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Coupeville’s high-flying SWISH basketball squad knocked off a major foe Saturday. (Photo courtesy Jon Roberts)

It’s been a long time coming.

Jump back somewhere around 15 months ago — “whatever the day was the world was shut down” — and Coupeville’s SWISH boys basketball team was ready to put its #1 seed on the line in a championship game rumble with big, bad Stanwood.

Enter the pandemic, exit any chance of playing the game.

Now jump forward to May 15, 2021, and the Wolves hardwood squad — comprised of 7th and 8th graders — finally got their showdown.

And it went perfectly.

“Today was a great day,” said Coupeville coach Jon Roberts. “We didn’t get a chance to prove we were #1. Until today.

“Revenge is sweet!”

Playing scrappy, defensive-minded ball, the Wolves chopped the tall Spartans down, pulling away for a 26-21 win to run their record to a crisp 4-1 on the new season.

Having split with always-tough Orcas Island, and taken wins against two squads from Mount Vernon, the Wolves entered play Saturday with a confident spring to their steps.

Even down a man, with Camden Glover out for a game, Coupeville struck quickly and never let up.

Landon Roberts, playing like his grandpa Sandy did back in the day, opened the game with a quick bucket, then the Wolves spread the offensive love around.

Chase Anderson, the Magic Man, led Coupeville with nine points, including draining a pair of game-clinching free throws in the final seconds.

Aiden O’Neill and Hunter Bronec were hot on his heels with six points apiece, with Jack Porter (2), Roberts (2), and Hurlee Bronec (1) also scoring.

While the rim was unforgiving to Johnny Porter on this day, the tall baller made a sizable impact, “collecting numerous rebounds with elbow waving arms, ruling the paint.”

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Logan Martin slashes to the hoop Monday during the first day of high school basketball practice. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Basketball is back.

Thanks to the pandemic, games are being played in spring/early summer this time around, instead of winter, but it’s important to note — they are going to be played.

Both the Coupeville High School girls and boys hoops programs have 12-game schedules (down from the normal 18-20), with the first live action on the road May 18 in Mount Vernon.

Home openers are set for May 20, with Orcas Island the foe, and the season runs through June 17.

The pics above and below, capturing the first day of practice for the Wolf boys, come to us courtesy John Fisken.

To see his work from other sports, pop over to:

John’s Photos (johnsphotos.net)

 

Ryan Blouin debates his options.

Hawthorne Wolfe visualizes tossing the ball over his shoulder and hitting absolutely nothing but net.

Xavier Murdy rambles to the hoop.

“See the basket, be the basket.”

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Nick Guay is set to make the leap from middle school sports to high school stardom. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Guay leads the charge on the soccer pitch.

Nick Guay is in it for the long haul.

As he prepares for his freshman year at Coupeville High School, the multi-sport athlete is committed to putting in the time and effort needed to continue his growth as an athlete and student.

“There is nothing you can’t stop working on,” Guay said. “(I want) to continue to be the best player I can be.”

During his middle school days, he suited up for Wolf football, soccer, and basketball teams, and he plans to keep playing the latter two sports during his time at CHS.

Guay tabs basketball as his favorite sport, is fond of the movie Harry and the Hendersons, and shows impeccable musical taste for someone of his age, opting for classic rock from AC/DC and Led Zeppelin.

When he’s not practicing or playing in a game, he excels in his favorite classes — math and PE — and tries to spend as much time outside as possible.

“I love the outdoors and building things,” Guay said.

As he’s come up through the ranks, he’s made a name for himself as a hard worker and a hustler, an athlete willing to do whatever his team needs.

Guay hails his various coaches, and parents Dylan and Dina, for their guidance, and he enters high school with strong, team-orientated goals.

“(I want to) build a strong and positive team,” he said. “(I want to have) hard work, a positive attitude, and chemistry with other players.”

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Bill Riley has the 12th and 14th best individual scoring seasons in CHS boys basketball history. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Three players, seven of the best seasons. L to r are Randy Keefe (#7, #8, #50), Bill Jarrell (#5, #21), and Jeff Rhubottom (#2, #33). (Renae Mulholland photo)

There is no question the ’70s were a golden period for Coupeville High School boys basketball.

It started with the 1969-1970 Wolves, who were the first Whidbey Island hoops team to win a district title, the first CHS squad to go to state, and still the highest-scoring group in program history, 50 years later.

