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“Great game! Tons of fun!”

May 7, 2021 by David Svien

Coupeville senior Sam Wynn scored two goals Friday in his final high school game. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Call it a private school special.

Get to the playoffs, face off with a team you’ve already beaten, and, ta-da, that other squad suddenly has a dominant new player inserted in the lineup.

Maybe us hicks from the sticks living out here in Cow Town are just overly suspicious, but sometimes you wonder…

Anyways, having removed the tin foil hat from my head (for a moment at least), I can report that Cedar Park Christian-Lynnwood, with its new Cristiano Ronaldo-style ringer, capped its boys soccer season Friday with a 5-3 win over visiting Coupeville.

Sam Wynn, the pride of public schools everywhere, banged home a pair of goals for the scrappy Wolves, but when the other team has a guy pegging all his shots from 25+ yards out and recording a hat trick, well…

Still, CHS coach Robert Wood came away from the finale fairly pleased.

“A great game. Tons of fun,” the pitch guru said. “Their guy, who missed our first game, put the ball anywhere he wanted.

“A coast-to-coast dribbler, pretty amazing, but not impossible to defend,” Wood added. “(Our) kids never gave in to them … played strong the ENTIRE game. They just had our number.”

Wynn rattled home his first scores of this pandemic-shortened season, punching home the sixth and seventh goals of his prep career while making his final appearance in a Wolf uniform.

The first came on a penalty kick, while the second sprang from a torrid run upfield.

“Speedy Sam beat the defense several times, and finally went one-on-one with the keeper and buried it,” Wood said.

Coupeville’s other goal came from a star of the future, as freshman Nick Guay “drilled a ball to the upper right corner” for his first high school score.

While the Wolves finished 1-5 on the season, they were young, hungry, and highly-competitive.

Bouncing back after the program was originally shut down due to a lack of sufficient players, they finished the season with 14 players, 12 of whom can return next season.

Wynn and fellow senior defender Owen Barenburg depart, but the players who scored during this campaign included a junior, a sophomore, two freshmen, and an eighth grader.

Xavier Murdy is one of five Wolves who scored this season who can return next year.

 

Final scoring stats:

Aidan Wilson 3
Xavier Murdy 2
Sam Wynn 2
Nick Guay 1
Cole White 1
Cael Wilson 1

Posted in Boys Soccer | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Northwest League sets strict guidelines for basketball fans

May 7, 2021 by David Svien

It’s been a really long school year. Coupeville Athletic Director Willie Smith (left) is not here for your shenanigans. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Basketball, the best high school sport of them all, is almost here.

Practice begins this coming Monday, May 10, with Coupeville’s girls and boys teams starting pandemic-shortened 12-game seasons May 18.

But, with the arrival of hoops, comes the strictest set of Age of Coronavirus guidelines for fans this school year.

Northwest 2B/1B League Athletic Directors have decided no away fans will be allowed at any games, with no exceptions.

Further, the only way for home fans to see games will be if they have an in with a current player.

In order to assure the number of people in the gym meets Washington State Department of Health guidelines, each Wolf player will receive four tickets per home game to distribute to family and friends.

This will apply to five of six home games — Concrete (May 25), La Conner (May 27), Mount Vernon Christian (June 3), Friday Harbor (June 8), and Senior Night against Darrington (June 17).

Coupeville’s home game May 20 against Orcas Island is not open to fans of any kind, as the Vikings have requested that concession from all other NWL schools.

Tickets will be distributed the day prior to a game, and NO FAN will be admitted without a ticket.

Once inside, fans are required to follow all protocols and guidelines as defined by the Coupeville School District, Island County Health, Washington State Health Department, and the Washington State Interscholastic Athletic Association.

They are as follows:

**No outside food; water in a bottle/container is allowed.

**Masks must be worn AT ALL TIMES (other when taking a drink).

**Family groups may sit together, but must maintain a minimum of six-feet of distance from other groups/fans.

**Sitting areas in the gyms will be marked by tape/cones and MUST be followed.

If a row has a cone/X on it, that row is NOT to be sat in.

Tape also shows six-feet of distance throughout the stands.

**Any arguing, harassing, or non-compliance by a spectator towards CHS workers/coaches will result in the immediate discontinuation of ALL fans to attend, and the school will move to streaming games only.

 

Links to stream games:

Concrete — Concrete School District – YouTube

Coupeville — Coupeville High School – Coupeville, WA (nfhsnetwork.com)

Darrington — Justgame Web Services (justagamelive.com)

Friday Harbor — Friday Harbor Tiny Radio | Facebook

La Conner — La Conner Athletics Alpha Channel – YouTube

MVC — Mount Vernon Christian School – Mount Vernon, WA (nfhsnetwork.com)

Orcas Island — Orcas Island Booster Club | Facebook

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Teachers enjoy bountiful harvest

May 7, 2021 by David Svien

There’s a time for teaching, and a time for eating. This is the time for eating. (Photo courtesy Christi Messner)

It was more than a well-polished apple.

Community members came together this week and pooled financial resources to show appreciation to local teachers and support staff.

Led by Coupeville Elementary teacher Christi Messner, the effort produced a lunchtime repast to commemorate Teacher Appreciation Week.

But it wasn’t only teachers who benefited, as bus barn employees, custodians, maintenance, open den, food services, and district office workers joined them in chowin’ down.

Sunshine Drip provided the goods, with everyone getting sandwiches, cookies, chips, salad, and a variety of drinks.

Response was strongly positive.

“This is what small town USA is all about!,” said Pamela Davison-Schroeder. “I’ve lived all over this country, I’m proud to call Coupeville home. What an amazing group of beautiful people.”

