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Posts Tagged ‘CHS Wolves’

CHS softball finally gets its wish

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , on March 7, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Thanks to a schedule shuffle, Izzy Wells and her Coupeville High School softball teammates will travel Mar. 16 to Oak Harbor. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

This is not a drill. This is really happening.

Thanks to a last-second schedule shuffle, true Whidbey Island high school softball supremacy will up for grabs for the first time in more than a decade.

That’s because Oak Harbor, Coupeville, and South Whidbey will play each other, a rarity when it concerns the first two teams.

Coupeville and South Whidbey are reunited in the 1A North Sound Conference this year, and are scheduled to clash three times, twice in April and once in May.

The Wolves have dominated the series in recent years, winning four non-conference games over the past three years, including 12-0 and 10-0 routs last season.

But the biggest school on the Island, 3A Oak Harbor, hasn’t accepted a challenge from Coupeville in a very long time.

You can go all the way back to 2009 using the North Sound Conference web site, and there is not a single meeting between North and Central Whidbey on a high school field.

That changes Saturday, Mar. 16.

Coupeville was originally set to host 2A Lakewood that day, but now will travel to Oak Harbor and play a road triple-header.

The Wolf varsity opens at 11 AM against Lakewood on the OHHS softball field.

Coupeville’s JV squad also plays Lakewood, but at 1 PM at Hillcrest Elementary just down the street, while Oak Harbor and Lakewood’s varsity play on the high school field.

Then, at 3 PM, on the high school field, Coupeville gets what it’s been dreaming about for some time, a chance to square off with the Wildcats.

South Whidbey and Oak Harbor were already scheduled to meet in the season opener Mar. 12, meaning all three Whidbey teams will get a chance to recreate the magic from back when their players were in little league.

Last season, Coupeville went 12-9, South Whidbey 12-13, and Oak Harbor 2-18, but all enter a new year with a fresh slate and new challenges.

One Island, three teams, one “champion” to rule them all.

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Young Wolves step up to claim diamond

Posted in Baseball, tagged , , , , on March 6, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Four-year starter Matt Hilborn is one of five returning letter winners for Coupeville High School baseball. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

The Wolves enjoy rare blue skies as they prep for their season opener.

Let’s shake things up.

Coupeville High School baseball soared through much of the 2018 season, winning its second Olympic League title in three years and falling a single win shy of advancing to the state tourney.

Jump forward to this spring, and many things have changed for third-year head coach Chris Smith.

He needs to replace an especially strong group of seniors from last year’s 15-6 squad, having lost eight to graduation, including league MVP Hunter Smith.

And, while doing so, the Wolves are bouncing into the new North Sound Conference, a league headed up by Cedar Park Christian, which has finished 2nd and 4th at state the past two seasons.

After playing a scattershot schedule during their four-year run in the Olympic League, Coupeville returns to a more traditional schedule in their new surroundings.

Much like the Wolves did in their old stomping grounds in the Cascade Conference, NSC teams will play three-game series in a single week.

Instead of a game here, a game a month later, and then a final match-up sometime after that, the new league operates with a Monday-Wednesday-Friday schedule.

So, when the Wolves open their league schedule, against the aforementioned CPC, they’ll go to Bothell Monday, host the Eagles Wednesday, then travel back to Bothell Friday.

The new schedule more closely replicates what college and pro teams play, while giving coaches more of a chance to use strategy as they set up their pitching and adjust to changes as each week plays out.

While he won’t have his son ready to take the mound this year, Smith can lean on a pair of veteran hurlers.

Seniors Matt Hilborn and Dane Lucero top the mound rotation, and are joined by three other returning lettermen, seniors Jake Pease and Shane Losey and junior Gavin Knoblich.

“All are expected to start this year and make a strong impact,” Smith said. “We have strong returning pitching and a strong senior core, but we will be a very young team.”

Among the younger players expected to play key roles include juniors Ulrik Wells and Mason Grove, sophomore Daniel Olson, who got the strikeout to clinch last year’s league title, and freshman Hawthorne Wolfe.

The roster will lean towards players making their varsity debuts this time around.

“(There are) some other up and coming players that will definitely have the opportunity to help out when called upon,” Smith said.

While his team may not be the most-experienced, the eternally-upbeat Wolf coach is aiming for success, as always.

With the season opener at home Mar. 12, against non-conference foe Friday Harbor, Smith is rarin’ to get going.

“Our number one goal is to make a run at the league title; our number two goal is to qualify for the state tournament,” he said.

“It will be a successful season if we play good baseball, and maintain a high level of motivation, energy and effort regardless of the outcome.”

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“Sky is the limit for this team”

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , , on March 4, 2019| Leave a Comment »

CHS softball coaches Kevin McGranahan (left) and Ron Wright run players through practice drills. (Photos by JohnPhotos.net)

Mollie Bailey is one of nine returning players from a team which came a win shy of advancing to state.

Third time’s the charm.

At least that’s the hope for the Coupeville High School softball squad, which has fallen a single win shy of the state tourney two years running.

