Hawthorne Wolfe scorched Darrington for 32 points Friday, netting eight shots from behind the three-point arc. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Hawthorne Wolfe fears no gym.
Ignoring all the urban legends about Darrington’s old-school facility, which looks like it could have been used in Hoosiers, the Coupeville High School junior lit the joint up Friday night.
Odd backboards or not, Wolfe outdueled the Loggers, dropping in a game-high 32 points, including netting eight three-balls, pacing CHS to a 64-51 win.
Coming 24 hours after the Wolves fell on a last-second bucket to La Conner, the victory lifts Coupeville to 3-3 at the halfway point of a pandemic-altered season.
Channeling coaches who have mentored him — hardwood gurus like Willie Smith and David King — current Wolf head man Brad Sherman was reflective in his postgame comments.
While he is still somewhat haunted by trying to shoot at Darrington during his own otherwise stellar playing days, Sherman was pleased with how the current generation responded.
“Obviously games like last night can take a lot out of you emotionally,” he said. “So today’s test was really to see how quickly we could bounce back on the road.
“And our guys came out, played hard, and did what was needed to get the W today. Have to be proud of that!”
It was a solid team effort, with all nine Coupeville players who hit the floor scoring.
But it was the Wolf named Wolfe, the bobbin’ and weavin’, smooth-talkin’ and sweet-shootin’ Hawk who captured the spotlight.
Dueling with Darrington’s Caleb Rivera, who went off for 27 points and five treys of his own, Wolfe was electric from long range.
He netted a trio of three-balls in the first quarter, tossed in two more in the second frame, then popped for yet another three in the third.
Is that a single-game record for CHS shooters?
Likely, but I’m not 100% sure.
Sherman netted six treys in a game while playing for the Wolves in the early 2000’s, and Gabe Wynn and Mason Grove both swished seven in 2017 games.
Grove once hit 10 three-balls against Port Townsend, but that came in a JV game, so Wolfe’s eight may very well be a CHS varsity record.
Either way, Wolfe’s big bombs were huge, with Xavier Murdy and Logan Downes each adding a single three-ball as Coupeville picked up 30 of its 64 points while shooting from the parking lot.
The game itself was close, especially in the early going, as Coupeville led just 13-12 at the end of the first quarter.
Wolfe already had 11 at that point, and he and his teammates stretched the lead out to 34-26 at the half, then 52-39 after three quarters.
The fourth quarter played out to a 12-12 stalemate, clinching the win for CHS, with six different Wolves scoring in the final frame.
Wolfe’s 32 was his second-best work of the season, trailing just the 38 he dropped on Mount Vernon Christian in the season opener.
Continuing his torrid tour through the 104-year history of CHS boys basketball, the floppy-haired Dairy Queen employee jumped Friday from a tie for #43 on the program’s all-time scoring list to #37.
With 558 points and counting, Wolfe leap-frogs Brad Miller (526), Jerry Zylstra (527), Denny Zylstra (538), Marc Bissett (549), Jim Syreen (550), Roy Marti (551), and Randy Duggan (552).
Xavier Murdy, a force on both ends of the floor, chipped in with nine points Friday, and is now just a bucket off of 150 career points.
Freshman Logan Downes (7), TJ Rickner (4), Sage Downes (3), Alex Murdy (3), Logan Martin (2), Daniel Olson (2), and Grady Rickner (2) scored as Sherman’s crew all contributed.
In this compressed season, next week will be huge for Coupeville, as it plays three games in four days.
The Wolves get a rematch with La Conner, this time on the road, next Wednesday, June 2.
Then they host MVC June 3, before traveling to Orcas Island June 5.
JV stays home:
There was no second game for the Wolf boys Friday, though Darrington is currently scheduled to play a JV game the second time these schools meet.
