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State softball bracket hits the streets

May 18, 2025 by David Svien

Haylee Armstrong and Co. are headed to Yakima. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

The path is set.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association released brackets for state softball tournaments Sunday morning, with Coupeville tabbed as the #7 seed among 2B schools.

The Wolves, who carry an 18-1 record to the big dance in Yakima, open the double-elimination royal rumble against #10 River View, which sits at 22-3.

The opening game is slated for a 10 AM start Friday, May 23 at the Gateway Sports Complex.

Win or lose, Coupeville gets a second game later in the day against either #2 Pe Ell/Willapa Valley (19-5) or #15 Colfax (12-12).

Depending on how things play out, the Wolves could have a third game Friday.

To see the bracket, pop over to:

https://www.wpanetwork.com/wiaa/brackets/tournament.php?act=view&tournament_id=4682

This is the fourth trip to state for CHS softball, and its first in the 2B classification.

The Wolves advanced in 2002, 2014, and 2019, all as a 1A school.

The first time around, Coupeville won four of five and brought home a 3rd place trophy.

In 2014, the Wolves went 0-2, while in 2019, they finished 1-2, eliminating Deer Park.

Coupeville’s opening opponent this time around, River View, is pretty much an unknown to the Wolves.

The Panthers hail from Kennewick and finished second in the District 5 tournament, falling 11-6 to Cle Elum/Rosalyn in the championship game.

River View plays in the Eastern Washington Athletic Conference.

It lost one regular season game to Liberty Christian (Richland), which is seeded #2 in the 1B state tourney, and twice to Cle Elum in the postseason.

Ava Lucero anchors the Wolf defense at first.

Coupeville and River View both have high powered offenses and stellar pitching and defense.

The Panthers have outscored foes 400-84 across 25 games, which averages out to 16.0-3.4, while the Wolves have rung up a 276-37 advantage (14.5-1.9) in their 19 contests.

According to WIAA records, this is the ninth trip to state for River View softball, but its first in 2B, and its first since 2012.

The Panthers advanced to the big dance in 1999 as a 2A program, then made the trip the last seven times at the 1A classification, including five straight seasons between 2008-2012.

Overall, River View is 5-16 in state softball games.

As he readies his team for its jaunt to state, CHS coach Aaron Lucero has some prior knowledge of River View from watching video this season.

“Solid pitching, some good hitters,” he said. “They appear to be very scrappy and do a lot of the little things.

“It should be a good first game.”

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Ward soars with the Eagles

May 18, 2025 by David Svien

CHS senior Matthew Ward is a high achiever in all of his pursuits. (Photos courtesy Jandellyn Ward)

Matthew Ward is flying high.

The Coupeville High School student has had a busy senior year, playing soccer and track and field for the Wolves, with a trip to the state championships in his near future.

Ward earned his ticket to Yakima Saturday by winning the triple jump at the District 1 meet, setting a PR while doing so.

But that’s not the only honor he’s earned recently, as a nearly life-long odyssey with scouting is also reaching new heights.

Ward, who started scouts in first grade, reached Eagle rank May 15, just two weeks shy of his 18th birthday.

He’s following in the footsteps of his dad, also an Eagle Scout, and doing it with the same group — Scout Troop 4058 — that pops achieved the honor with.

Ward (far left) and his companions hit the trail.

As he’s worked his way through the various ranks leading up to being an Eagle Scout, Ward has been an active member of the troop, attending the Philmont High adventure scout camp in New Mexico with fellow senior scouts in 2023.

Becoming an Eagle Scout includes completing an “Eagle project,” in which a scout works with a non-profit organization.

Ward chose the Greenbank Progressive Club, building them a storage shed.

Up next for the high achiever is the Eagle Scout ceremony, set for July 11.

Penciling out his project.

Making sure all the measurements are correct.

Mission accomplished.

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CHS track sending baker’s dozen to state

May 17, 2025 by David Svien

Carson Field won three district titles Saturday, propelling him to a final run at the 2B state meet in two weeks. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

“What a day!”

Coupeville was the epicenter for track and field action Saturday, with the Wolves hosting the District 1 Championships, while delivering a dazzling performance for their home fans.