And, while the Wolves will miss a trio of graduated All-Conference players in Hope Lodell, Lauren Rose, and Katrina McGranahan, the roster is loaded with experience.

Seniors Sarah Wright, Veronica Crownover, and Nicole Laxton top a lineup with brings back nine letter winners.

Joining them are juniors Scout Smith, Emma Mathusek, and Mackenzie Davis, as well as sophomores Coral Caveness, Mollie Bailey and Chelsea Prescott.

Having that kind of experience, and having it so precisely balanced between the classes, is huge.

“Returning nine of 12 varsity players will be key to our run this season,” said Coupeville coach Kevin McGranahan.

“My goals for this season are that the team comes together as a fast-pitch family and trusts in the process,” he added. “If we can do that, we should have no problem competing for a league title and going to districts.

“Sky is the limit for this little team that could.”

Rounding out the varsity roster will be junior Chloe Wheeler, coming off a strong JV season, and freshman Izzy Wells.

The Wolves need to replace Lodell in center field, Rose at shortstop, and, maybe most importantly, Katrina McGranahan in the pitcher’s circle.

Smith was Coupeville’s #2 pitcher last season, while Prescott and Wright also saw time flingin’ heat. Wells arrives at the high school level after being a top hurler in little league.

As the pitching situation firms up, the Wolves will be a force to reckon with when they’re up to bat.

Wright and Crownover, who anchor the team at catcher and first base, respectively, can mash with any diamond duo, Prescott combines power and speed, and the rest of their teammates have shown discipline and skill at the plate.

“Strengths will be our speed and ability to push the opposing defense,” Kevin McGranahan said. “Also our mental toughness will get us through the inevitable bad days.

“Things to work on will be just gelling as a team and our communication on the field.”

Coupeville is coming off a league title in a depleted Olympic League, after narrowly missing the crown a year before against a conference at full force.

The past two seasons the Wolves played in a winner-to-state game, but came up a single strike shy of upsetting Bellevue Christian in 2017, then were stung by Klahowya’s bottom-of-the-order hitters in 2018.

Now, CHS is part of the new North Sound Conference, which pits them against Cedar Park Christian, Sultan, Granite Falls, and South Whidbey.

King’s doesn’t field a softball team, so the Wolves will play 12 league games, clashing three times with each conference foe.

South Whidbey has advanced to state in back-to-back seasons, and might appear to be the league favorites, except…

The Falcons lost all-universe pitcher Mackenzee Collins to graduation, and, even with her flingin’ heat, Coupeville crushed the Falcons 12-0 and 10-0 in non-conference games last season.

With a 6-5 win in 2017 and a 4-1 victory in 2016, CHS has won four straight against SWHS under Kevin McGranahan.

Seniors Crownover, Wright, and Laxton have never lost to their Island rivals, and you have to go back to the regular-season finale in 2015, during Deanna Rafferty’s one season of coaching, to find the last time the Falcons beat the Wolf sluggers.

For Kevin McGranahan, though, it doesn’t matter which team is in the other dugout.

He’s been trying (unsuccessfully) to get Whidbey’s third team, 3A Oak Harbor, on the schedule, and looks forward to match-ups with 1A bruisers like Forks and Lynden Christian.

“Teams that stand in our way … well this is a tough question, as you know we will play anyone, anytime, anywhere … unlike our friends to the North, who keep ducking us year after year.

“I think this year we will not take any of our league opponents lightly; never should take anyone lightly,” McGranahan added. “This year in the new league we need to feel it out and put a choke hold on it early.”

Having four league rivals, and 12 conference games, after making do with just arch-rival Klahowya last season after Chimacum and Port Townsend suspended their programs, is just a bonus.

“I like the idea of being in the new league,” McGranahan said. “It gives us a real chance to earn a league title, not that we didn’t last year, but this year we have a better league schedule and not just three games for the title.

“Also the district tournament is A LOT closer!”

Coupeville kicks things off with a home game against non-league foe Friday Harbor Mar. 12, and currently has a 19-game regular season schedule.

After ending March with a four-game road trip, the Wolves get to close with seven of their last 11 games on their own field.

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Terrific trio top Wolf tennis roster

Posted in Girls Tennis, tagged , , , , , on March 4, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Still on the mend after back surgery, longtime Coupeville High School tennis coach Ken Stange is back on the courts, though not hitting as much as normal. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Junior netters Tia Wurzrainer (left) and Avalon Renninger, the team’s #1 doubles duo, lead the Wolves.

You can’t keep a good coach down.

Though he’s still recovering from spinal fusion surgery after a fall from a ladder, Coupeville High School girls tennis coach Ken Stange is back on the court.

While he’s limited on how much hitting he can do this spring, the longtime Wolf net guru has help from Drake Borden, an ace boys player pulling manager duty.

Also, as CHS moves into a new league, Stange can rely on his top returning players to help guide the newcomers.

Juniors Tia Wurzrainer and Avalon Renninger inherit the #1 doubles slot, replacing the graduated Sage Renninger and Payton Aparicio.

