Coupeville Sports

Wolfe, Hilborn notch All-State honors

August 24, 2022 by David Svien

Scott Hilborn earned All-State honors for his play on the baseball diamond. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Hawthorne Wolfe was also honored.

Wait, there’s more.

Practice has begun for the 2022-2023 school athletic year, but one final set of awards has come hurtling in at the last second to officially put a wrap on things from last year.

The Washington State Baseball Coaches Association released its All-State teams Wednesday, with two Coupeville players landing on the 1B/2B squad.

Senior Hawthorne Wolfe and junior Scott Hilborn were tabbed for their play this past spring, when they helped lead CHS to a Northwest 2B/1B League title.

Coupeville finished 13-7 overall, 11-1 in conference action, falling 3-2 in a winner-to-state, loser-out game against Friday Harbor.

Wolfe split time between the outfield and pitcher’s mound, while Hilborn played in the infield and pitched. Both were standout hitters for the Wolves.

Friday Harbor’s Nathan Posenjak and Darrington’s Jesse Stewart, both shortstop/pitchers, join Wolfe and Hilborn in representing the NWL.

Led by Coupeville’s duo, Whidbey Island had a strong showing overall.

Joshua Sterba, a pitcher/infielder from South Whidbey, was named to the 1A team, though 3A Oak Harbor, which had a strong season, was blanked.

Posted in Baseball | Tagged All-State, baseball, CHS Wolves, Hawthorne Wolfe, Scott Hilborn | Leave a Comment »

Whitmore has the winning touch

August 23, 2022 by David Svien

CHS volleyball coach Cory Whitmore directs practice. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

One second, you’re the new guy. The next, you’re the grizzled vet.

Well, calling Coupeville High School volleyball coach Cory Whitmore a “grizzled vet” might be a bit extreme — the man is still pretty young.

But while the Wolf guru is only in his (very early) 30’s, he’s kicking off his seventh year at the helm of the CHS spiker program.

And he’s having quite a run.

The former three-sport high school athlete has posted six consecutive winning seasons, the longest active streak for a Coupeville coach.

Whitmore is one up on Wolf softball coach Kevin McGranahan, who has an ongoing five-year run of success.

Entering the 2022 season, CHS volleyball has recorded double-digit wins in five of the past six seasons, with only the pandemic throwing a wrench into things when the 2020 campaign was cut to just nine matches.

Whitmore’s run of success, which includes taking the 2017 squad to the state tourney:

2016: 11-6
2017: 13-5
2018: 11-5
2019: 14-5
2020: 6-3
2021: 11-6

That puts him at 66-30, which means he’s got some milestones coming up fast.

Barring any unforeseen suspensions for bouncing a clipboard off of an official’s noggin, Whitmore will hit 100 matches Sept. 13, when the Wolves travel to Bothell to face Cedar Park Christian.

Not counting appearances at tournaments — which are their own thing — Coupeville has 15 matches on the regular-season schedule.

Based on prior success, that should mean win #75 has a high probability of arriving this season as well.

Tell Whitmore any of this, however, and he’ll just quietly smile and deftly change the focus of the conversation back onto his players.

He’s built a strong program by focusing on team goals and is not one to toot his own horn.

Which is why I’m here to be Whitmore’s shameless hype man — I’ll go buy one of those horns that sounds like a semi-truck goin’ off, if necessary.

Consider yourself warned.

Posted in Volleyball | Tagged CHS Wolves, coaching wins, Cory Whitmore, milestones, volleyball | Leave a Comment »

Yes, we’re talking about practice

August 22, 2022 by David Svien

Ayden Wyman, ready to slice ‘n dice the defense. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

We’re officially underway.

Monday brought the first practices for Coupeville High School soccer, volleyball, cross country, and tennis, while football chugged along towards the one-week mark.

Wandering down from the wilds of Oak Harbor, canny camera clicker John Fisken snapped the first shots from a new school athletic year, capturing four of six Wolf teams hard at work.

Alita Blouin (left) and Maddie Georges are back on the court for their senior season.

Time to air it out.

Two players, one soccer ball. Let the bodies hit the floor.

Ryanne Knoblich uncorks a sizzler.

William Davidson anchors the line.

Aidan Wilson prepares to attack.

Carolyn Lhamon, makin’ moves and takin’ names.

Posted in Boys Soccer, Football, Girls Soccer, Volleyball | Tagged 1st day of practice, CHS Wolves, football, John Fisken photos, Soccer, volleyball | 2 Comments »

Toot! Toot! Jump on the meal train!

August 22, 2022 by David Svien

Wolf Nation’s newest lil’ dumpling, Bear Manuel Rojas. (Photo courtesy Janet Rojas)

How can you say no to a cute lil’ baby?

You can’t.

Wolf Nation has a chance to help some of its own by joining a meal train for Joe and Reghan (Campbell) Rojas as they celebrate a happy ending to a dangerous situation.

The Coupeville grads, who both hail from families with deep local roots, have added a third son to the clan, but his arrival came with unexpected difficulty.

Reghan experienced a uterine rupture during labor, and the complications caused by that kept their newest child in the intensive care unit for a week.

To the delight of all, lil’ Bear Manuel Rojas got stronger with each day and is now home with his parents and two older brothers.

Bear, who checked in at 21 inches and a healthy nine pounds, eight ounces, gets his middle name from grandpa Manny Rojas, who played multiple sports for CHS back in the day.

To join the meal train, pop over to:

https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/w9l831?fbclid=IwAR0X7V5Z6BKQHWl7o1xG4s-O0Kj7-mrZxnAWaRRI3P9VcnjfVodFvLzmy9c

Posted in Fundraisers | Tagged babies, CHS Wolves, Joe Rojas, Meal train, Reghan Rojas | Leave a Comment »