The CHS boys claimed a team title, with the girls’ squad finishing 3rd, while 13 athletes in red and black punched their ticket to the 2B state meet.

Coupeville coaches Bob Martin and Elizabeth Bitting will travel with their stars to Yakima for that event, slated to go down May 29-31 at Zaepfel Stadium at Eisenhower High School.

Saturday’s district meet, which was a 2-in-1 affair with both 1B and 2B teams vying, featured 13 schools.

In the 2B battle, Coupeville’s boys romped to the team title, racking up 145 points, with Mount Vernon Christian second with 72.

Friday Harbor (66), Orcas Island (58), and La Conner (46) rounded out the field.

Coupeville’s 4 x 400 relay team was the fastest in town. (Jaime Burrows photo)

On the girl’s side, MVC (153) was top dog, with La Conner (89), Coupeville (62.5), Friday Harbor (49.5), and Orcas Island (21) chasing the Hurricanes.

Providence Classical Christian and Lopez Island won 1B girls and boys team titles in eight-school battles.

For 2B competitors such as Coupeville, districts was the last stop before state.

Earn a top two finish Saturday, and you’re in. Hit the line in third, you’re close, but no cigar.

Katie Marti (Shot Put, Discus, Javelin) and Carson Field (800, 1600, 3200) paced the Wolves, each winning three titles.

Cael Wilson, Preston Epp, and Chase Anderson also qualified for state in three events, with Lyla Stuurmans earning her invitation in two.

Blake Burrows, Malachi Somes, George Spear, Wyatt Fitch-Marron, Matthew Ward, Marquette Cunningham, and Davin Houston round out Coupeville’s state qualifiers.

With both of the boys’ relay teams advancing, Wolf coaches will pick alternates for those squads, which may bump the total higher.

Of the 13 CHS stars scheduled to make the trip, two have previously collected state meet medals while at the big dance.

Seniors Lyla Stuurmans and Cael Wilson have three and two, respectively.

Overall, 90 Wolves have brought home a medal since the modern era of state track and field meets began in 1964.

Matthew Ward will cap his senior season with a trip to state to compete in the triple jump. (Jandellyn Ward photo)

Saturday’s meet dodged a forecast calling for high winds and heavy rain, with teams dealing with just a few splatters of liquid sunshine and a couple of moderate prairie breezes.

Whether they advanced to state, or wrapped their season Saturday, each Wolf in action got a shout-out from their coaches.

“The atmosphere was electric with anticipation as our athletes gave it everything they had,” Bob Martin said.

“We’re incredibly proud of every athlete. The dedication and heart shown today was inspiring.”

Martin and Bitting also praised the contributions of their assistant coaches, and the combined forces of Wolf Nation which came together to pull off a successful big-time meet.

“A huge thank you to our incredible community of volunteers who helped create a seamless experience for the 13 schools in attendance,” Martin said.

“And to our team parents — your hospitality was unmatched, with a breakfast spread that could rival a gourmet brunch!”

Olivia Hall set a PR in the 400 at districts. (Maria Summers photo)

 

Saturday’s results:

 

GIRLS:

100 — Isa Mc Fetridge (6th) 14.23 *PR*; Laken Simpson (8th) 14.36

200 — Mc Fetridge (5th) 29.95

400 — Olivia Hall (4th) 1:07.66 *PR*; Marin Winger (5th) 1:19.42

800 — Lyla Stuurmans (1st) 2:39.34; Lillian Ketterling (6th) 3:05.72; Ivy Rudat (7th) 3:08.53

1600 — Stuurmans (2nd) 6:01.86; Mikayla Wagner (4th) 6:43.80; I. Rudat (5th) 6:52.31 *PR*; Devon Wyman (6th) 7:08.38 *PR*

3200 — Wagner (3rd) 13:34.10 *PR*; Aleksia Jump (6th) 14:51.71; D. Wyman (7th) 15:45.16 *PR*

100 Hurdles — Ari Cunningham (7th) 21.75; Frankie Tenore (10th) 24.40

300 Hurdles — Tenore (8th) 1:08.15

4 x 100 Relay — Cunningham, Willow Leedy-Bonifas, Ayden Wyman, Mc Fetridge (4th) 57.97

