Coupeville Sports

Ace-ace-ace, in your face-face-face

October 20, 2022 by David Svien

Welcome to the gun show. Chloe Marzocca and Co. thrashed Darrington Thursday. (Jackie Saia photo)

Right back in stride.

Bouncing back from a rare loss, the Coupeville High School JV volleyball squad drilled visiting Darrington Thursday night.

Rolling to a 25-12, 25-19, 15-6 victory, the Wolves improve to 7-1 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, 11-2 overall.

Coupeville’s young guns have one match left on the schedule, and it’s a doozy, as they host conference heavyweight La Conner Tuesday, Oct. 25.

The Wolves prepped for their furious finale by methodically swatting Darrington.

CHS actually trailed in all three sets for a hot moment, then found a different gear and seized control for good.

They key to the opening set was the serving of Taylor Brotemarkle, as the Wolf sophomore ripped off an 11-point run at the line to break open a 4-4 tie.

Mixing nasty aces with slightly softer serves, which the Loggers still couldn’t get back over the net, she was a lethal markswoman with a license to kill.

One of the few times Darrington staged a brief bit of resistance during Brotemarkle’s run of terror, teammate Jada Heaton soared at the net to smash a spike winner which tore off the arm of a Logger defender.

Toss in some nice work from fab frosh Teagan Calkins, both at the service line and rampaging around, dispensing spikes, and the Wolves were clicking.

Things took a brief detour into more dangerous territory in the second set, as Darrington led for a considerable amount of time.

Coupeville got big plays from folks like Aby Wood, who pumped up the Wolf faithful with a thunderous block, but the visitors proved to be resilient.

The Loggers staked themselves to a 17-12 advantage, before Coupeville — having received some slightly stern words of wisdom from coach Ashley Menges — regained its mojo.

CHS fought back to knot things at 18-18, before Katie Marti put things on ice with an extended run at the service stripe.

The ever excitable one popped an ace off a rival’s shoulder, while also slamming a serve which tore off the last flake of paint on the back line as it skipped away.

While the third set was for practice, Marti and Issabel Johnson took things deadly serious, peppering the Loggers with a string of aces to close out the night.

Katie Marti fires up the ace machine. (Delanie Lewis photo)

Thursday stats:

Taylor Brotemarkle — 2 digs, 12 aces
Carly Burt — 1 kill, 1 dig
Teagan Calkins — 6 kills, 2 digs, 1 assist, 3 aces
Jada Heaton — 1 dig, 1 ace
Issabel Johnson — 3 kills, 6 aces
Katie Marti — 3 kills, 2 digs, 16 assists, 9 aces
Chloe Marzocca — 1 kill, 1 dig, 1 assist
Grier Mooney — 2 digs
Aby Wood — 1 kill, 1 dig, 1 solo block

Posted in Volleyball | Tagged CHS Wolves, Darrington, Katie Marti, Teagan Calkins, volleyball | Leave a Comment »

No stream for you!

October 20, 2022 by David Svien

“The internet will not save you!” (Helen Strelow photo)

The revolution may be televised, but not all Coupeville High School athletic contests will be.

There’s a problem with the camera system at Mickey Clark Field, which will prevent Friday’s home football game against La Conner and Saturday’s boys soccer tilt with Lopez Island from being streamed.

The NFHS Network, which provides cameras to schools, is sending a replacement part for the broken doohickey in question, but the package won’t arrive in time for this weekend’s games.

So, if you can’t be at the games in person, you’ll have to go old school and patiently wait for the ink-stained wretches of the media to report on the contests.

Good thing Coupeville Sports is so darn quick about doing that.

Posted in Boys Soccer, Football | Tagged boys soccer, broken technology, CHS Wolves, football, NFHS Network | Leave a Comment »

Pollsters lovin’ CHS gridiron giants

October 19, 2022 by David Svien

Wolf QB Logan Downes airs it out. (Brenn Sugatan photo)

Maybe they just shouldn’t play.

Despite having last Friday’s road rumble against Cascade (Leavenworth) cancelled by wildfire smoke, the Coupeville High School football team moved up in the Associated Press state poll.

The Wolves cracked the chart a week ago at #10 and moved up a slot to #9 Wednesday when the latest vote totals were released.

Coupeville, which received seven points a week ago, is up to 18 points, just a single point behind #8 Pe Ell/Willapa Valley.

The Wolves put their 5-1 mark on the line Friday when they host Northwest 2B/1B League rival La Conner.

A win on Senior Night will clinch at least a tie for Coupeville’s first football league title since 1990.

And now that we know what the human voters think of the Wolves, what do the computers say?

Both Evans Rankings and the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association’s RPI data have CHS at #6 among 2B teams.

Associated Press 2B poll for week 8:

1. Napavine – (7-0) – 90 poll points
2. Okanogan – (7-0) – 81
3. Toledo – (6-1) – 61
4. Lind-Ritzville/Sprague – (6-1) – 58
5. Columbia (Burbank) – (6-1) – 54
6. Raymond – (6-1) – 42
7. Chewelah (Jenkins) – (5-2) – 36
8. Pe Ell/Willapa Valley – (4-3) -19
9. Coupeville – (5-1) – 18
10. River View – (6-1) – 11

Posted in Football | Tagged Associated Press, CHS Wolves, Evans Rankings, football, polls | Leave a Comment »

Wolf harriers honor seniors

October 19, 2022 by David Svien

CHS cross country runner Tate Wyman enjoys Senior Night festivities. (Sherry Bonacci photos)

They got their well-deserved moment in the spotlight.

A day before the Northwest 2B/1B League Championships are scheduled to go down in Mount Vernon, the Coupeville High School cross country squad honored its seniors.

Current CHS coach Paige Spangler, and middle school running guru Elizabeth Bitting — who has worked extensively with all involved — paid tribute to five Wolves.

Seniors Claire Mayne, Mitchell Hall, Tate Wyman, Cristina McGrath, and Helen Strelow have been at the forefront as Coupeville revived and rebuilt its harrier program, and they leave behind a trail of success.

Wolf coaches Elizabeth Bitting (left) and Paige Spangler hang out with seniors (l to r) Mitchell Hall, Helen Strelow, Claire Mayne, and Cristina McGrath.

Bitting, who coached the Class of 2023 seniors in both middle school and high school, reminisces about the early days.

Sweet success.

It’s official.

The underclassmen join the seniors for a team dinner.

On to the postseason!

Posted in Cross Country | Tagged CHS Wolves, Claire Mayne, cross country, Mitchell Hall, Senior Night | Leave a Comment »

I can’t forget the time or place

October 19, 2022 by David Svien

Wolf cheerleaders bond. (Delanie Lewis photo)

Students snapping students.

With Coupeville Sports in its 10th year of existence, you always want to find new ways to keep things evolving.

Thanks to Coupeville High School yearbook teacher Jackie Saia and her student photographers, we’ve been able to run more photos from different sources than normal.

And, when it’s teenagers behind the camera, and teenagers in front of the camera, as in these Wolf cheer pics, there’s often a different feel to the photos, I’ve found.

There’s less of a remove than what you sometimes get when the photographer is an adult, and the pics seem to capture a different side of the athletes.

At least that’s what I think.