After finishing third at districts during their sophomore season, the duo are back and ready to take the next step on the success chart.

“We have strong leadership in Avalon and Tia. They had a fantastic season last year,” Stange said.

“Depending upon progress made and allocations given, they have an excellent chance to go far!”

Joining them is sophomore sensation Genna Wright, who played #1 singles as a mere freshman.

“Genna should be in position to have a strong year as well,” Stange said.

After the top three, however, the rest of the roster is very much a work in progress.

Only four other letter winners return, and the group of Jillian Mayne, Jaimee Masters, Elaira Nicolle, and Emily Fielder doesn’t feature anyone who played varsity regularly a year ago.

“Our weakness is that we are inexperienced,” Stange said. “With only three full-time varsity players from last season, we have some work to do, if we want to make waves in our league.”

Two freshmen, Eryn Wood and Abby Mulholland, “have shown great promise during the first week of practice,” and Stange always looks forward to seeing who will rise to the occasion with each new season.

“We have quite a few young players this year, so I expect lots of development as the season progresses,” he said.

After four seasons of ruling the roost in the Olympic League, Coupeville has set up shop in the new North Sound Conference in 2019.

Tennis is its own thing, however, as not all of the league’s six schools field a team.

Sultan and Cedar Park Christian sit tennis out, but Friday Harbor, the only Northwest League team to play the sport, has bounced over to join up with Coupeville, South Whidbey, King’s, and Granite Falls.

“We are in a new league with higher standards, and it will make for a competitive group,” Stange said. “I expect South Whidbey to be the gold standard; although, we have been able to stay close with them in recent years.”

Like the best coaches, Stange keeps an eye on the win/loss record, while putting the bigger emphasis on improvement, as individuals and as a team, and how the Wolves conduct themselves.

“(The season will be a success if) we try hard, we are happy with our results, we improve each day, and we demonstrate excellent sportsmanship,” he said.

For longer-term goals, Stange would like his team to finish in the top two in the league standings, advance at least two entries to districts, and get at least one entry to state.

As he rebuilds his own strength, he expects his players to do the same.

“I feel fortunate to have Avalon and Tia leading the charge for me this season,” Stange said. “I am not at 100% this season, and they will be essential to our entire team’s success.

“Luckily the path was laid for them by Valen Trujillo, Payton Aparicio, and Sage Renninger.”

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Back on Track: Boys Blaze

Posted in Track, tagged , , , , on March 4, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville senior Tiger Johnson puts in work during the first week of track practice. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Sean Toomey-Stout is ready to launch.

Now, it’s time for an encore.

Coming off a 5th place finish in the team standings at last year’s state championships, the Coupeville High School boys track and field squad is back for more.

But while last spring played out to perfection, as the Wolves also won league and district titles, the lineup will look a little different this time out.

The biggest loss is Jacob Smith, who became just the second athlete in school history to win four competitive medals at a single state meet.

His running mate, Danny Conlisk, is at the front of the pack when you look at returning runners.

He enters his senior track season having already claimed three state medals, including a 2nd place finish in the 400 last season.

Joining Conlisk are juniors Sean Toomey-Stout, who medaled in the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relays last season, and Jean Lund-Olsen, who medaled in the 4 x 100.

Senior throwers Ryan Labrador (shot put) and Chris Battaglia (discus) also competed at the state meet as juniors.

Other Wolves to keep an eye on include Keahi Sorrows, Kyle Burnett, Koa Davison, Jakobi Baumann, Thane Peterson, Chris Ruck, Jaschon Baumann, and Tiger Johnson.

Freshmen Brian Casey and Logan Martin could have an impact as well, with Martin already among the team leaders in the discus.

Coupeville coach Randy King, entering his 14th year with the track program, likes what he sees.

“This first week they have proven to be a fun group with good leadership and a great positive vibe,” he said.

Coupeville’s biggest strength could be its sprinters, led by Conlisk and Sean Toomey-Stout, with King hard at work trying to find the right mix with the relay teams after losing Smith and Cameron Toomey-Stout.

“Probably our most talented group is our sprint group,” King said. “It will be a challenge to find that fourth member for our relays, and we look forward to figuring out if we will have a team with a good chance of state-qualifying in the 4 x 1 or 4 x 4.”

Labrador leads the throwers, with Sorrows pushing him hard in the shot put, while Battaglia and Toomey-Stout both topped 130 feet in the javelin a season ago.

Battaglia, who went to state in the high jump as a freshman, leads a group trying to step up and replace two-time state meet participant Ariah Bepler in the event.

Logan Martin and Davison are both in the mix in the high jump, while Toomey-Stout and Lund-Olsen are at the forefront in the long jump and triple jump.

Jakobi Baumann, a sub-district champ in the 100 hurdles last season, will be clearing the obstacles again, with Peterson and Burnett sailing through the air in the pole vault.

Track opens its season Mar. 14 at the Oak Harbor Jamboree, and Coupeville hosts three meets this season, its most in years.

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