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Wendy and Matt Mikos and their children.

Time moves on, but some people remain with you forever.

After Videoville and Miriam’s Espresso went away, I saw a lot less of most people that I worked with there.

We all found different paths — some here on Whidbey, others far away.

But we remain connected by our time spent together in the store, and while I may have seen Wendy (Frost) Mikos just a handful of times since 2006, she has never been far from my thoughts.

Wendells is one of the special ones, a warm-hearted, whip-smart young woman who was one of Coupeville’s favorite baristas as she navigated high school and college.

Yes, she once spread Crisco over every inch of my car — effectively “winning” a store-wide prank war in savage fashion.

And yet, I still snuck down to the store at 5 AM to clock her in on the computer on days when she struggled to break free from the comforts of her bed.

Wendy is one of the loveliest human beings to grace this world, so, while managers aren’t supposed to play favorites, of course I did.

The day she married her high school sweetheart, Matt Mikos, was a win for all involved.

He was always, for want of a better description, a righteous dude, and seeing them grow together, eventually building a family of six, made my heart happy.

The news of Matt’s sudden passing, at age 38, is a shock.

Wendy’s children, who range in age from 11 to nine months, have lost a huge part of their lives, as she has also.

The coming days, months, and years will not be easy to navigate, but, with the help of family and friends, I hope they find some peace.

In the moment, every bit of support from the community helps.

Wendy’s brother, Tad, has set up a GoFundMe to ease some of the immediate financial burden, and I hope, if you’re able, you consider helping.

 

To help the family, pop over to:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-the-mikos-family?qid=2bdc256b5300eb5238bd328651e80b8d

Coupeville’s Logan Martin threw things really far this weekend. (Eileen Stone photo)

It was a three-day duel.

Rainier High School senior Jeremiah Nubbe is a record-shattering man mountain of a thrower, but Coupeville’s Logan Martin never backed down this weekend.

The pair battled at the 2B state track and field championships in Cheney, with Nubbe capturing shot put and discus titles while breaking meet marks in both events.

Martin claimed second-place twice, helping spark Coupeville’s boys to a 7th place standing among 38 teams.

Sunday, with the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association season done, Martin and Nubbe moved from Eastern Washington University to Central Valley High School in Spokane.

This time they were tossing the hammer — which is not part of the WIAA meet — in the 22nd annual Washington State High School Hammer State Championships.

Once again, Nubbe was the kingpin, Martin the only rival who could push him (at least a bit), and Coupeville’s senior hurler is heading back to Whidbey with a third-straight strong second-place showing.

This one isn’t a medal but is instead a plaque crafted from straight-grain fir cut in the late 1940’s, salvaged from bleachers from Central Valley High School.

According to the event’s website, the awards are “laser engraved, with aluminum cut with a waterjet and silicon bronze screws to hold it in place, with a brass rivet for the hammer. All finished with three coats of lacquer.”

In other words, kinda fancy.

Martin displays his new hardware. (Photo courtesy Bob Martin)

“I’m still … The King,” whispers Kyle.

Welcome to the club.

Enjoying the first state track and field meet in three springs after a pandemic shutdown, Coupeville High School athletes got back to doing what they do.

Bringing home medals.

Six Wolves earned their first chunk of state meet glory Friday and Saturday in Cheney, with Dominic Coffman, Reiley Araceley, Ryanne Knoblich, Caleb Meyer, Aidan Wilson, and Logan Martin stepping onto the awards podium.

That brings the CHS state meet medal club to 77 athletes all-time, with those track stars accounting for 187 awards.

From that club, Kyle King has the most state titles, edging Natasha Bamberger 5-4, though the latter also owns a cross country crown.

But Kyle’s younger brother, Tyler, is tops in total medals, and the duo, joined by sister Brianne, are one of three Wolf families to produce three medal winners.

The Hoskins sisters (Jai’Lysa, Ja’Tarya, Ja’Kenya) and the Toomey-Stouts (Cameron, Maya, Sean) are the others, while the Martin (Dalton, Logan) and Hack (Joy, Kevin) families also have sibling winners.

The Fords (Jordan and Uncle Tony) and Roberts (Lindsey and Uncle Jay) are also in the game, with the Beplers (Ariah and dad Mark) the only time a CHS medal winner has sired a future medal winner.

So far.

Our final connection is Yashmeen Knox and Rich Wilson, who both still own school records in the high jump 20+ years after graduation.

