Cole White drills a jumper. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
He bled for Wolf Nation.
Frequently.
Cole White, the pale prairie prince, has been one of Coupeville’s best athletes and students over the history of this blog, and one who never shied away from sacrificing his body for the good of his team.
This past winter, as he helped lead the Wolf boys’ basketball team back to the state tourney, he got smacked in the face, had his fingers stepped on, got kneed in the groin, and frequently had to meet behind the bench with the athletic trainer to deal with the aftereffects of being roughed up.
And yet, almost every time, White was back in the game, and back in the thick of the action, moments later.
Fingers taped up, bandages applied, stuff jammed up his nose, he was back at it, draining jumpers in his rivals faces, ripping a ball loose during a battle on the floor, or whipping a pass between defenders to set up a teammate for an easy bucket.
Like his dad, Greg, before him, Cole led by example, a solid leader and award-winner in three sports a year.
Dependable could be his middle name, as the lanky whirlwind was like a second coach on the floor, the pitch, or the diamond — calm, cool, and collected.
He played soccer, basketball, and baseball at CHS, and even ran cross country in the early going and was Mr. Smooth no matter the season.
Off to dominate on the soccer pitch. (Jackie Saia photo)
On the soccer pitch, Morgan’s favorite son and Riley’s big brother knocked in 10 goals — one of just 12 Wolf boys to reach double digits in their career.
He might have gone higher, but his freshman season had just six games, thanks to the pandemic.
White shrugged that off, trending upwards as he bashed in six of those 10 goals as a senior, when he earned First-Team All-League honors as a midfielder.
Better yet, he helped lead the Wolves to their best record in years, during a season in which Coupeville held its own in a league anchored by state soccer powerhouses like Friday Harbor and Orcas Island.
Winning is kind of his thing. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Once he moved to the hardwood for basketball, White was a key member of a senior-heavy team which won a bi-district title and advanced to state for the second time in the last three seasons.
A Second-Team All-League pick, he snagged the Defensive Player of the Year award from his coaches, while also pumping in 205 points.
Cole finished his high school hoops career with 405 points, and he and Greg (604) are the first father-son duo to combine for 1,000+ points in the 107-year history of CHS basketball.
But he wasn’t done there, as he anchored a Wolf baseball team which made its second consecutive trip to state.
Excellence fueled by sunflower seeds. (Jackie Saia photo)
Playing shortstop and swinging a lethal bat, the Second-Team All-League pick racked up 19 runs, 15 walks, 15 stolen bases, 13 hits, and eight RBI during his senior campaign.
Oh, and he was honored by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association with the Cliff Gillies Award, which recognizes student/athletes who excel in scholarship, citizenship, and participation in activities.
Plus, he was valedictorian, so smart as well as athletic.
For all those reasons — the quality stats, the commitment, the work ethic, the intelligence — plus the fact he’s an internet star thanks to mom’s streaming service, and he has always just seemed like a really good guy, Cole is an easy pick to join the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame.
As he heads off to Gonzaga in the fall, the world is his, and I have little doubt he will accomplish much in the years to come.
But before he goes, let’s take a moment to honor Cole for what he has already done, and the classy manner in which he has done it.
After this, he’ll join dad up at the top of the blog, under the Legends tab.
He’s earned it, every step of the way.
The first steps on his way to being a Hall o’ Famer. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
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