4 x 200 Relay — Simpson, Leedy-Bonifas, Lexis Drake, Mc Fetridge (4th) 2:00.24

4 x 400 Relay — Hall, Ketterling, I. Rudat, Simpson (4th) 4:47.68

Shot Put — Katie Marti (1st) 34-08 *PR*

Discus — Marti (1st) 89-08; Ketterling (3rd) 82-01

Javelin — Marti (1st) 102-05

High Jump — A. Wyman (4th) 4-04

Pole Vault — A. Jump (4th) 7-00; I. Rudat (6th) 6-00; Ketterling (6th) 6-00

Long Jump — Leedy-Bonifas (7th) 13-00; Cunningham (8th) 12-10.25

Triple Jump — Leedy-Bonifas (6th) 27-02.50 *PR*

Aleksia Jump prepares to charge into action. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

 

BOYS:

100 — Chase Anderson (1st) 11.51; Marquette Cunningham (3rd) 11.78; Matthew Ward (4th) 11.83 *PR*; Davin Houston (8th) 12.13; Marcelo Gebhard (9th) 12.18 *PR*; Liam Blas (12th) 12.33; Beckett Green (14th) 12.35

200 — Houston (5th) 24.00 *PR*; Green (8th) 24.43 *PR*; M. Cunningham (11th) 24.78

400 — Preston Epp (2nd) 53.17; Blake Burrows (3rd) 54.95 *PR*; Dane Hadsall (6th) 58.65 *PR*; Jonah Weyl (7th) 1:02.46

800 — Carson Field (1st) 2:02.66; Solomon Rudat (5th) 2:24.49; Ethan Walling (7th) 2:32.28; Johnathan Jacobsen (10th) 2:37.40; Finn Price (12th) 2:43.38

1600 —Field (1st) 4:43.29; Malachi Somes (2nd) 4:51.03 *PR*; George Spear (4th) 4:53.82 *PR*; Kenneth Jacobsen (5th) 5:14.30; Walling (10th) 5:39.65; Edmund Kunz (11th) 5:47.54

3200 — Field (1st) 10:27.36 *PR*; Spear (2nd) 10:45.69; K. Jacobsen (3rd) 11:26.09 *PR*; Kunz (4th) 12:18.57 *PR*

110 Hurdles — Axel Marshall (4th) 17.86 *PR*

300 Hurdles — Marshall (3rd) 46.29 *PR*; Blas (6th) 46.71 *PR*

4 x 100 Relay — M. Cunningham, Houston, Epp, Anderson (1st) 44.41

4 x 400 Relay — Anderson, Burrows, Wilson, Epp (1st) 3:35.55

Shot Put — Gebhard (3rd) 38-07; Zac Tackett (4th) 36-09; Khanor Jump (9th) 30-04.50; David Somes (13th) 25-04.50

Discus — Tackett (3rd) 129-09; Blas (8th) 97-02 *PR*

Javelin — Anderson (3rd) 135-09; Gebhard (8th) 111-08; Ward (10th) 93-07

High Jump — C. Wilson (1st) 6-00; Wyatt Fitch-Marron (2nd) 5-10 *PR*; Houston (4th) 5-08; J. Jacobsen (9th) 5-00

Pole Vault — C. Wilson (2nd) 12-06; S. Rudat (8th) 8-06; Kunz (10th) 7-00

Long Jump — C. Wilson (3rd) 20-06 *PR*; Fitch-Marron (10th) 16-05.75 *PR*; Edmund Wilson (11th) 15-11.25; Green (12th) 13-10.50

Triple Jump — Ward (1st) 40-02 *PR*; M. Cunningham (3rd) 37-00.50; Marshall (6th) 35-09

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Bashers boppin’ to the big dance

May 15, 2025 by David Svien

CHS sluggers (l to r) Taylor Brotemarkle, Jada Heaton, Teagan Calkins, Mia Farris, and Madison McMillan made it to state in volleyball and softball this year. (Grant Van Dyke photo)

Eastern Washington, the Wolves are headed your way, red-hot bats in hand.

Dodging raindrops Thursday at the Skagit Playfields in Mount Vernon, the Coupeville High School softball squad decisively claimed the District 1 title, while punching its ticket to the 2B state tourney.