They’re the only Wolf duo to win state meet medals, then later marry.

So far.

Natasha Bamberger won five state titles as a Wolf across two sports, then came back around to coach new-school runners like Alana Mihill (middle) and Catherine Lhamon. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

 

The CHS state meet medal club:

 

Tyler King (11) – Two state titles, five 2nd, two 4th, one 6th, one 8th

Kyle King (10) – Five state titles, two 2nd, one 4th, one 5th, one 6th

Lindsey Roberts (8) – One 2nd, three 3rd, one 4th, two 5th, one 6th

Makana Stone (7) – Two 2nd, two 3rd, one 4th, one 5th, one 6th

Natasha Bamberger (6) – Four state titles, one 2nd, one 3rd

Danny Conlisk (6) – Two state titles, two 2nd, two 5th

Chad Gale (6) – One 2nd, three 3rd, one 4th, one 6th

Jacob Smith (6) – Two 2nd, one 3rd, one 4th, one 5th, one 7th

Bill Carstensen (5) – One 3rd, three 4th, one 6th

Jon Chittim (5) – Three state titles, one 2nd, one 7th

Yashmeen Knox (5) – One 4th, one 6th, two 7th, one 8th

Jeff Fielding (4) – One state title, one 2nd, two 5th

Lauren Grove (4) – Two 3rd, one 5th, one 6th

Sylvia Hurlburt (4) – Two 3rd, one 5th, one 6th

Mallory Kortuem (4) – One 2nd, one 3rd, two 5th

Dalton Martin (4) – One 2nd, one 5th, two 8th

Brian Miller (4) – One 3rd, one 4th, one 5th, one 6th

Ed Cook (3) – One 2nd, one 5th, one 6th

Hunter Hammer (3) – One 6th, two 8th

Kyra Ilyankoff (3) – One 2nd, one 3rd, one 4th

Janiece Jenkins (3) – One 5th, one 6th, one 8th

Jean Lund-Olsen (3) – One 4th, two 7th

Amy Mouw (3) – One state title, one 2nd, one 8th

Pete Rosenkranz (3) – Two 2nd, one 3rd

Madison Tisa McPhee (3) – One 3rd, one 5th, one 8th

Maya Toomey-Stout (3) – One 3rd, two 5th

Jennie Cross (2) – One 2nd, one 6th

Joe Donnellon (2) – Two 2nd

Corrine Gaddis (2) – One 6th, one 8th

Kit Manzanares (2) – Two 8th

Logan Martin (2) – Two 2nd

Steven McDonald (2) – One state title, one 4th

Andrew Moon (2) – One 3rd, one 5th

Jay Roberts (2) – One 3rd, one 4th

Aidan Wilson (2) – One 2nd, one 3rd – **ACTIVE​**

Sean Toomey-Stout (2) – One 5th, one 7th 

Rick Alexander (1) – One 3rd

Brandy Ambrose (1) – One 5th

Reiley Araceley (1) – One 2nd – **ACTIVE​​**

Allyson Barker (1) – One 8th

Tina Barker (1) – One 4th

Ariah Bepler (1) – One 5th

Mark Bepler (1) – One 4th

Sally Biskovich (1) – One 4th

Mitchell Carroll (1) – One 5th

Dominic Coffman (1) – One 2nd – **ACTIVE​​**

Jana Engle (1) – One 5th

Marisa Etzell (1) – One 3rd

Jordan Ford (1) – One 8th

Tony Ford (1) – One 5th

Matt Frost (1) – One 8th

Joy Hack (1) – One 3rd

Kevin Hack (1) – One 3rd

Alicia Heinen (1) – One 6th

Erin Hickey (1) – One 5th

Devin Hopkins (1) – One 5th

Jai’Lysa Hoskins (1) – One 5th

Ja’Kenya Hoskins (1) – One 3rd

Ja’Tarya Hoskins (1) – One 5th

Larry Howard (1) – One 5th

Chris Hutchinson (1) – One state title

Tony Killgo (1) – One 3rd

Brianne King (1) – One 6th

Kim Kisch (1) – One 6th

Ryanne Knoblich (1) – One 2nd – **ACTIVE**

Judy Marti (1) – One 6th

Bob McClement (1) – One 3rd

Caleb Meyer (1) – One 2nd

Cassidy Moody (1) – One 8th

Mitch Pelroy (1) – One 8th

Jess Roundy (1) – One 6th

Todd Smith (1) – One 6th

Joe Tessaro (1) – One 6th

Cameron Toomey-Stout (1) – One 7th

Alan Wedell (1) – One 4th

Rich Wilson (1) – One 4th

Henry Wynn (1) – One 5th

Aidan Wilson earned medals in the 800 and 4 x 100 Saturday in Cheney. (Elizabeth Bitting photo)

