Coupeville Sports

Night of triumph, year of success

June 11, 2021 by David Svien

Grady Rickner tossed in a team-high 12 points Thursday as Coupeville clobbered Concrete, clinching its first winning boys basketball season in more than a decade. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

One part of the mission, accomplished.

Laying waste to winless Concrete on the road Thursday, the Coupeville High School varsity boys basketball squad clinched its first winning season in more than a decade.

With the 64-14 rout of the Lions, the Wolves improve to 7-4 and head home for their season finale next Tuesday, June 15 against Darrington.

That night, they’ll honor seniors Daniel Olson, TJ Rickner, and Sage Downes, then try to close a pandemic-altered season with one final big win.

The last time the CHS varsity boys hoops program posted a winning record was the 2009-2010 season, when the Wolves went 16-5 in the next-to-last season of Randy King’s 20-year run as head coach.

Thursday’s tilt was a gut-check for Coupeville, coming off a heartbreaking one-point loss in overtime to Friday Harbor Tuesday, a defeat which ended Wolf hopes of winning the Northwest 2B/1B League title.

How would CHS respond, facing a rebuilding Concrete squad which went into its finale carrying an 0-11 record?

The answer? Pretty dang well.

CHS coach Brad Sherman, the #2 scorer on the last Wolf boys team to win a league title in 2002, got floor time for all 12 guys in uniform Thursday, with 10 of them scoring.

The lone Wolf not to see action was sophomore sparkplug Alex Murdy, out with an injury.

Much like the first time these two squads faced off, Coupeville jumped on the Lions quickly, built a substantial lead by halftime, then gave its bench a chance to rack up major minutes after the break.

Up 24-4 after one quarter, with Hawthorne Wolfe, Logan Downes, and Grady Rickner each tossing in six points, CHS pushed the margin to 48-8 with an almost mirror-image second frame.

From there, a running clock ended things quickly, with all of the scoring coming from the Wolf bench.

Sage Downes was a force on both ends of the floor.

Junior captain Grady Rickner finished with a game-high 12 points, while Coupeville’s top two scorers this season — Wolfe and Xavier Murdy — did more passing than shooting en route to a combined 10 points.

Seven of those came from Hawk, and all in the very early going, as he eased into another milestone in his journey up the CHS boys career scoring chart.

Wolfe’s last point of the night, coming off of a free throw in the second quarter, gives him 650 points and counting.

He’s #27 all-time heading into the finale of his shortened junior season, a mere 10 points away from hurdling Jason McFadyen (654), Wade Ellsworth (659), and Pat Bennett (659) on a list which covers 104 seasons.

Two current sharpshooters — Sage Downes and Jonathan Valenzuela — popped for eight points apiece Thursday, with Olson and Wolfe banking in seven each.

Freshman Logan Downes lets it fly.

Logan Downes (5), Cody Roberts (4), TJ Rickner (4), Miles Davidson (4), Xavier Murdy (3), and Logan Martin (2) also scored, with Cole White contributing on defense.

Davidson, who has been sidelined by a football injury for much of the season, made his debut, while becoming the 401st CHS boy I’ve been able to document scoring in a varsity hoops game.

Posted in Boys Basketball | Tagged Boys Basketball, CHS Wolves, Concrete, Northwest League, winning season | Leave a Comment »

CMS track hits the finish line

June 10, 2021 by David Svien

Gabriella Gebhard had the fastest time in the 200 and 400 of any Coupeville Middle School girl this season. (Jackie Saia photo)

It was an unusual, but successful season.

With the pandemic altering things, the Coupeville Middle School track and field team competed against itself, and not other schools, this spring.

That four-meet intramural season ended Thursday, with Wolf coaches Elizabeth Bitting and Jon Gabelein hailing their young athletes for a job well done.

“Thank you for a very successful season,” Bitting said. “Without the support of all families we would have had a difficult time completing the season.

“THANK YOU to all who came out and volunteered on meet days.”

One of those volunteers, Coupeville High School cross country ace Helen Strelow, even stepped onto the oval Thursday, taking a leg on a relay team so her young compatriots could all compete.