Messner’s big sister, CHS/CMS Attendance Secretary Barbi Ford, agreed with the sentiment.

“Everyone at CMHS were very appreciative of all the effort that went into this event,” she said. “It was a big hit!

“Thank you Chris, for all you do to support everyone in our school!”

Messner actually raised enough money, she plans to buy gift certificates for local businesses, then hold a drawing to reward some lucky teachers.

And, it’s not too late to get in on the teacher love as our educators continue to provide a lifeline to students during the Age of Coronavirus.

To donate towards the gift certificates, use the allofus@whidbey.net account on PayPal or the Christi Messner account on Venmo.

Posted in Not sports? Tough! | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

“I am beyond proud of each athlete!”

May 6, 2021 by David Svien

Nozomi Hagihara competes at the Northwest 2B/1B League Cross Country Championships. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

“What a phenomenal finish to what’s been a crazy sports year!”

Coupeville High School cross country coach Elizabeth Bitting was all smiles Thursday, after the Wolves hosted, and competed strongly in, the Northwest 2B/1B League Championships.

The event went down at Fort Casey State Park, with 35 runners from CHS, Orcas Island, and Mount Vernon Christian tearing up the 3.1 mile course.

Coupeville senior Catherine Lhamon completed a flawless final campaign on the trails, earning the league title to cap a season in which she won all four of her races.

Catherine Lhamon hangs out with CHS coach Elizabeth Bitting.

The state meet veteran was joined at the top of the chart by teammates Helen Strelow and Mitchell Hall, who finished second and third in their races, respectively.

Mount Vernon Christian sophomore Devin Van Zanten matched Lhamon, completing a 4-0 season of his own and winning the boys individual title.

MVC, which had five of the top six male runners on the day, cruised to the boys team title, with Coupeville nipping Orcas for second.

There were no team scores on the girls side, as none of the three schools had a full five-woman roster.

While Lhamon’s stellar prep cross country career ends, Coupeville loses only two of its 13 runners, with foreign exchange student Nozomi Hagihara also exiting.

Of the other 11 Wolves who ran this season, eight were sophomores and three were freshmen.

Sophomore Mitchell Hall is part of a bright future for the Wolf harrier program.

Add a strong group of middle school harriers ready to make the jump to high school, and the Wolf program, which has been back in action three seasons now after a 20+ year absence, is in a good place.

A lot of the credit for that goes to Bitting, who coaches at CMS and CHS and is the ultimate promoter of the sport.

Though, as she always does, the sage of the trail loves to put the spotlight not on herself, but on her young runners.

“I am beyond proud of each athlete on this years cross country team,” Bitting said. “All their hard work, determination, and grit all came together in perfect harmony today on their home course!

“You know they are doing something right when five runners improve their time from a very flat course a week ago to a pretty hilly course today!

“Every runner has a reason to smile when they look at their finish time from their first race on the home course to today! Improvements galore!!!”

The backdrop Thursday at Fort Casey State Park.

Bitting loves to see her harriers claim PR’s and top finishes, but also takes great delight in the small grace notes.

“There were so many moments from today,” she said. “Celebrating Catherine on her last high school race ever; seeing everybody give it their all.

“Our wonderful foreign exchange student putting aside an injury to get one more race in; to seeing every athlete cheer on others and congratulations by athletes to athletes.”

Jackie Saia, shooting photos for the CHS yearbook, becomes one with nature.

While this wasn’t the easiest season, with the ongoing pandemic affecting how people trained, how they competed, even the time of year when they ran, Bitting will still look back on the adventure with fondness.

“It’s been a crazy sports season, but athletes like these make it so worthwhile!,” she said.

“Thank you for the memories! I hope you all have some great memories too!

“You are a great group of runners and I see some exceptional years ahead of you! But for now … take a day off, you earned it!!!!”

Pandemic or not, this year’s team endured and triumphed.

 

Complete Friday results:

 

GIRLS:

Catherine Lhamon (1st) 23:43
Helen Strelow (2nd) 25:09
Cristina McGrath (4th) 25:24
Nozomi Hagihara (10th) 33:58

 

BOYS:

Mitchell Hall (3rd) 19:23
Hank Milnes (8th) 21:43
Reiley Araceley (11th) 22:00
Alex Merino-Martinez (15th) 23:04
Alex Wasik (16th) 23:21
Grant Steller (17th) 23:21
Tate Wyman (19th) 23:24
Josh Guay (21st) 25:01
Alex Bowder (22nd) 25:23

 

To see everything John Fisken shot (and possibly purchase some glossies for Grandma), pop over to:

XC 2021-05-06 at Ft. Casey – John’s Photos (johnsphotos.net)

Posted in Cross Country | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Booters net extra game

May 6, 2021 by David Svien

Ryan Blouin gets dramatic. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Nathan Ginnings plays keep-away. (Morgan White photo)

One more time.

The Coupeville High School boys soccer team will get another game during this pandemic-shortened season, with a “playoff” contest Friday afternoon.

The Wolves, who are 1-4 on the season, travel to Lynnwood to face Cedar Park Christian, which is 3-3-1.

The game is a rematch of Coupeville’s season opener, which it won 3-0 at home April 16.

While there are no conventional playoffs this school year, Northwest 2B/1B League Athletic Directors set up a one-day royal rumble, featuring six of the seven schools to play soccer this time around.

Along with CHS vs. CPC, league champ Orcas Island plays Providence Classical Christian, while La Conner and Mount Vernon Christian square off.

Grace Academy, which finished in last place, sits out the mini-tourney, while Friday Harbor sat out the entire fall sports season because of Covid concerns.

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