Coupeville junior Ryanne Knoblich, the second-best high jumper in 2B, celebrates with coaches Bob Martin and Elizabeth Bitting. (Photo courtesy Roberta Madsen)

The Wolves prep for opening ceremonies at the state track and field championships in Cheney. (Elizabeth Bitting photo)

They exited in style.

Closing the 2B state track and field championships strongly, Coupeville High School athletes claimed three 2nd place finishes and a 3rd Saturday in Cheney.

The medal windfall propelled the Wolf boys to a 7th place finish in the team standings, while the CHS girls were 27th.

Rainier and St. George’s claimed boys and girls team titles, respectively, topping a field of 38 schools.

Logan Martin lets loose. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Saturday was all about the big finishes, with Logan Martin (discus), Ryanne Knoblich (high jump), and the boys 4 x 100 relay team earning runner-up status.

Aidan Wilson, who ran a leg on that relay, also finished 3rd in the 800 after a first place showing in Friday’s prelims.

The speedy junior was joined by Caleb Meyer, Dominic Coffman, and Reiley Araceley on the 4 x 1 squad, which was nipped 45.04 seconds to 45.11 by Kittitas.

Relay speed demons (l to r) Dominic Coffman, Reiley Araceley, Caleb Meyer, and Aidan Wilson show off their new bling. (Elizabeth Bitting photo)

Coupeville actually had four 2nd place finishes, with Martin opening things with a bang Friday in the shot put.

After going two springs without a state meet, thanks to the pandemic, the Wolves sent 16 athletes to Cheney this time around, with six medaling.

They join an exclusive club, as CHS now has 77 track and field medalists in its history, with that group combining to earn 187 medals all-time.

Coupeville, which lost longtime coach Randy King to retirement before this season, was led by the super-powered combo of Bob Martin and Elizabeth Bitting, and the duo are set up for continued success.

Only three of the 16 Wolves at state are seniors — Martin, Meyer, and Ja’Kenya Hoskins — with seven juniors, four sophomores, and two freshmen rounding out the Cheney crew.

“I am beyond happy and proud of this team!” Bitting said. “Their story isn’t finished yet! You should hear them talking about next season!

“What an absolutely wonderful journey this season has been,” she added.

“Here’s already looking forward to next season!”

Carolyn Lhamon (center) hangs out with mom and big sis Catherine, also a state meet veteran. (Photo courtesy Helene Lhamon)

 

Complete Saturday results:

 

GIRLS:

Shot Put — Carolyn Lhamon (16th) 29-02.50

High Jump — Ryanne Knoblich (2nd) 5-00

Long Jump — Knoblich (11th) 14-07

 

BOYS:

800 — Aidan Wilson (3rd) 2:01.35 *PR*

4 x 100 Relay — Reiley Araceley, Caleb Meyer, Wilson, Dominic Coffman (2nd) 45.15

Discus — Logan Martin (2nd) 153-07

Legendary Wolf senior Ja’Kenya Hoskins (far left) and her young proteges — Lyla Stuurmans, Knoblich, and Ayden Wyman. (Elizabeth Bitting photo)

Malachi Somes won a league title in the 1600. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

It’s a meet so big, they break it into two parts.

The Cascade League Track and Field Championships pits seven middle schools against each other, with Coupeville right in the thick of things.

Day one went down Thursday at Lakewood, with day two set for Wednesday, June 1 at the same location.

The opening session featured a mix of prelims and finals, with Coupeville coming away with a rock-solid 30 PR’s spread among its athletes.

The biggest splash of the day came courtesy Wolf 8th grader Malachi Somes, who ran away with a victory in the finals of the 1600.

Notching a career-best time, he topped a 12-man field, holding off his closest competitor by more than five seconds.

