Coupeville Sports

Bennett Richter officially The Man

May 10, 2022 by David Svien

Bennett Richter (right) is Coupeville High School’s new head football coach. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

The Wolves are staying in-house.

Bennett Richter is making the jump from Defensive Coordinator to Head Coach for the Coupeville High School football program, replacing the departed Marcus Carr.

The hire has been confirmed by CHS Athletic Director Willie Smith and will be official after the school board approves the move at its next meeting.

Richter, a 2009 Oak Harbor grad who played for that school’s ’06 state champion gridiron squad, has been on the Wolf coaching staff since 2018.

It’s a busy time in his life, as he is scheduled to marry Megan Smith, Coupeville High School’s varsity girls basketball coach, this summer.

After having the same man at the helm of the Wolf football program for 26 years, CHS has cycled through head coaches since Ron Bagby retired after the 2009 season.

Jay Silver (two seasons), Tony Maggio (3), Brett Smedley (1), Jon Atkins (2), and Carr (4) precede Richter, who rose from being a volunteer assistant to directing the Wolf defense.

The view from the stands on this hire is extremely positive, as Richter is a passionate, deeply committed coach, well-liked and respected by his peers, players, and fans.

His first game as head coach will be a road game Sept. 2 at Klahowya, with his home debut Sept. 9, when Coupeville plays South Whidbey, with ownership of The Bucket at stake.

Posted in Football | Tagged Bennett Richter, CHS Wolves, football, new hire, Northwest League | Leave a Comment »

Wolf grad plays masterful tune

May 9, 2022 by David Svien

Rachel (left) and Allison Wenzel, supremely talented sisters. (Photo courtesy Susan Wenzel)

The toast of Coupeville is on her way to wow Ocosta.

Allison Wenzel, a three-sport athlete and musical wunderkind in her days as a Wolf, will follow up graduation from Central Washington University by being hired as a K-12 music teacher in Grays Harbor County.

Her job, which kicks in with the 2022-2023 school year, was approved by the Ocosta School Board at its April 26 meeting.

Wenzel graduates from CWU June 11.

The lil’ sis of highly talented Rachel, and daughter of Tim and Susan, Allison was a quintuple threat in high school.

She played four seasons each of volleyball, basketball, and track and field for CHS, advancing to the state championships in all three sports.

Wenzel, who graduated from Coupeville in 2018, was the first Wolf athlete in a decade-plus to go to the big dance in three sports.

When she wasn’t busy with sports, music ruled her world.

A master of multiple instruments, Wenzel also went to state as a musician, qualifying both as a solo artist (interpreting Mozart) and as part of a duo with Jakobi Baumann.

Add that time when she was inducted into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame — https://coupevillesports.com/2019/08/14/talent-so-much-freakin-talent/ — and she’s kind of a big deal.

Ocosta School District officials? You understood the assignment.

UPDATE:

After writing this story, I found out Tim Wenzel (and his siblings) are Ocosta grads, meaning Allison is going to work at her dad’s alma mater.

Her aunt (also named Rachel) previously taught for the school district, and Allison’s grandparents live in town.

Which means we should be getting a first day of school photo when she starts her new job.

Just sayin’!

Posted in music | Tagged Allison Wenzel, Central Washington University, CHS Wolves, music teacher, Ocosta School District | 1 Comment »

Great eight stay on track for success

May 9, 2022 by David Svien

Coupeville senior Logan Martin is ranked in the top three among 2B athletes in three throwing events. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Everyone is jostling for the top of the leaderboard.

We’re down to three high school track and field meets left this spring — districts, bi-districts, and state — with athletes trying to put out their best efforts of the season.

When we look at the top 10 standings for 2B schools, Coupeville has a strong presence on the boys side of things, while two girls are in the mix.

Overall, there are eight Wolves currently among the best in their classification, led by Logan Martin and Caleb Meyer, who each appear three times.

Top 10 CHS track stars through May 9:

GIRLS:

400 — Lyla Stuurmans (6th) 1:04.73

High Jump — Ryanne Knoblich (7th-tie) 4-10

BOYS:

100 — Caleb Meyer (7th) 11.57

400 — Meyer (2nd) 52.68

1500 — Mitchell Hall (8th) 5:07.85

4 x 100 Relay — Caleb Meyer, Reiley Araceley, Aidan Wilson, Dominic Coffman (4th) 46.09

Shot Put — Logan Martin (2nd) 46-10

Discus — Martin (3rd) 149-00

Hammer — Martin (2nd) 175-00

High Jump — Coffman (6th-tie) 5-10

Posted in Track | Tagged Caleb Meyer, CHS Wolves, Lyla Stuurmans, top times, track and field | Leave a Comment »

Track fans, your wallets are ours

May 9, 2022 by David Svien

Coupeville football legend Sean Toomey-Stout will tackle you if you don’t have a ticket. Spoiler: It will probably hurt. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

It’s the third most important meet of the season.

Coupeville High School hosts the District 1 track and field championships Saturday, May 14 — the stepping-stone to Bi-Districts and the state meet.

Things will be hoppin’, with 12 teams — three 2B schools and nine 1B ones — competing.

Cedar Park Christian-Lynnwood, Fellowship Christian, Grace Academy, Lopez Island, Lummi Nation, Mount Vernon Christian, Providence Classical Christian, Shoreline Christian, and Concrete round out the 1B field.

On the 2B side, it’s Coupeville, La Conner, and Friday Harbor.

Field events begin at 11 AM, with running events kicking off a half-hour later.

Making it even more of a festive occasion, the CHS concession stand will be open for business all day.

But, and this is important — for the first time this season you’ll have to pay to attend a track meet, and you can’t do so with cash.

Spectators have to enter through the main entrance at Mickey Clark Field, which sits right behind Coupeville Elementary (6 S. Main).

The back entrance by the baseball field is reserved for athletes and coaches.

Tickets have to be purchased online through GoFan, and you’ll need your phone to show your ticket(s).

No cash sales will take place.

Admission prices:

Adults and students without ASB — $7
Children (5-12) — $5
Senior citizen (62+) — $5
Student with ASB — $5

To purchase tickets, pop over to:

https://gofan.co/app/events/612390?schoolId=WA86277

Posted in Track | Tagged admission, CHS Wolves, concessions, district meet, track and field | Leave a Comment »

View from up top is sweet

May 8, 2022 by David Svien

Katelin McCormick angles a winner. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Savina Wells collects another strike.

The Wolves play for a trifecta.

Coupeville High School baseball and softball have clinched Northwest 2B/1B League titles, and girls tennis will try and make it a trio of champs when it hosts Friday Harbor Tuesday, May 10.

That’s one of just three scheduled contests for Wolf teams this coming week, though everything being played has major consequences.

CHS baseball travels to a neutral field in La Conner May 12 to face Friday Harbor in a winner-to-state, loser-out game.

Then, Wolf track and field hosts the District 1 Championships May 14, a precursor to bi-district and state meets.

Meanwhile, the Coupeville athletes with the best win/loss record — the 16-2 softball sluggers — await their own winner-to-state, loser-out game.

That tilt doesn’t arrive until May 21, however.

As they wait, a look at how NWL teams are doing through games of May 7:

Northwest League baseball:

School	League	Overall
Coupeville	11-1	13-6
Friday Harbor	10-1	14-2
Orcas Island	6-4	8-5
MV Christian	6-5	9-6
Darrington	2-7	2-8
La Conner	2-9	2-11
Concrete	0-10	0-11