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Posts Tagged ‘CMS Wolves’

A new hero rises!!

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , , on June 3, 2017| Leave a Comment »

   Mollie Bailey has never met a cameraman she can’t mess with. (John Fisken photos)

   Bailey, being a rock behind the plate for Central Whidbey Little League hurler Melody Wilkie.

She is the chosen one.

Equally at ease in the heat of athletic battle and goofing off for the camera, Coupeville 8th grader Mollie Bailey is the last in a long family line of Wolf athletic legends.

From great-grandfather Robert “Fat” Engle, who tore up the CHS gridiron in the ’20s, to big sisters McKayla and McKenzie in recent years, her relatives are kind of a big deal on the prairie.

Not that the ever easy-going Mollie is going to be ruffled by pressure.

“Oh you know me, just too cool for school,” is her go-to motto, followed by a huge grin as she saunters away, giggling that you might have believed she was being serious.

She is very dedicated to her craft, however, whether it be playing basketball and softball (she’s adding soccer when she hits high school) or making a run at McKayla and McKenzie’s title of Photo Bomb Queen.

Bailey wants to make the duo proud.

“My big sisters had a lot to do with who I am as a player. They have always shown me the way,” she said. “I want to show my sisters that the little sister can kick as much butt as they did – maybe more!”

Following in their footsteps helped prepare her for her own athletic exploits, as well.

“I have been drug to so many of my sister’s games that I learned a lot just from watching,” Bailey said.

Like her sisters, she plays positions which require leadership skills and a knowledge of the game.

“I think one of my strengths is my awareness of the game, both on the field and the court,” Bailey said.

She claims no favorites, saying she enjoys all of her sports and gets something positive out of each.

“Can’t wait for seasons to start and then I’m ready for a break by the end of the season and excited to start the next one!,” Bailey said. “I enjoy the competition and playing/working with my teammates and friends.”

As she moves forward, she wants to “work on my speed and overall power,” with an eye on “making varsity before junior year.”

When she jumps to high school, she’ll retain fond memories of “Coach Ryan (King’s) technical and the bus rides to far, far away places.”

Away from the athletic stage, Bailey is a fan of movies like How to Train Your Dragon and the Harry Potter series and loves spending time outside.

“I like reading, hunting, building things with wood, hanging out with my friends and long walks on the beach,” she said.

Along with her sisters, and the 237 family members (give or take one or two) who show up to support her at games, Bailey gets strong support from her fervent fan club.

“Coach Bob Martin has always seen my potential,” Bailey said. “Also, (I appreciate) my friend Genna (Wright), who pushes me to be better and my mom and dad for always supporting me.”

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Spotlight swings to younger brother!!

Posted in Basketball, Football, Track, tagged , , , , on June 3, 2017| Leave a Comment »

   Ben Smith charges after a loose ball during a middle school basketball game. (John Fisken photo)

There’s a second star in the family.

Jacob Smith has attracted a fair amount of attention the past two years, breaking school records and winning state meet medals in track.

But hot on his heels comes younger brother Ben, a three-sport athlete who’s making the jump to Coupeville High School in the fall.

During his middle school days, the younger Smith brother played football and basketball, while also running track like his older sibling.

“My brother has made a huge impact on me during track season,” Ben Smith said. “I may drop track (in high school), but I see it as a talent to continue, though.

“I’ve been told I should continue it.”

Football, where he’s a hard-hitting two-way player, has grown to be his favorite.

“It has become the sport I have the most talent at, out of all of them,” Smith said.

A fan of hip hop and horror and science fiction films, he looks forward to history class, as well.

“I enjoy history, as I study a lot of it,” Smith said. “It’s a very easy subject, in my opinion.”

His best middle school sports memories include “breaking the football defensive yardage record and scoring my first few points in basketball.”

While he’s excelled in the sports he’s played, he’s “always open to try new things” and may mix things up with high school offering more sports teams than middle school did.

Whatever he ends up playing, Smith will get the most he can out of every athletic opportunity.

“It gets my body going and keeps me healthy to a limit I want,” he said. “And I could use this athleticism to go somewhere I would want.

“I would like to continue my soccer career or football and continue my positions within them and use them for college sports if I make any college teams.”

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Izzy gets sports fans in a tizzy!!

Posted in Basketball, Softball, Volleyball, tagged , , , , , on June 1, 2017| Leave a Comment »

   Central Whidbey softball standout Izzy Wells (right) meets up with a friendly foe. (Katy Wells photos)

Combining two of her passions, reading and softball.

   Izzy and younger sister Savina fuel up before wreaking havoc on the diamond. (John Fisken photo)

The middle child is making a name for herself.

When she’s not busy cheering for older brother Ulrik or lil’ sis Savina, Coupeville 7th grader Izzy Wells is fast becoming one of the most skilled young athletes in Central Whidbey.

A dynamic pitcher on the softball diamond (where she plays both little league and tournament ball with the Washington Patriots), she’s also an accomplished volleyball spiker and a hoops hotshot who played a grade up this winter.

Not that any of this success has gone to her head, as Wells remains low-key, far more likely to scream in support of a teammate than try and draw any attention to her own play.