But that was just the beginning.

Whether we look at team accomplishments or individual achievement, the Me Decade players stand head and shoulders above everyone else.

That’s reflected when we look back at the 50 best single-season scoring totals put up by any Wolf hoops player.

Despite playing with no three-point line, while wearing short-shorts, ’70s players account for 19 of those slots.

No other decade even reaches double-digits, with the ’90s and 2000’s accounting for eight apiece.

The ’50s give us five, the ’60s four, and tied for last it’s the ’80s and 2010’s, which land just three top-50 performances.

Randy Keefe, who is #3 in career scoring, is the only Wolf to have three top-50 seasons, landing at #7, #8, and #50.

The only thing keeping him from making it 4-for-4? Freshmen weren’t allowed to play varsity basketball in the early ’70s.

There are 12 other Wolves who managed to crack the top 50 twice in their career, including Jeff Stone and Jeff Rhubottom, who own the best two individual performances.

Others occupying two slots include Bill Jarrell, Mike Bagby, Bill Riley, Hunter Smith, Gavin Keohane, Denny Clark, Jack Elzinga, Rich Morris, Chris Good, and Mike Criscoula.

Overall, 36 players have combined to account for the top 50 individual seasons.

As always when we discuss the 103-year history of the CHS boys basketball program, however, there is one small caveat.

We’re still missing a full season of scoring stats for Elzinga and two for Tom Sahli, who has the 39th best campaign in our semi-complete overview.

With that being said, the 50 best single-season scoring totals:

 

Jeff Stone – (644) – (1969-1970)
Jeff Rhubottom – (459) – (1977-1978)
Pete Petrov (442) – (1995-1996)
Arik Garthwaite – (423) – (1997-1998)
Bill Jarrell – (415) – (1975-1976)
Mike Bagby – (414) – (2004-2005)
Randy Keefe – (398) – (1974-1975)
Randy Keefe – (397) – (1975-1976)
Brad Sherman – (396) – (2002-2003)
Wade Ellsworth – (392) – (1978-1979)
Del O’Shell – (391) – (1981-1982)
Bill Riley – (388) – (1972-1973)
Joe Whitney – (388) – (1979-1980)
Bill Riley – (386) – (1971-1972)
Pat Clark – (384) – (1956-1957)
Hunter Smith – (382) – (2017-2018)
Cody Peters – (380) – (2008-2009)
Gavin Keohane – (374) – (1997-1998)
Denny Clark – (365) – (1963-1964)
Mike Bagby – (364) – (2005-2006)
Bill Jarrell – (357) – (1974-1975)
Gabe McMurray – (355) – (1994-1995)
Foster Farris – (348) – (1976-1977)
Timm Orsborn – (345) – (1987-1988)
Roy Marti – (342) – (1978-1979)
Virgil Roehl – (341) – (1992-1993)
Pat Bennett – (340) – (1999-2000)
Jack Elzinga – (337) – (1954-1955)
Steve Whitney – (337) – (1978-1979)
Corey Cross – (333) – (1970-1971)
Hunter Smith – (332) – (2016-2017)
Rich Morris – (328) – (1995-1996)
Jeff Rhubottom – (325) – (1976-1977)
Denny Clark – (319) – (1962-1963)
Randy Duggan – (319) – (1971-1972)
Chris Good – (319) – (2001-2002)
Jeff Stone – (317) – (1968-1969)
Dan Nieder – (313) – (1987-1988)
Tom Sahli – (310) – (1952-1953)
Jack Elzinga – (309) – (1955-1956)
Rich Morris – (309) – (1996-1997)
Mike Criscuola – (306) – (1958-1959)
Allen Black – (305) – (2003-2004)
Mike Criscuola – (305) – (1959-1960)
Chris Good – (305) – (2000-2001)
Marc Bissett – (302) – (1975-1976)
Hunter Hammer – (302) – (2009-2010)
Gavin Keohane – (300) – (1998-1999)
Pat O’Grady – (296) – (1969-1970)
Randy Keefe – (293) – (1973-1974)

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Hunter Smith, swooping to the hoop, is one of three players in CHS basketball history with his first name, joining Hunter Hammer and Hunter Downes. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

There is only one Jacobi in 103 seasons, however, and it’s Jacobi Pilgrim.

There have been seven Jason’s in a CHS varsity uniform, but the one with Bagby as his last name still stands tall.

