.

Grant Steller and Wilson were acknowledged for their work as team captains, and the duo was joined by fellow senior Cameron Epp in receiving four-year awards.

Rounding out the awards, Mason Butler was tabbed as Most Improved, while Wood doled out MVP honors to one player from each class.

That foursome was comprised of Cameron Epp (Senior), Nick Guay (Junior), Cael Wilson (Sophomore), and Andrew Milnes (Freshman).

MVP’s (l to r) Cameron Epp, Nick Guay, Cael Wilson, and Andrew Milnes, plus coach Robert Wood.

Varsity letter winners:

Reiley Araceley
Mason Butler
Cameron Epp
Preston Epp
Nick Guay
Dane Hadsall
Joshua Lujan (Manager)
Andrew Milnes
Hank Milnes
Grant Steller
Matthew Ward
Cole White
Andrew Williams
Aidan Wilson
Cael Wilson

Participation certificate:

Alex Smith

Scholar Athletes (3.5 or better GPA):

Reiley Araceley (Running Start)
Cameron Epp
Nick Guay
Joshua Lujan
Hank Milnes (4.0 + RS)
Grant Steller (RS)
Matthew Ward
Cole White (4.0)
Andrew Williams (4.0)

Big thanks to the following:

Amy and Jesse Epp
Dina and Dylan Guay
Kyle Nelson
Willie Smith
Holley and James Steller
Greg and Morgan White

Cole White and friends will return to the pitch in 2023.

Posted in Boys Soccer | Tagged Aidan Wilson, awards banquet, boys soccer, CHS Wolves, Nick Guay | Leave a Comment »

Date, time set for playoff rumble

November 7, 2022 by David Svien

Coupeville QB Logan Downes has thrown for 17 touchdowns this season. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Forget about Friday Night Lights.

The Coupeville High School football team will play its first state playoff game in 32 years in the daylight, on a different weekend day.

The Wolves (7-1) host Onalaska (5-5) in a loser-out game, with the action set to go down Saturday, Nov. 12 at Oak Harbor’s Wildcat Memorial Stadium.

Kickoff is 4:00 PM.

The date and time were likely selected to ease the travel burden on Onalaska, which is looking at a nearly 400-mile round trip.

Saturday’s tilt features a Coupeville program which last made it to the big dance in 1990 against a school which won state football titles in 1986 and 2019.

The Loggers won two playoff games last season before falling to eventual state champ Kalama in the semifinals.

Saturday’s winner heads to Eastern Washington the next week, with a quarterfinal matchup against Okanogan (10-0).

Ticket prices for the playoff opener, which are set by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, and not the schools involved:

Adults and high school/middle school students without ASB — $10
Senior Citizens (62+) — $7
High school/middle school students with ASB — $7
Elementary school students — $7
Children (4 and under) — FREE

Tickets can be purchased in person with cash or online at:

https://gofan.co/app/events/778110?schoolId=WA86277

Posted in Football | Tagged CHS Wolves, football, Logan Downes, Onalaska, state playoffs | Leave a Comment »

Diamond ace dazzles Sin City

November 6, 2022 by David Svien

CHS freshman Coop Cooper, on his way to playing four baseball games in a weekend. (Ken Cooper photos)

Baseball is taking Coop Cooper across the USA.

The Coupeville High School freshman spent Halloween weekend in Las Vegas, but never had a chance to try the blackjack table.

Instead, Cooper was busy playing in the 32nd annual Desert Fall Classic, participating with the Cascade Baseball Club — a U16 squad which pulls players from Whatcom, Skagit, and Island counties.

During his time on the Vegas diamond, the Wolf hardball ace played four different positions across four games.

Cooper brought the heat on the mound in his tourney opener, coming on in relief against a team from Minnesota.

Cascade trailed 4-0 and the bases were juiced with just one out when he took the ball, but the CHS hurler shut down the rally, and gave his team a chance to rally.

Cooper finished with three strikeouts, while scattering a trio of hits across 4.2 innings of work.