Hunter Downes was in La Conner Friday to see younger brother Logan break his CHS career touchdown passing record. (Angie Downes photo)
Logan Downes made up for lost time.
Returning from a one-game absence due to illness, the Coupeville High School senior quarterback had a record-setting night Friday in La Conner.
Or actually, make that a record-setting first half, as the Wolves blew out to a big lead and CHS coach Bennett Richter rested his gunslinger after halftime during a 43-12 win.
The gridiron guru is likely playing the long game, making sure his QB will be hale, hearty and healthy for the regular-season finale.
That comes in just six days, as a lack of refs in the area has bumped Coupeville’s Senior Night to Thursday, Oct. 26.
The Wolves, now 2-1 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, 2-6 overall, welcome Friday Harbor to Cow Town, with a 4:00 PM kickoff and festivities at halftime.
A revenge victory over the Wolverines (3-0, 4-3) gives Coupeville a share of the league title and forces a tiebreaker to decide which NWL team advances to the state tourney.
To get into that position, CHS needed to take care of business on its trip to La Conner, and, after a brief burp, did just that.
Linemen Zane Oldenstadt (left) and William Davidson bask in the glow of victory. (Michelle Glass photo)
Now, if you only watched the first five minutes or so, you might be thrown off by the final score.
Downes didn’t get to fling a pass on the opening drive, and four rushing attempts only netted eight yards, as Coupeville turned the ball over.
Taking advantage, La Conner churned and burned its way downfield, using a nine-play drive that consisted of one body-slamming run after another to cover 45 yards.
A face mask penalty on the Wolves set the Braves up at the three-yard line, and CJ Edwards promptly plowed into the end zone to make the local Homecoming crowd get briefly giddy.
Briefly.
Coupeville snuffed out a two-point conversion run to keep the deficit at 6-0, then promptly kicked off a run of 43 straight points.
And I do mean promptly.
A strong kickoff return by fleet-footed frosh Davin Houston gave the Wolves the ball at the 50-yard line, followed by Downes connecting with Chase Anderson on a pass play that finished in the end zone.
Up 7-6, Coupeville forced a punt, Downes flung another 45-yard bomb to Anderson, and the Wolves were surging.
A lost fumble very briefly interrupted the flow, but after that the first half was a master class of quarterback play.
Jack Porter dreams of touchdown catches. (Parker Hammons photo)
Downes chucked a 47-yard scoring strike to Jack Porter, added a two-point conversion pass to Hunter Bronec after a La Conner penalty on the PAT attempt, and was just getting started.
The wily senior broke the school career touchdown passing record with his third tally of the night, hooking up with Bronec from 10 yards out.
After that came a second scoring lob to Anderson and a short five-yard TD strike to Aiden O’Neill on the very last play of the half.
Beating the clock and the defense, Downes staked Coupeville to a 36-6 lead and exited stage left with at least a share of all three Wolf TD passing records.
His five scoring strikes Friday matches his own school single-game record, set last season.
The TD pass to O’Neill is his 18th of the current campaign, tying him with Joel Walstad for the school single-season mark, originally set in 2014.
And career-wise?
Logan Downes opened the night with 33 touchdown passes, tied for #2 all-time with current CHS basketball coach Brad Sherman, two behind the record holder, big bro Hunter Downes.
Now the youngest of Ralph and Angie’s three sons sits alone atop the heap with 38 TD passes and counting heading into the clash with Friday Harbor.
Johnny Porter is coming to wreck your night. (Parker Hammons photo)
While the record-setting night gets a lot of the buzz, and deservedly so, there were other Wolves who had big performances against La Conner.
Bronec scored Coupeville’s lone second half touchdown, recovering a fumble and taking it to the house to cap a night in which he scored on both offense and defense.
Then there was big, bad senior Mikey Robinett, who spent much of the night flinging would-be blockers out of his way and making life severely uncomfortable for any La Conner player who dared to touch the football.
Johnny Porter crashed through the line time and again, tearing off rushing yardage, while freshman QB Matthew Gilbert got to play the entire second half in relief of Downes.
Cameron Breaux to Zane Oldenstadt, William Davidson to Malachi Somes and beyond, go up and down the roster and the Wolves got contributions from everyone.
Half of Coupeville’s games have seen the 2B Wolves playing up against quality 1A and 2A schools this season — making their win/loss record a little deceptive.
But now they head home, masters of their own destiny.
Win league, get back to state. It’s still the goal, and it’s what will be on the line next Thursday.
Bow Down to Cow Town. (Parker Hammons photo)
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