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Posts Tagged ‘CHS Wolves’

Wolf spikers crack Concrete, twice

Posted in Volleyball, tagged CHS Wolves, Concrete, Northwest League, season opener, volleyball on April 9, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Wolf sophomore Jill Prince blasted six kills Thursday in her varsity debut. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

It was a clean sweep on opening night.

After a considerable pause in action thanks to the ongoing pandemic, Coupeville High School volleyball players returned to the court Thursday, and did so in style.

Playing for the first time since November 5, 2019, the Wolf spikers pounded host Concrete, taking three-set wins at both the varsity and JV level.

The twin wins kick off fall sports, which are being played AFTER spring sports this time around, and reintroduce Coupeville volleyball to its old-school home, the Northwest 2B/1B League.

Next up is two-time defending 2B state champs La Conner, which comes to Whidbey Tuesday, April 13 for a big early test for the revamped Wolves.

How Thursday played out:

Varsity:

Despite playing with just a seven-player rotation, with four of those girls being varsity newbies, the Wolves held on for a 25-16, 25-23, 25-23 win.

“Overall, I’m very pleased with our introduction to this new league and how the girls went out there to compete and lay a strong foundation for growth,” said CHS head coach Cory Whitmore.

“They got a lot of touches in and had to rely on themselves to get the job done,” he added. “They responded well after timeouts and that is something I’m so impressed with.”

Senior Chelsea Prescott paced her squad on opening night, collecting 10 kills, 12 digs, and six service aces.

Also piling up the stats were Maddie Vondrak (12 booming kills), Jaimee Masters (12 digs), Kylie Chernikoff (five kills, five digs), Maddie Georges (25 assists and six digs), Jill Prince (six kills), and Ryanne Knoblich (six digs, two kills, two aces).

“After nearly a year and a half of not having played, it was terrific to see them get out there and have fun while competing,” Whitmore said.

“We are excited to get back in the gym and work on some things that need tightening, make some adjustments and learn from this first game.”

While all seven Wolves to see the floor drew praise from their coach, one in particular got a little extra love for showing grit and determination.

“Special shoutout to Kylie Chernikoff, who played through a pretty rough knock to the jaw by a fellow teammate,” Whitmore said. “She took a lot of Concrete’s serves and handled them well despite being a bit battered.”

JV:

Former CHS volleyball ace Ashley Menges made her debut as a coach, guiding the young Wolves to a 25-23, 25-21, 25-22 win.

While the set scores were close, Coupeville was able to pull out points at crucial moments, something which bodes well for the future.

Ashley Menges

“Everyone played well,” Menges said. “And it was nice to see everyone work through the kinks, especially since we crammed so much information and practice into a short amount of time.

“I’m very proud of the girls and excited to start the season with a win!”

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Huskies add a “Torpedo” to their arsenal

Posted in Football, Wolves in college, tagged CHS Wolves, football, Huskies, Sean Toomey-Stout, University of Washington on April 8, 2021| 2 Comments »

Sean Toomey-Stout, during his Coupeville days. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Sean Toomey-Stout is pursuing a big-time dream.

Having aced a walk-on tryout at the University of Washington, the Coupeville High School grad has taken the first step towards becoming an NCAA D-I football player.

Toomey-Stout, a 5-foot-9, 193-pound redshirt freshman, is now listed as a defensive back on the Husky roster as spring practices begin.

During his time in Coupeville, he was maybe the hardest-hitting Wolf of all time, earning the nickname “The Torpedo” for his bone-crunching style of play.

Toomey-Stout was a two-way force for CHS, providing most of the team’s offense, and scaring rival teams with his defensive intensity.

“The Torpedo” drops the hammer.

A true four-year letterman, Sean first hit the high school gridiron as a special teams player, as he and older brother Cameron, AKA “Camtastic,” raced each other to be the first to cream the dude trying to return a punt or kickoff.

From there, Sean excelled as a running back and receiver, while laying waste to any foes who dared to come within 70 yards of him while he chased down ball-carriers from one side of the field to the other.

He also received national attention when videos of one of his touchdowns went viral.

In a game against King’s, Toomey-Stout followed the blocking of a wayward deer which stumbled onto the field, taking back a kick 95 yards for a score.

Videos of the play reached everywhere from Sports Illustrated to British television.

Like his twin sister, Maya, AKA “The Gazelle,” Sean was a multi-sport athlete at CHS, making a huge impact as both a basketball and track and field star.

Spring football practices at U-Dub run April 10-30, with the annual Spring Game set for May 1.

The Huskies open the 2021 season at home Sept. 4 against the University of Montana.

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Friday Harbor shuts down fall sports

Posted in Boys Tennis, tagged cancellations, CHS Wolves, Covid-19, Friday Harbor, Northwest League on April 7, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Andrew Aparicio and other Coupeville netters won’t play in April and May, as planned, after Friday Harbor cancelled all fall sports. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

One rival steps down, and Coupeville High School loses 12 games and matches off its schedule.

Due to what the San Juan Islander is terming a “significant surge in positive COVID cases in the San Juan Island community,” Friday Harbor High School will not play fall sports, which begin this week.

That move affects four Coupeville teams, with boys tennis being hurt the most.