“She graciously stepped in to help a relay team who was short one runner today,” Bitting said. “It was awesome to have the support of a high school runner and have EVERY athlete compete in the relay medley.”

While the meets had a different feel, with no rival teams present and not every event competed in, the experience was a hugely positive one.

“Yes, the season was a very different one compared to other seasons, but the athletes made it feel just like any other season,” Bitting said. “The support they gave to one another, the friendships that were made, the laughs had, the memories made and the competition they had with one another was priceless.

“We hope each of you continue to be active during the summer months and we hope to see you all back out on the track next season.”

Complete Thursday results:

100 — Preston Epp 13.89; Carson Field 14.44; Eleanore McDonald 15.24; Thomas Strelow 16.09; Carly Burt 16.16; Dianne Brown 16.69; Ivy Rudat 16.85; Axel Marshall 18.22; Liza Zustiak 20.69

200 — Field 29.24; Gabby Gebhard 34.13; Malachi Somes 34.63; Ayden Wyman 35.12; Joshua Stockdale 37.28; Marshall 37.37; Zustiak 38.95

200 Hurdles — Epp 33.36; Field 34.33; Brown 39.04; McDonald 39.68; Marshall 42.92; Zustiak 46.13; Frankie Tenore 48.60

Relay — McDonald, Field, Strelow, Burt 2:21.14; Epp, Marshall, Stockdale, Rudat 2:30.87; Wyman, Gebhard, Zustiak, Brown 2:36.39; Rudat, Abbigail Bond, Tenore, Helen Strelow 2:42.44

Shot Put — Somes 19-07.50; Brown 14-08; Burt 13-09; Rudat 13-01; Marshall 12-09; Bond 12-07; Tenore 12-02

Turbo Javelin — Somes 85-06; Epp 84-06; Field 82-00; Strelow 69-02; Stockdale 49-00; Wyman 40-07; Marshall 35-03; Gebhard 31-09; Tenore 31-03; McDonald 30-01; Bond 24-03

Long Jump — Field 12-00; Strelow 10-03.50; Wyman 10-02.50; Burt 10-01; Gebhard 9-05; Brown 9-05; Rudat 9-04; Marshall 8-11.50; Bond 8-11; Tenore 7-09

Top performers for the season:

Girls:

100 — McDonald (1st), Brown (2nd), Burt (3rd)

200 — Gebhard (1st), Wyman (2nd), Zustiak (3rd)

400 — Gebhard (1st), Wyman (2nd)

200 Hurdles — Brown (1st), McDonald (2nd), Bond (3rd)

Shot Put — Brown (1st), Tenore (2nd), Burt (3rd)

Turbo Javelin — Wyman (1st), McDonald (2nd), Zustiak (3rd)

Long Jump — Wyman (1st), Burt (2nd) Gebhard (3rd)

Boys:

100 — Field (1st), Epp (2nd), Somes (3rd)

200 — Field (1st), Somes (2nd), Stockdale (3rd)

400 — Epp (1st), Field (2nd), Marshall (3rd)

1600 — Field (1st), Strelow (2nd), Marshall (3rd)

200 Hurdles — Field (1st), Epp (2nd), Marshall (3rd)

Shot Put — Strelow (1st), Somes (2nd), Marshall (3rd)

Turbo Javelin — Epp (1st), Somes (2nd), Field (3rd)

Long Jump — Field (1st), Epp (2nd), Strelow (3rd)

Co-Ed:

Relay — McDonald, Field, Strelow, Bond (1st); Epp, Somes, Marshall, Stockdale (2nd); Wyman, Gebhard, Rudat, Bond (3rd)

Posted in Middle School, Track | Tagged CMS Wolves, Elizabeth Bitting, Gabrielle Gebhard, season finale, track and field | Leave a Comment »

Wolf rally falls just short

June 10, 2021 by David Svien

Carolyn Lhamon played strongly Thursday, but Coupeville fell at Concrete. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Free throws were a killer.

The Coupeville High School varsity girls basketball team almost overcame a terrible start Thursday, rallying from a double-digit deficit and pushing host Concrete hard at the end.

But a 24-point deficit at the charity stripe ultimately doomed the Wolves, as they fell 60-57 to a team they beat by 20 points the first time around.