The Wolves, who are 18-1 after crunching Friday Harbor 15-5 in the championship game, have won 17 straight after a one-run loss to 3A Oak Harbor way back in March.

Slotted #4 in the final Washington Interscholastic Activities Association RPI rankings, Aaron Lucero’s squad will find out its state path Sunday.

That’s when a seeding committee releases the 16-team bracket for the royal rumble, which is slated to play out May 23-24 at the Gateway Sports Complex in Yakima.

This is the fourth trip to state for CHS softball, and its first in the 2B classification.

The Wolves advanced in 2002 (winning four of five games to earn a 3rd place trophy), 2014, and 2019, all as a 1A school.

Aaron Lucero has the Wolves rollin’ at 18-1. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Now, Lucero, in his first season at the helm of the Wolf program, joins former Coupeville diamond gurus Randy Dickson, David King, and Kevin McGranahan in leading a softball team to state.

His band of sluggers has carved a brutal path through foes this season, outscoring their rivals 276-37.

No, that’s not a misprint, and yes, it could have been even more lopsided if Lucero hadn’t pumped the brakes at time.

Narrow victories over Lakewood, Forks, and Granite Falls have proven Coupeville’s iron will under pressure, while the Wolves have also captured 14 of those 18 wins by enforcing the mercy rule, which shuts down games after five innings if one team leads by 10 or more runs.

Friday Harbor, which eliminated Orcas Island 9-1 in a loser-out playoff opener Thursday, hung tough in the championship game, but the Wolves ultimately had too many weapons.

The Wolverines scratched out a run in the top of the first, but the lead would be short-lived.

Coupeville started to attack almost immediately, using relentless speed and guile on the basepaths to once again keep a foe tense and ready to break at all times.

Mia Farris cracked a one-out single, followed by Teagan Calkins eking out a walk, before the dance began.

A stolen base led to a wild pitch, then, after Madison McMillan tied the game on an RBI groundout, the Wolves took the lead for good on a frantic play.

With Calkins bouncing on third, a pitch got away from the Friday Harbor catcher, and “The Red Dragon” shot for the plate.

Unexpectedly, the ball shot back a little quicker to the backstop’s glove than probably expected, but Calkins went under the tag like a professional limbo dancer, her arm caressing the plate as the catcher juggled and dropped the ball.

The safe call went up, Calkins did the slow strut to the bench, and the momentum had changed.

Teagan Calkins can destroy you with her bat, feet, or arm. Pick your poison. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

While Friday Harbor escaped the inning trailing just 2-1, the Wolves were already starting to feel it.

Freshman pitcher Adeline Maynes held the Wolverines at bay in the top of the second, before her sluggers went off for five more runs in the bottom half of the frame.

It started with Jada Heaton, noted softball magnet, sacrificing her body one more time by getting plunked for the 11,478th time this season.

From there, Ava Lucero, Farris, Calkins, and McMillan cranked RBI base hits to push the lead to 7-1, with Calkins almost ripping off the pitcher’s arm with a gnarly shot right back up the middle.

“I’ll do it again! You know I will,” (allegedly) murmured the one-woman wrecking crew.

Friday Harbor, fighting to keep its season alive, did cut the lead back to 7-3 and held Coupeville scoreless(!) in the third inning, but it wasn’t enough.

Wolf shortstop Taylor Brotemarkle pulled off a highlight reel-worthy defensive play, veering to her left to snag a hard-hit chopper before firing a cannon shot to Lucero at first for the out.

And then the Wolf offense fired right back to life.

Haylee Armstrong celebrates with her fan club president. (Michelle Armstrong photo)

Calkins smacked an RBI single to light the fuse in the bottom of the fourth, while Haylee Armstrong capped a five-run frame with a run-scoring base knock of her own.

In between? Madison McMillan broke the universe.

The senior third baseman, master of the mammoth moonshot, unleashed a three-run home run to straightaway center field, the ball puncturing a hole in the grey clouds which hung over the field.

Rumors that the softball sailed so high up in the air it knocked a spy satellite out of orbit are just that … rumors. NASA will not confirm or deny.

Back on Earth, Friday Harbor, being pesky and persistent to the end, snipped the margin back to 12-5 and pulled off a pretty impressive double play in the fifth to (momentarily) hold off its fast-approaching doom.

