Avalon Renninger is one of 29 Wolves who could stick the landing and be three-sport athletes in 2017-2018. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Commitment seems to be at an all-time high.
Two-thirds of the way through the 2017-2018 school year, we are on target for the most three-sport athletes in one year at Coupeville High School in the six years of this blog.
From 2012-2013 until 2016-2017, CHS twice topped out at 23 iron men (and women), but this year the Wolves could hit as high as 29.
Now, that comes with a very big “if.”
If everyone on this list turns out for a spring sport. If no one gets lured away by school work, or a job, or driver’s education or spring fever or injuries.
And, because of that last word, we know, barring a miracle, the target number is really 28 and not 29.
Mikayla Elfrank’s badly-injured ankle, which shut her down midway through basketball season, is all but certain to keep her out of action through the spring, which is too bad.
But, if softball, baseball, girls tennis, boys soccer and track provide enough of a lure to keep most of the rest of this list in action, CHS will be blessed.
Three-sport athletes are huge, especially at a small school, where every body counts.
I would also add this — if you want to play college sports, at any level, playing multiple sports is a huge plus.
If you look at former Wolves who have competed for collegiate programs in recent years, or are currently active, almost every single one was a three-sport athlete during their days in Coupeville.
Tyler King, Makana Stone, Nick Streubel, Hailey Hammer, Ben Etzell, Monica Vidoni, Mitch Pelroy, and the list goes on and on.
Among the athletes on that list, King soared the highest, achieving NCAA D-1 All-American status as a cross country and track runner while on scholarship at the University of Washington.
Running was his forte, but he didn’t obsessively limit himself, playing basketball as well, where he was a starter and key contributor on the last great Wolf boys team, the 2009-2010 team which went 16-5.
Playing other sports provided King a chance to grow as an athlete and competitor.
College coaches, at every level, from D-1 to community college, are vocal about their preference for athletes who stretched themselves and tried multiple sports, over those who obsess (and often burn out) as a one-sport specialist.
And if you’re not going to play college sports? Take full advantage of your high school days.
Don’t look back and say “dang, I wish I had played…”
So, with all that in mind, here’s a look at how CHS has finished in previous years:
2012-2013 — (18 three-sport athletes)
2013-2014 — (23)
2014-2015 — (20)
2015-2016 — (17)
2016-2017 — (23)
The 29 who could achieve the feat this year (still hoping Mikayla wakes up tomorrow and her leg is miraculously healed…) and what they’ve played so far:
Mollie Bailey (frosh) (soccer, basketball)
Trevor Bell (soph) (football, BB)
Kyla Briscoe (sr) (volleyball, BB)
Kylie Chernikoff (frosh) (VB, BB)
Koa Davison (soph) (FB, BB)
Hunter Downes (sr) (FB, BB)
Mikayla Elfrank (sr) (VB, BB)
Mason Grove (soph) (tennis, BB)
Maddy Hilkey (jr) (socc, BB)
Gavin Knoblich (soph) (FB, BB)
Kalia Littlejohn (jr) (socc, BB)
Ryan Labrador (jr) (FB, BB)
Joey Lippo (sr) (tenn, BB)
Dane Lucero (jr) (FB, BB)
Jean Lund-Olsen (soph) (FB, BB)
Jake Pease (jr) (FB, BB)
Chelsea Prescott (frosh) (VB, BB)
Avalon Renninger (soph) (socc, BB)
Lindsey Roberts (jr) (socc, BB)
Kyle Rockwell (sr) (FB, BB)
Ema Smith (jr) (socc, BB)
Hunter Smith (sr) (FB, BB)
Scout Smith (soph) (VB, BB)
Cameron Toomey-Stout (sr) (FB, BB)
James Vidoni (sr) (FB, BB)
Allison Wenzel (sr) (VB, BB)
Genna Wright (frosh) (socc, BB)
Sarah Wright (jr) (socc, BB)
Tia Wurzrainer (soph) (socc, BB)
That breaks down to four freshmen, eight sophomores, eight juniors and nine seniors. 15 girls and 14 boys.
Four of those 12th graders — Wenzel, Downes, Toomey-Stout and Hunter Smith — can stick the landing on not just being three-sport athletes, but going a perfect 12-for-12 during their high school days.
If they do, the quartet would beat the last two years combined, when Jared Helmstadter (2015-2016), Tiffany Briscoe (2016-2017) and Lauren Grove (2016-2017) pulled off the perfecto.
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