The loss, Coupeville’s fourth in five games in the month of June, drops it to 4-7 heading into the season finale against Darrington.

That game, which would be Senior Night, except the Wolves have no seniors on their roster, goes down June 15.

Thursday was not what anyone expected, as a Concrete team which only scored 19 points the first time it played Coupeville, suddenly found a roaring offensive attack.

Or at least a trio of refs who helped them along, allowing Concrete to shoot an astounding 45 free throws.

The Lions netted 30 of those shots, and while 67% at the line isn’t Earth-shattering, it’s a heck of a lot better than 25%, which is what Coupeville shot, making just 6-24.

The free throw disparity put a damper on a stirring comeback and a career night for Wolf gunner Anya Leavell.

The junior entered Thursday with 24 career points at the varsity level, then went bonkers in front of a sparse crowd, raining down four three-balls on her way to a game-high 21 points.

Three of those treys came during an 11-point explosion in the final quarter, as Leavell couldn’t miss.

Coupeville’s torrid finish, even while it fell short, was a nice turnaround after the Wolves started ice-cold in the opening quarter.

“We came out flat and never recovered,” said CHS coach Scott Fox. “Anya and Lyla (Stuurmans) played extremely well and kept us in it.

“Always disappointing to lose a winnable game, but at least the kids were fighting hard to claw back.”

The Wolves couldn’t get a shot to drop from the field for much of the first quarter, with just a Savina Wells free throw keeping their half of the scoreboard from registering zero.

But Leavell’s first three-ball of the night finally got things clicking for Coupeville, and, while it trailed at the end of the first quarter, the 15-8 margin wasn’t insurmountable.

Concrete pushed the lead, ever so slightly, out to 28-19 by the half, but the Wolves used a 19-13 third-quarter run to trim things back to 41-38 heading into the final frame.

Five different Wolves scored in the third, something Coupeville repeated in the fourth.

But free throws kept them at bay, with Concrete star Kylie Clark leading the way, netting 13-15 freebies on her way to a team-best 20 points.

Leavell’s 21 earned top honors for CHS, with Wolf 8th grader Savina Wells throwing down nine of her 12 points in the second half.

Audrianna Shaw (9), 8th grader Stuurmans (6), Izzy Wells (4), Carolyn Lhamon (4), Ryanne Knoblich (2), and Ja’Kenya Hoskins (1) rounded out Coupeville’s best offensive showing of the season.

Maddie Georges, Kylie Van Velkinburgh, and Gwen Gustafson all saw floor time as well.

Posted in Girls Basketball | Tagged Anya Leavell, CHS Wolves, Concrete, free throw fest, girls basketball | Leave a Comment »

Lay some rubber, Wolves

June 10, 2021 by David Svien

One day from graduation. Time to hit the streets of Coupeville for the Class of 2021. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

In a year of upheaval, one tradition remains untouched.

The Coupeville High School Class of 2021 took to the streets of Cow Town Thursday for the annual Senior parade.

Wanderin’ photo whiz kid John Fisken was on hand to snap images as the Wolves moved one step closer to graduation.

Posted in Graduation, Parades | Tagged car parade, CHS Class of 2021, graduation, John Fisken photos, Kylie Chernikoff | Leave a Comment »

Brothers (and sisters) of the hardwood unite

June 10, 2021 by David Svien

TJ (left) and Grady Rickner are one of five sets of siblings playing basketball for Coupeville High School. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

All in the family.

There are five different sets of siblings playing basketball at Coupeville High School this season – four brother combos and one sister duo.

There’s a wide range of ages involved, as well, with every class (and then some) represented.

Break down the family affair and we find two seniors, four juniors, two sophomores, one freshman, and even one 8th grader.

With the Wolves moving to the 2B classification, CHS can use middle school students to shore up high school programs struggling with low numbers, such as boys soccer or girls basketball.

So, to the great joy of mom Katie Wells, that has meant daughters Savina (8th grader) and Izzy (11th grader) get two seasons together, and not one as originally expected.

Graduation will break up two of the five sets, with Sage Downes and TJ Rickner set to move on after this season.

But for now, there’s a whole lot of family connections at play in the Wolf hoops programs.