 

Complete Thursday results:

 

GIRLS:

8th grade:

100 (Prelims) — Amaya Schaffeld (5th) 14.52; Noelle Western (13th) 15.49; Carly Burt (21st) 15.97 *PR*; Aleksia Jump (27th) 16.72; Abbigail Bond (30th) 17.69; Brynn Parker (31st) 18.36

200 (Prelims) — Liza Zustiak (13th) 36.79 *PR*

100 Hurdles (Prelims) — Zustiak (23rd) 23.14; Frankie Tenore (24th) 23.59 *PR*

Shot Put (Finals) — Zustiak (18th) 21-08; Grier Mooney (19th) 20-10 *PR*; Tenore (27th) 14-02

High Jump (Finals) — Schaffeld (8th) 4-00 *PR*; Parker (11th) 3-10; Bond (12th) 3-08

 

6th/7th grade:

100 (Prelims) — Laken Simpson (8th) 14.91; Willow Leedy-Bonifas (17th) 15.85; Ivy Rudat (22nd) 16.35; Inara Maund (25th) 16.66 *PR*; Arianna Cunningham (27th) 16.95

200 (Prelims) — Simpson (4th) 30.94 *PR*; Myra McDonald (10th) 33.36; Tenley Stuurmans (14th) 35.18

400 (Prelims) — Rudat (6th) 1:18.92 *PR*; Marin Winger (10th) 1:28.28; Taylor Marrs (12th) 1:33.53

800 (Finals) — Lillian Ketterling (3rd) 3:04.84 *PR*; Mikayla Wagner (5th) 3:09.14 *PR*

100 Hurdles (Prelims) — Stuurmans (6th) 21.00 *PR*; McDonald (18th) 22.50; Ar. Cunningham (23rd) 23.58; Emma McFadden (29th) 26.42

Shot Put (Finals) — Simpson (10th) 19-06 *PR*; Leedy-Bonifas (14th) 18-06.50; Ketterling (18th) 17-01.50 *PR*; Winger (20th) 16-06.25; McFadden (22nd) 15-07.50

High Jump (Finals) — McFadden (10th) 3-08 *PR*

Ivy Rudat set a PR in the 400.

 

BOYS:

8th grade:

100 (Prelims) — Adrian Cunningham (12th) 13.83 *PR*; Easton Green (15th) 14.51 *PR*; Matthew Kuzma (17th) 15.12 *PR*

200 (Prelims) — Ad. Cunningham (5th) 29.74; Kuzma (9th) 30.86

400 (Prelims) — George Spear (7th) 1:11.19

1600 (Finals) — Malachi Somes (1st) 5:26.91 *PR*; Kuzma (10th) 6:04.38 *PR*

110 Hurdles (Prelims) — Spear (14th) 23.81

Discus (Finals) — Somes (7th) 80-05; Spear (17th) 61-11 *PR*

Long Jump (Finals) — Ad. Cunningham (5th) 15-01.50; Somes (11th) 13-01.50; Kuzma (22nd) 10-09.50 *PR*

 

6th/7th grade:

100 (Prelims) — Beckett Green (11th) 14.51; Roger Merino-Martinez (17th) 15.19; Wyatt Fitch-Marron (18th) 15.25; Kenneth Jacobsen (19th) 15.25; Nathan Niewald (21st) 15.62; Shiloh Sandlin (33rd) 17.26

200 (Prelims) — B. Green (6th) 30.23; Axel Marshall (14th) 32.96 *PR*; Joshua Stockdale (16th) 33.44; Max Ohme (17th) 33.63; Ethan Walling (19th) 33.89

400 (Prelims) — Stockdale (15th) 1:16.13 *PR*

1600 (Finals) — K. Jacobsen (17th) 6:37.17

110 Hurdles (Prelims) — Merino-Martinez (7th) 21.65; Marshall (10th) 22.45; Fitch-Marron (12th) 22.53; Leonardo Rodriguez (15th) 23.52 *PR*; Niewald (18th) 24.81 *PR*; Johnathan Jacobsen (20th) 25.97 *PR*

Discus (Finals) — Carson Grove (12th) 56-07 *PR*; Ohme (16th) 52-06; Marshall (18th) 51-01; Zach Blitch (21st) 45-04 *PR*; Jonah Weyl (26th) 42-11 *PR*; Sandlin (30th) 40-03

Long Jump (Finals) — Grove (11th) 12-11.50; Merino-Martinez (20th) 11-11 *PR*; K. Jacobsen (25th) 10-09; Sandlin (26th) 10-03; Edmund Kunz (27th) 9-03

Mikayla Wagner notched a PR in the 800.