The history of the Coupeville High School boys basketball program is my great white whale.

It stretches out across 103 seasons, and, while a chunk of the records seem all but lost to the whims of time, I think we’ve done a pretty good job of documenting things.

As of this morning, I’ve recorded 74,587 points, tossed in to the bucket by 391 different varsity players.

Our inability to completely figure out career scoring totals for ’50s supernovas Jack Elzinga and Tom Sahli remains a thorn in my side.

And, while I have two seasons from the 1920’s locked down cold (Roy Armstrong was The Man), the ’30s will probably always be a mystery, unfortunately.

But, we go with what we have, while always hoping someone, someday, will unearth a treasure trove of scorebooks from the olden, golden days.

Today, following in the footsteps of Saturday’s story about CHS girls basketball scoring by first name, we’re doing the same quarantine-related stat-shuffling.

What do we find?

When you’re talking about 103 years, and changing popularity of names, it’s a wild mishmash.

We’ve got a Banky, a Gaylord, an Ulrik, a LaVerne, a Koa, and a couple of guys named … Guy.

Plus, a Caesar, an Utz, a Zepher, a Raleigh, an Ariah, and a Boom.

Also, as expected, a whole lot of John’s, Brian’s, Jason’s, and Scott’s.

Topping them all, however, is Mike, with no less than 11 guys with that name scoring for the Wolf hoops team over the years.

Bagby, Criscuola, Syreen, Millenbach, Mallo, Ankney, Ellsworth, Brown, Duke, Lester, and Eaton, working our way down the chart.

Or is it 12, if we count the one guy who went by Michael during his b-ball days, Michael Vaughan?

While the Coupeville girls program has five letters (F, O, Q, U, and X) which have never appeared at the start of a first name, part of that may be due to their much-briefer history.

With 103 seasons to just 46, the Wolf boys rep every letter except Y.

Y not, one asks?

Is no one brave enough to name their son after the hero in the 1982 sci-fi “classic” Yor, Hunter from the Future?

While we wait for that day, Xavier Murdy, Oscar Liquidano, and Quinten Farmer are the first, and so far, only ones, to stand tall for their opening initials.

As is Ian Smith, as in somewhat of a surprise to me, I is also one of the four letters with just one Wolf boy to call its own.

Maybe all the moms and dads just slid by I and landed on J, because, with 59 players, it routs the field.

R (42), D (38), and B (37) made decent runs, but it’s still a blowout.

Cause, it’s basketball, and when you need someone to drain a J, you turn to a J.

Simple as that.

 

How the letters rank, with total boys followed by total points:

A – 12/2771
B – 37/9045
C – 29/5867
D – 38/5583
E – 12/1356
F – 4/1142
G – 19/4658
H – 8/2848
I – 1/324
J – 59/11,236
K – 12/1738
L – 6/196
M – 32/6479
N – 9/1454
O – 1/1
P – 7/3169
Q – 1/75
R – 42/6560
S – 21/2930
T – 29/3850
U – 2/478
V – 2/877
W – 4/1476
X – 1/99
Y – zip
Z – 3/375

 

By first names:

