Jada Heaton brings her A-game both on sunny days and cold, windy ones like Mother Nature offered up Saturday. (Claire Kalwies-Anderson photo)
The title is once more theirs.
A Coupeville High School varsity softball squad which starts three 8th graders and two freshmen clinched the Northwest 2B/1B League title Saturday, decimating visiting Darrington 14-1 on a blustery, frigid prairie.
The win lifts the Wolves to 8-0 in conference play, 11-4 overall.
And while there’s plenty more regular season action ahead on the schedule — games against La Conner, Nooksack Valley, South Whidbey, and (maybe) Concrete — Kevin McGranahan’s team got to bask in the moment of reclaiming its title.
At least for a moment. And then it’s on to achieving other goals.
After falling just short against Friday Harbor last season and missing out on the NWL’s lone 2B playoff slot, Coupeville is ahead of schedule this time around.
With no seniors, the Wolves start 8th graders Ava Lucero, Adeline Maynes, and Sydney Van Dyke, plus fab frosh cousins Haylee Armstrong and Capri Anter.
That fivesome, and veterans Teagan Calkins, Jada Heaton, Mia Farris, Madison McMillan, and Taylor Brotemarkle, have meshed well this season.
Taylor Brotemarkle surveys her kingdom. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
That fiery mix of youthful vigor and grizzled experience was on display Saturday, as everyone in the lineup contributed, while the Wolf backups were their usual rowdy selves, keeping warm by enthusiastically cheering nonstop.
They had plenty to roar for, as pitching ace Maynes fired BB’s, whiffing seven Loggers and largely staying out of trouble.
She got some defensive help, with Armstrong making a superb dig on a low throw at first, while Brotemarkle and McMillan showed off the guns from short and third, respectively.
Farris closed the game, and officially clinched the title, by tracking down a high, twisting shot to center, perfectly reading the wind and not allowing the ball to get past her.
Offensively, the Wolves attacked from the first pitch and never relented.
Armstrong cracked a leadoff single, then scooted around the basepaths, stealing second base and freaking Darrington out so badly it committed two errors while trying, and failing, to catch her.
Farris followed with a walk, then the CHS bash sisters erupted.
“Sit back and witness my feats of strength!” (Photo by Claire Kalwies-Anderson)
Brotemarkle mashed a triple to center, the ball steadily rising as it soared over the head of the fielder, then two batters later “The Red Dragon” let Darrington feel her full fury.
That would be Calkins, the sophomore catcher following in mom Jackie’s diamond footsteps, and she belted a two-run home run to left, the ball screaming in agony as it headed up towards Prairie Center.
Up 5-0 after one inning, the Wolves pushed four more across in the second, and another five in the third to really stretch the lead out.
McMillan and Calkins had back-to-back run-scoring base knocks, while Brotemarkle and Van Dyke later added their own RBI singles to the assault.
Putting a cap on things, Heaton dropped an absolutely gorgeous sacrifice bunt to plate a runner, then skipped all the way back to the dugout.
Saturday stats:
Capri Anter — One walk
Haylee Armstrong — One single, one walk
Taylor Brotemarkle — One single, one triple, one walk
Teagan Calkins — One single, one home run, one walk
Mia Farris — Two walks
Madison McMillan — One single, one walk
Sydney Van Dyke — One single, one walk
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Coupeville Sports 