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Bound for glory

Lyla Stuurmans is off to Cheney for the state track and field championships. (Photo courtesy Sarah Stuurmans)

They’re off!

The Coupeville High School track and field team sent 16 athletes and a couple of coaches towards Cheney, and the 2B state track meet, Thursday morning.

It’s the first state championships since 2019, with the pandemic having taken a bite out of a whole lot of prep sports careers.

There are a handful of events Thursday at Eastern Washington University, but Coupeville’s athletes are only scheduled to compete Friday and Saturday.

Before they left town, the Wolves were hailed by their classmates, teachers, parents, and various hangers-on as they boarded the bus.

The photos above and below, capturing some of the farewell, come to us courtesy a bevy of CHS parents, all nice enough to let me poach their pics.

 

PS — And a big shoutout to Ashley’s Design owner Eric Peterson, who went above and beyond in the final moments to make sure the Wolves would have specially crafted state t-shirts.

“His customer service is unbelievable,” said Wolf mom Sarah Stuurmans.

“He does everything he can to help coaches and athletes get the things they need as quickly as possible.”

Nick Guay smiles for his dad. (Dylan Guay photo)

Always time for a photo op. (Kim Robinett photo)

Giddy with excitement. (Photos courtesy Mariah Madsen)

It’s a race to Eastern Washington, car vs. bus. (Photos courtesy Mariah Madsen)

Wolves (l to r) Mikey Robinett, Issabel Johnson, and Aidan Wilson are ready to hit the road. (Kim Robinett photo)

Coupeville High School baseball standout Hawthorne Wolfe is co-MVP of the Northwest 2B/1B League. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

We’ll take all your top awards. All of them, I said!

Coming off of a league title winning season, the Coupeville High School baseball squad finished strong in All-Conference voting.

Senior pitcher/outfielder Hawthorne Wolfe shared Northwest 2B/1B League MVP honors with Mount Vernon Christian hurler Alec Flury, while CHS head man Will Thayer was tabbed Coach of the Year by his colleagues.

Coupeville, which went 11-1 in league play, 13-7 overall, also landed four players on the All-League team.

Senior pitcher Cody Roberts and junior shortstop Scott Hilborn were First-Team honorees, while senior catcher Xavier Murdy and junior third-baseman Jonathan Valenzuela were Second-Team picks.

Scott Hilborn tracks down a pop fly.

 

All-Conference teams:

 

First-Team:

Jordan Boon – Mount Vernon Christian
Levi Buchanan – Friday Harbor
Scott Hilborn – Coupeville
Diego Lago – Orcas Island
Camden Losey – Friday Harbor
Nathan Posenjak – Friday Harbor
Cody Roberts – Coupeville
Jesse Stewart – Darrington
Nathan Symmank – Mount Vernon Christian

 

Second-Team:

Haydin Dinnuis – La Conner
Connar Haines – Friday Harbor
Moose Kinsey – Orcas Island
Graham Learing – Friday Harbor
Xavier Murdy – Coupeville
Joe Stephens – Orcas Island
Jonathan Valenzuela – Coupeville
Joel Votipka – Mount Vernon Christian

Will Thayer ponders strategy.

Noelle Daigneault received the Most Inspirational award at Coupeville High School’s tennis banquet. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Noelle Daigneault was a busy bee Wednesday.

The Coupeville High School senior pocketed three citations, as Wolf girls tennis capped its season with an awards banquet.

Daigneault was honored as Most Inspirational, while also joining Abby Mulholland in being recognized for their work as team captains.

A four-year award — also given to long-timers Mary Milnes, Katelin McCormick, and Mullholland — wrapped things up.

Meanwhile, singles player Helen Strelow copped team MVP honors, while Vivian Farris and Skylar Parker were named Most Improved.

The banquet ended a stellar campaign for the Wolves, who won a Northwest 2B/1B League title and finished second in the team standings at bi-districts.

Skylar Parker launches a serve.

 

Varsity letter winners:

Noelle Daigneault
Vivian Farris
Hayley Fiedler
Sophie Martin
Katelin McCormick
Mary Milnes
Abby Mulholland
Helen Strelow
Lucy Tenore
Eryn Wood

 

JV certificates:

Karyme Castro
Kim Castro
Gwen Crowder
Nevaeh Hertlein-Darby
Elizabeth Lo
Sofia Milasich
Yodnam Nakakul
Skylar Parker
Leni Raduenz
Maylin Steele

Allie Lucero makes the softball scream, “Mercy!” (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Their bats bashed a merry tune.

Coupeville High School softball sluggers ripped the hide off the ball this spring, as seen in the pics above and below.

A hit-happy crew from the top of the order to the bottom of the lineup, the Wolves kept the scoreboard jumpin’ and the cameras clickin’.

Teagan Calkins crunches.

Melanie Navarro loves the longball.

But she’s also pretty dang good at playing small ball.

Izzy Wells launches.

Mia Farris, hit machine.

Gwen Gustafson mashes.

“Nope. Too slow!”

Bennett “Big Energy” Richter (right), a football man with a plan. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

“Safety is our biggest concern.”

New Coupeville High School head football coach Bennett Richter has been around the game most of his life, both as a player and mentor.

But as he moves up from defensive coordinator to the head of the Wolf program, he realizes there are parents and guardians who are unsure about letting their students suit up for the gridiron squad.

So, Richter and his assistant coaches are putting on a Football 101 clinic to give the community a better feel for the game they love, and the safeguards put into place in modern practice sessions.

The free event, which also features lunch, runs from 10 AM to noon Saturday, June 4.

Things will start at the health room inside the Coupeville High School gym (first thing on your left as you enter the front door), then out on the nearby football practice field.

Richter is hoping for a strong turnout, and a chance to make his case.

“We would like to reach as many people as possible,” he said. “And show them what we are doing to make the game of football as safe as possible for their children.

“Our hope is that we can really provide information to parents on the fence of letting their kids play, in hopes to continue to grow our program to a competitive level.”