Enter Calkins, who plated Brotemarkle with yet another RBI single, before dancing around the basepaths herself, disrupting the defense with a bold dash for home.

With the game at 14-5 and the possibility of enforcing the mercy rule, Wolf frosh Sydney Van Dyke, already a grizzled vet in her second season as a starter, ambled to the plate.

Slicing a single into the mist in left, the ball hitting the grass and skidding away, it sent McMillan streaking home and the Wolves off to the promised land.

“Every player contributed today!” Aaron Lucero said. “Really proud of their composure and intensity.

“On to state!!!!”

Fab frosh Sydney Van Dyke (left) and Ava Lucero are state bound. (Grant Van Dyke photo)

 

Thursday stats:

Capri Anter — One single, one double, one walk
Haylee Armstrong — One single
Taylor Brotemarkle — One walk
Teagan Calkins — Three singles, one walk
Mia Farris — Three singles
Jada Heaton — One single, one walk
Ava Lucero — One single
Madison McMillan — One single, one home run, one walk
Sydney Van Dyke — One single

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Netters stand tall in the big city

May 15, 2025 by David Svien

CHS singles aces Tenley Stuurmans (left) and Dahlia Miller were both undefeated this season until districts. (Starla Seal photo)

The stakes were high, the competition was top-tier, and the city was big.

Coupeville High School girls’ tennis players wrapped their season Thursday in Seattle with a strong team-wide performance at the District 1/2 tourney.

And while the Wolves came up just short of sending anyone to state, the small-town net aces impressed their coaches.

“We had some great competition today,” Starla Seal said. “Played their hearts out until the very end. Proud coach moment over here.”

When Coupeville arrived at the Amy Yee Tennis Center, it joined rivals from fellow Northwest 2B/1B League schools Friday Harbor and La Conner, as well as three programs from District 2’s SeaTac League.

Puget Sound Adventist, Forest Ridge, and Summit Classical Christian rounded out the field, with Forest Ridge winning both the singles and doubles titles.

This year that meant more than normal, with Districts 1 and 2 only getting a single slot to state.

The D1/2 tourney reverts back to having two singles players and two doubles teams advance to the big dance again next spring.

This time around, Forest Ridge freshman Julia Mielke thwarted Coupeville’s Tenley Stuurmans in the singles finale, preventing the Wolf netter from making a return trip to Yakima after qualifying for state as an 8th grader.

Stuurmans claimed second in a 10-woman field, with Wolf teammate Dahlia Miller beating her #5 seed to earn 4th place.

In the doubles competition, the title went to Julia Hofler and Yazhen Qui of Forest Ridge, who held off Friday Harbor duo Megan Mellinger and Kira Clark in the title match.

Districts marked not only the end of the season for the Wolves, but the end of the road for CHS seniors Ember Light and Delanie Lewis.

Light, teaming with younger sister Mila, played one of the most-intense matches of the day, with the sisters pushing a Summit Classical duo to tiebreakers in both of their sets.

The Wolves invade Seattle. (Starla Seal photo)

 

Thursday results:

 

Singles:

 

Tenley Stuurmans:

Beat Aubrey Mathewson (Summit Classical) 6-0, 6-1
Beat Dahlia Miller (Coupeville) 6-0, 6-1
Lost to Julia Mielke (Forest Ridge) 6-1, 6-1

 

Dahlia Miller:

Beat Jacklin Liu (Forest Ridge) 6-2, 6-0
Lost to Tenley Stuurmans (Coupeville) 6-0, 6-1
Lost to Kendall Lee (La Conner) 5-7, 6-3, 9-1(tiebreaker)

 

Doubles:

 

Brynn Parker/Delanie Lewis:

Lost to Julia Hofler/Yazhen Qui (Forest Ridge) 6-2, 6-1

 

Ember Light/Mila Light:

Beat Abril Aguilar/Valaria Nizovtsev (Puget Sound) 6-1
Lost to Kelsey Milojevich/Abby Gilbert (Summit Classical) 7-6(7-5), 7-6(7-4)

With their second season in the books, CHS coaches Tim Stelling and Starla Seal head home. (Delanie Lewis photo)

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