The banner from Coupeville’s landmark season has endured two-plus decades.
They were the first to bring a win home from the big dance.
The 1999-2000 Coupeville High School girls’ basketball team, led by Willie and Cherie Smith, featured some of the biggest names in program history, and some key role players who forever left their mark.
And now we’re looking to reunite the band during the upcoming 50th anniversary celebration of Wolf girls’ hoops, which is set for Monday, Dec. 4.
Coupeville hosts South Whidbey that night, and at halftime of the varsity game, the school will honor the top 15 scorers in program history, as well as the 99-00 squad.
That team, the second Wolf girls’ hoops team to advance to state, were known as the “Cardiac Kids.”
They actually started the season slowly, then turned things around starting with a 45-24 beatdown of Darrington.
The Wolves were still 7-7 after a narrow 43-39 loss to Archbishop Thomas Murphy, before reeling off five wins in their final six regular-season games.
That included some sweet revenge in the finale when they blew undefeated ATM (and its yappy coach) off the floor en route to a 63-41 victory.
The postseason started with a loss to tough Seattle Christian, but Coupeville rebounded, knocking off ATM 43-42, then drilling Orcas Island 55-29 to punch its ticket to state.
Tina Lyness, who drained a short jumper at the buzzer to eliminate The Evil Empire, capping a torrid fourth quarter in which she couldn’t miss, later told me it was one of her favorite high school memories.
“To eliminate ATM from heading to state was extremely satisfying,” she said. “Overall, the whole season was an awesome memory.”
Under the bright lights, the scrappy Wolves fought hard in an opening-round loss to Toledo, before notching the program’s landmark win Mar. 2, 2000.
Trailing Freeman by 11 points heading into the fourth quarter, the “Cardiac Kids” rallied to close on a 20-5 tear to claim a 46-42 triumph.
Lyness was straight fire, again, singing the nets for 18 points, while snatching six boards and making off with four steals.
But it was her hardworking, often unsung teammate/best bud Jaime Rasmussen who shocked the world.
One of two team members who were also superstar Videoville and Miriam’s Espresso employees (along with Ashley Ellsworth-Bagby), Coupeville’s #5 scorer that season hit both the go-ahead bucket and two late free throws to ice the game.
It was not only the first time a girls’ basketball team won a game at state, but it was also the first time a CHS girls’ team in any sport had achieved that honor.
While a loss to powerhouse Warden ended Coupeville’s miracle season a day later, the 99-00 squad returned home bathed in glory.
Without knowing it at the time, they had launched the start of something big, as Wolf girls’ basketball has returned to state multiple times since then, bringing home trophies three times.
But it all starts with Willie and Cherie (and six-year-old son Ian operating the floor sweeper at state) and their band of never-say-die, always-say-beat-ATM ballhawks.
My hope is that like the 1969-1970 team which was honored at the 101st anniversary of the boy’s hoops program, as many of those involved can be there in person Dec. 4 to get another moment in the spotlight.
“The Cardiac Kids” are:
Ashley Ellsworth-Bagby
Penny Griggs
Brianne King
Yashmeen Knox
Tina Lyness
Jaime Rasmussen
Nicole Shelly
Rachelle Solomon
Tracy Taylor
Jamie Townsdin
Emily Young
Laura Young
Coupeville Sports 