Aaron (2) – 601
Alan (1) – 198
Alex (1) – 272
Allen (1) – 305
Andrew (3) – 295
Anthony (1) – 176
Ariah (1) – 5
Arik (1) – 867
Asa (1) – 52
Banky (1) – 44
Barry (1) – 769
Ben (5) – 914
Bill (5) – 1957
Blaine (1) – 393
Blake (1) – 299
Bob (2) – 321
Bobby (1) – 7
Boom (1) – 275
Brad (5) – 1978
Brandon (1) – 245
Brandy (1) – 58
Brian (8) – 1318
Bruce (1) – 9
Bryan (1) – 99
Bud (1) – 19
Byron (1) – 340
Caesar (1) – 369
Caleb (2) – 499
Cameron (1) – 80
Carson (1) – 86
Casey (2) – 654
Cedric (1) – 17
Chad (3) – 549
Charlie (3) – 371
Chris (6) – 1248
Christian (2) – 211
Chuck (2) – 42
CJ (1) – 54
Cody (1) – 518
Corey (1) – 811
Craig (1) – 132
Curt (1) – 226
Dale (2) – 357
Dalton (2) – 95
Dan (3) – 850
Dane (1) – 20
Daniel (3) – 42
Danny (1) – 36
Dante (1) – 34
Dave (4) – 91
David (3) – 885
Dean (2) – 88
DeAndre (1) – 56
Del (1) – 440
Dennis (1) – 57
Denny (3) – 1409
Desmond (1) – 11
Dick (1) – 352
DJ (1) – 13
Don (3) – 549
Doug (1) – 45
Drew (1) – 56
Duane (1) – 76
Dustin (1) – 21
Ed (2) – 225
Eddie (1) – 45
Ellis (1) – 56
Eric (3) – 392
Erick (1) – 40
Erik (2) – 69
Ethan (1) – 352
Evan (1) – 177
Foster (1) – 668
Frank (2) – 465
Fred (1) – 9
Gabe (2) – 908
Gary (3) – 984
Gavin (3) – 952
Gaylord (1) – 41
Geoff (2) – 381
George (2) – 148
Glen (1) – 12
Glenn (1) – 350
Greg (2) – 852
Guy (2) – 30
Harold (1) – 323
Harvey (1) – 265
Hawthorne (1) – 410
Henry (1) – 14
Hugh (1) – 145
Hunter (3) – 1691
Ian (1) – 324
Jack (1) – 646
Jacobi (1) – 111
James (3) – 511
Jared (1) – 24
Jason (7) – 1410
Jay (1) – 21
JD (2) – 378
Jean (1) – 17
Jeff (6) – 2300
Jered (1) – 156
Jeremy (2) – 64
Jerry (3) – 630
Jesse (1) – 119
Jim (6) – 1195
Jimmy (1) – 9
JJ (2) – 596
Joe (7) – 1153
Joel (1) – 217
Joey (1) – 121
John (7) – 1301
Jon (1) – 11
Jordan (2) – 230
Josh (1) – 16
Keith (2) – 319
Ken (1) – 11
Kevin (2) – 345
Kit (1) – 275
Koa (1) – 94
Kole (1) – 12
Kraig (1) – 8
Kramer (1) – 636
Kyle (2) – 38
Larry (1) – 26
LaVerne (1) – 12
Len (1) – 61
Les (1) – 69
Lewis (1) – 25
Luke (1) – 3
Marc (2) – 600
Marion (1) – 2
Mark (2) – 190
Martin (1) – 58
Marvin (2) – 68
Mason (1) – 414
Matt (7) – 605
Meryl (1) – 1
Michael (1) – 337
Mike (9) – 3639
Mitch (2) – 310
Monty (1) – 155
Morgan (2) – 100
Nate (1) – 5
Nevin (1) – 40
Nic (1) – 5
Nick (3) – 803
Noah (1) – 301
Noel (1) – 298
Norm (1) – 2
Oscar (1) – 1
Pat (5) – 2250
Paul (1) – 2
Pete (1) – 917
Quentin (1) – 75
Raleigh (1) – 1
Ralph (2) – 33
Randy (4) – 1869
Ray (2) – 397
Rich (3) – 856
Richard (4) – 514
Rick (4) – 321
Risen (1) – 291
Rob (2) – 26
Robbie (1) – 2
Robert (4) – 49
Robin (1) – 342
Roger (1) – 168
Ron (3) – 247
Ross (1) – 77
Roy (3) – 822
Rusty (1) – 3
Ryan (4) – 542
Sam (1) – 58
Sandy (1) – 118
Scott (7) – 504
Sean (3) – 960
Shawn (1) – 197
Sid (1) – 3
Stanley (1) – 48
Stephen (1) – 2
Steve (4) – 1024
Steven (1) – 16
Taylor (1) – 114
Ted (1) – 91
Teo (1) – 2
Terry (1) – 277
Tim (4) – 424
Timm (1) – 345
Toby (1) – 28
Todd (2) – 41
Tom (4) – 822
Tony (3) – 504
Tracy (1) – 3
Travis (1) – 10
Trent (1) – 23
Trevor (2) – 216
Troy (2) – 305
Tucker (1) – 6
Ty (1) – 369
Tyler (1) – 270
Ulrik (1) – 152
Utz (1) – 326
Vance (1) – 203
Virgil (1) – 674
Wade (1) – 659
Wayne (2) – 185
Wiley (1) – 632
Xavier (1) – 99
Zack (1) – 66
Zeb (1) – 35
Zepher (1) – 274

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