a freakin’ American hero | Coupeville Sports

Coupeville High School junior Cole Payne is a pro at everything he does — football, baseball, being a freakin’ American hero — but he’s also pretty skilled at hurting himself.

Frequent injuries have been the only thing slowing down his rise to being a full-fledged star.

In fact, his latest surgery, which came just days before his birthday, will knock him out for the complete football season. That’s a huge blow to the Wolves.

When he was healthy last year, Payne was a heat-seeking missile on the gridiron.

If you had the ball and tried to run away from him, you usually ended up planted face-first in the turf, wondering how that freight train that just hit you managed to get on the field.

Cole was equally potent on the offensive side of the ball, both as a receiver and a runner.

But, while football coach Tony Maggio may (secretly) shed tears over the loss of Payne, there is a silver lining.

Having surgery on his bum shoulder at this point of the year should give him plenty of time to get back to full health by baseball season.

And it is as a boy of summer that Payne, like older brother Morgan, really shines.

Whether as a pitcher or, more often these days, as a catcher, he’s a sweet-swingin’, fleet-footed two-way terror, capable of turning the tide in favor of his squad on both offense and defense.

With five key seniors, including Morgan, having graduated, Cole should move into a leadership position and be at the forefront of Wolf baseball the next two seasons.

That is how we want to see him, on the field, kickin’ fanny and takin’ names, not on the sideline, arm in a sling.

I’m not saying he can’t be entertaining as he works those sidelines, but we want more Payne and less pain.

So happy birthday, Cole, and here’s to a bright future. May it include as few doctors as possible.

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My Oh Myers!!

Posted in A freakin' American hero, Girls Basketball, Girls Soccer, Girls Tennis, Happy birthday, tagged a freakin' American hero, CHS Wolves, Elbows, Happy birthday, Julia Myers on July 23, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Julia Myers, crackin’ heads and takin’ names.

OK, if you lean in real close and listen carefully, I’m going to tell you a secret.

You ready? Made peace with the universe and prepared to have your world rocked? Holding on tightly to the edge of the couch, in case the shock knocks you off the cushions?

Here we go…

Julia Myers is one of the nicest people you will ever meet.

Oh, I know, I know. Your brain just went poof and turned into liquid and ran out of your ear and is puddling down there on the carpet.

Your mom is gonna be so PISSED.

But now you’re saying to yourself, how can this be?

Cause you’ve seen Julia play basketball for Coupeville High School, elbows slicin’ and dicin’ like Ginsu as she hauled in boards, leaving people from King’s screaming and crying and blubbering.

And that’s just their whiny lil’ coach…

You’ve seen her drop epic stink eye on South Whidbey with just a glance. A glance that coated the court in ice and froze the Falcons in mid-stride.

Of course, if you were watching closely, you also saw Ms. Myers follow up those actions with a small, secret grin, content in the knowledge that she had just blown up the joint and thoroughly wrecked the concentration of any opponent hapless enough to cross her path.

Cause really, that’s the true Julia — one giant smile boppin’ through life to her own tune.

With her large, blended family at her back (OG cool cat and big sis Taylor Herreman taught her everything she needed to know about droppin’ the stink eye on morons), Myers is having fun when she plays, whether it’s soccer, basketball or tennis.

The fact she’s able to have fun is great, because she’s a tough lil’ bugger who refused to let a shredded knee slow her down. She had to sit out sports during her sophomore year, but she came roaring right back as a junior last year.

I hope her senior year is as awesome as she is, and plays out exactly to her hopes and dreams. Julia deserves that much.

Oh, and her birthday, which just happens to be today? May that be splendiferous as well.

Just don’t get between her and any birthday cake. Cause she’s not afraid to swing an elbow or two.

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