Friday Harbor is the only other Northwest 2B/1B League school to play the net game, so Coupeville’s entire six-match schedule for this pandemic-shortened season is lost.

That sends the Wolf netters to the sideline, though they can join cross country or football.

Coupeville’s volleyball, football, and girls soccer squads are also affected by the reduction in foes.

The loss of Friday Harbor cuts Coupeville’s soccer schedule from nine to six games, trims volleyball’s campaign from 12 matches to 10, and slashes football from four games to three.

Soccer loses road games April 9 and May 1, and a home tilt April 20, while volleyball was scheduled to host Friday Harbor April 10, then travel April 24.

CHS football is set to open at home against La Conner this Saturday, April 10.

With Friday Harbor’s departure, the Wolf gridiron squad will then sit until April 30, when they travel to La Conner for a rematch. They close their season May 8 at home against Concrete.

With NWL schools only playing league foes during the 2020-2021 school year, it’s unlikely any of the cancelled games or matches will be replaced.

And before you ask, Coupeville can’t call up its Whidbey neighbors, as tempting as that would normally be.

The leagues which Oak Harbor and South Whidbey are currently in played fall sports first, and are now playing spring sports.

CHS and the NWL opted to open with spring sports — all played outdoors — as prep sports teams tentatively returned from a year-plus absence.

To read more about the surge in cases on Friday Harbor, pop over to:

ALERT: Surge in cases on San Juan Island; here’s what to do (sanjuanislander.com)

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Wolves ready to tackle new season

Posted in Football, tagged Ben Smith, CHS Wolves, Fall Sports Preview, football, Northwest League on April 7, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Alex Jimenez is one of four returning seniors for the CHS football team. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

It seems like a lifetime.

Jump all the way back to November 1, 2019, and the Coupeville High School football team was on the field at Interlake, wrapping up the first winning season for the Wolf gridiron program since 2005.

Powered by departing seniors such as Sean Toomey-Stout and Dawson Houston, CHS finished 5-4 while playing an independent schedule, collecting wins against Vashon Island, La Conner, Kittitas, Northwest Christian, and Anacortes.

Now, after the pandemic wiped out a year-plus of prep sports, Coupeville returns to the field this Saturday with a home game against La Conner, kicking off an abbreviated four-game schedule.

That marks a 526-day break between CHS football games.

With traditional fall sports playing after spring sports during the 2020-2021 school year, the Wolves will play twice at home, and twice on the road — with no Homecoming game.

The plus is no Wolf lost a football season, and the short run gives CHS coach Marcus Carr and Co. a lead-in to what all hope will be a normal 2021 season come August/September.

For now, Coupeville opens with La Conner, travels to Friday Harbor and La Conner, then closes at home with Concrete — a short, but intense welcome to the Northwest 2B/1B League.

Ben Smith (16) leads the rushing attack.

When action heats up, the Wolves will be led by four returning seniors in Ben Smith (RB, DE), Sage Downes (WR/DB), Alex Jimenez (OL/LB), and Dakota Eck (RB/LB).

“They will play significant roles on both sides of the ball,” Carr said.

Other key returnees include juniors Brian Casey (OL/LB) and Isaiah Bittner (C/DL) and sophomores Scott Hilborn (RB/SS), Tim Ursu (WR/DB), Kai Wong (OL/DL), Daylon Houston (WR/CB/K), Josh Upchurch (OL/DL), and Dominic Coffman (RB/LB).

Junior Isaiah Bittner anchors the Wolf line.

Three freshmen have already begun to make names for themselves at well.

“Logan Downes, he will be in competition to start at QB,” Carr said.

“Mikey Robinett, he is getting some good reps as a running back right now, and Zane Oldenstadt is a great addition to the offensive and defensive line.”

The youngest of three brothers, Logan Downes follows Sage and the oldest of the trio, Hunter, who held down the starting QB job for three seasons before graduating in 2018.

Meanwhile, Robinett follows in the footsteps of his dad, the late Mike Smart, who earned team MVP honors and All-League recognition while playing at fullback and linebacker during his 2001 senior season.

While this season will clock in at less than 50% of a normal campaign, with no playoffs planned, Carr will use the opportunity to work on player development.

The team is “transitioning to a power spread, so timing and good QB play will be big for us.”

With their school having moved from 1A to 2B, the Wolves primary foes on the gridiron will be fellow 2B schools La Conner and Friday Harbor.

If Chimacum joins the NWL starting with the 2021-2022 school year, as expected, Coupeville will gain a third home-and-away rival during a normal season.

For now, Carr is ready for anything.

“Friday Harbor always fields a tough team,” he said. “La Conner has a new head coach, so they will have a different look. It is hard to tell at this point.”

If nothing else, the Wolf head coach wants his program to be part of a boom period for Coupeville athletics.

“I am just looking forward to all sports filling the trophy case in the gym!,” he said.

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Race for the photo finish

Posted in Track, tagged Ava Mitten, CHS Wolves, Ryanne Knoblich, Sam Wynn, track and field on April 7, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Ava Mitten gets out of town, quick. (Karen Carlson photos)

The season’s over, but the photo dump continues.

With spring sports fading into the sunlight, we take a look back at the just-concluded Coupeville High School track and field season, thanks to photographer Karen Carlson.