Coupeville’s seniors flex into a new season. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Monday night was the Neapolitan ice cream of basketball games for the Coupeville High School varsity boys’ basketball team.
By that I mean the Wolves non-conference rumble with visiting Mount Baker was divided into three distinctive sections, all with their own flavors.
Except, unlike said ice cream, which is pretty much nirvana thanks to a mix of vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate, the hardwood showdown between the Wolves and Mountaineers was sour, then sweet, then sour.
End result?
A 69-47 Coupeville loss which wasn’t really as lopsided as the score may read and yet was only really close for a matter of minutes.
Having lost nine seniors to graduation from last year’s Bi-District champs, the Wolf squad which debuted Monday is most definitely not the same one which made it to the 2024 state tourney.
Only three Wolves — Hunter Bronec, Chase Anderson, and Hurlee Bronec — return from that unit, while Baker has a team that is largely in place from a year ago.
And it showed in the early going, as the visitors jumped out to a back-breaking 15-0 lead.
Anderson and Hurlee Bronec finally broke the scoreless streak with back-to-back buckets, but Baker led 19-4 heading into the second period and seemed in control.
And that’s when we begin the sweetest portion of this dessert discussion, as the Wolves came out like a different team after the break.
With a big boost of energy from high-flying Jack Porter, and a gorgeous long-range three ball from big man Camden Glover, Coupeville went on a rampage.
Steadily chipping away at Baker’s lead, the Wolves got the deficit down to just 27-24 by halftime and did it with a well-crafted, explosive play.
Landon Roberts went on a ramble under the hoop, drew the defense to himself, then flicked a precision pass to Anderson, who was lurking out behind the three-point arc.
Catching and shooting the ball in one smooth motion, the Wolf junior capped the half and brought the assembled fans to their feet, awash in hope.
That hope lived large through most of the third quarter, as well.
Coupeville made it all the way back, claiming its first lead at 34-33 with just under four minutes to play in the frame, the go-ahead bucket splashing home off of the fingertips of a sky-walking Roberts.
Unfortunately, that would be the Wolves one, and only lead, of the night.
Baker regained the advantage, but CHS kept it close, and was still down just three with under a minute to go in the frame, before Baker rippled the net on six consecutive free throws.
In a bit of an oddity, those were actually the first charity shots the Mountaineers had taken in the game, and they would finish a perfect 7-7 at the line.
Coupeville, by contrast, went 15-30 on free throws and couldn’t capitalize, even with the visitors picking up two technical fouls along the way.
Trailing 47-39 after three, the Wolves cut it down to 50-43 on a strong bucket in the paint from Hunter Bronec.
But then the bottom fell out. The tale turned sour. The ice cream curdled. Or whatever metaphor you prefer.
Using a 19-4 run to end the game, Baker made the final score a bit deceptive, but also awfully decisive.
The new-look Wolves got scoring from six players, with three of those players recording their first varsity points.
Anderson topped Coupeville with 14 while Jack Porter knocked down 12 to lead the way.
Roberts (7), Hurlee Bronec (7), Hunter Bronec (4), and Glover (3) kept scorekeeper June Mazdra busy, while Carson Field, Johnny Porter, Malachi Somes, and Easton Green also hit the floor.
The Wolves get two chances to bounce back this week, with a road trip to South Whidbey Friday, Dec. 6, followed by a home game Saturday against Clallam Bay.
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