The best part of each sport is “that I can be around my friends and play sports with them.”

It’s a trait all of Lyle and Katy Wells‘ children exhibit, and one which will serve Izzy well as she progresses in her athletic career.

She plans to stay with her busy schedule, bouncing between volleyball, school and SWISH basketball and little league and travel ball softball through middle school.

Once she hits high school, Wells is ready to play her core three sports … unless she takes a detour.

“I would like to play basketball, softball and volleyball,” she said. “I would also like to maybe try tennis or track in high school though.”

While she derives great joy from all of her sports, the two which she puts the most time into are in a battle for her heart. And it’s a battle which doesn’t have to have a winner.

“I can’t choose between basketball and softball because they are both my favorite,” Wells said. “I like these sports because softball is very fun and I love being around my teammates, and basketball because it is very fast-paced and a team sport and I love my coaches because they always cheer me on and guide me.”

Wells, who wants “to get a team banner on the wall and go to state” once she hits high school, is a work in progress, something she embraces.

“I think that my strengths as an athlete are being able to focus and not be super serious about everything,” she said. “I would like to work on every area, but mostly it would be my hitting in softball and my shooting and post work in basketball.”

A big fan of movies like Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Sandlot, Napoleon Dynamite and the Spider-Man and Lord of the Rings series, Wells “loves to play the electric bass guitar, read, do a lot of crafts and cuddle with my three cats.”

She also enjoys “hanging out with my friends and painting my nails all the time,” though she admits, with a big laugh, “I usually take the polish off right after I paint them.”

Those friends, such as fellow athletes Kiara Contreras, Ja’Kenya Hoskins and Audrianna Shaw, “have always pushed me in sports and help me whenever I need it.”

Tack on her family and her many coaches, and Wells has a support staff which is helping her grow into her athletic abilities.

“My mom and my dad have always helped me and taken me to every practice and every game and always cheered me on,” Wells said. “Also, my coaches, Coach Ryan King, Coach Dustin V., and many more, have always helped me to get better and I would not be the athlete I am right now if it wasn’t for them.”

Of the many positions she plays across all of her sports, being a softball pitcher, with its specialized routines, might take the most work, and Wells is grateful for those helping her put in extra work.

“One of my most influential coaches is my pitching coach, Sarah Bils. She believed in me and has taught me to work hard to become a better pitcher.”

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An athlete for all seasons!!

Posted in Basketball, Softball, Volleyball, tagged , , , , , , on June 1, 2017| Leave a Comment »

   Chelsea Prescott covers the bag during a softball game last spring. (John Fisken photos)

Prescott, seen here during a volleyball camp, is an athlete for all seasons.

If there’s a sport to be played in Central Whidbey, it’s a fair bet Chelsea Prescott has played it.

The Coupeville Middle School 8th grader frequently operates in a whirlwind, often charging from basketball court to diamond (be it softball or baseball), all while juggling multiple pieces of equipment and different uniforms.

Through it all, her energy never seems to flag and she remains at the forefront of local athletes who will take the step up to high school this fall.

At the moment, Prescott is playing left field and pitching for Central Whidbey’s Babe Ruth baseball team, but she plans to jump back to softball next spring.

“Although I love playing baseball, I’ll switch back to softball for my high school years,” Prescott said. “Go Wolves!”

On the basketball court she can fill the hoop up with the best of them, leading CMS in scoring the past two seasons.

But it’s volleyball, where the high-flying ace once ripped a serve off of an opponent’s face (it went for a winner), which has begun to captivate Prescott.

“I really enjoyed playing volleyball for Whidbey Fury, going to the tournaments,” she said. “We traveled all over, got to see a lot of places with great friends, and we also took third-place at the PSR tourney!

“Although I have been playing baseball and softball since I was four years old, I think volleyball has become my favorite sport, because the action doesn’t really stop,” Prescott said. “I love that it keeps me active, lets me be part of something bigger than myself — hashtag teamwork — and I’m pretty competitive.”

Prescott has height, speed and a strong work ethic.

Which doesn’t mean there aren’t areas she’d like to improve, as you discover if you ask her about her strengths and weaknesses.

“Funny question, because “strength” is the area I want to work on,” Prescott said. “Practice hard, play hard, but have fun!”

In the (brief) moments she’s not playing a sport, she enjoys “listening to country music, reading manga and playing with my boy Bentley,” her faithful canine companion.

As Prescott has pursued her many athletic endeavors, parents Josie and Cory have been with her every step of the way, something the young star deeply appreciates.

She also hails those who help guide her development.

“First and foremost, my parents for always supporting me,” Prescott said. “All my coaches — Kevin McGrenahan, Ron Wright, Scott and Mimi Johnson, Steve Hillborn, Heidi Wyman, Dustin Van Velkinburgh, Ryan King and Bob Martin.

“And a special thanks to the best umpire in the league, Jim Wheat, for all of his words of wisdom.”

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Family, friends inspire rising star!!

Posted in Basketball, Cheer, soccer, Volleyball, tagged , , , , on May 31, 2017| 1 Comment »

Samantha Streitler (Photo courtesy Stephanie Streitler)

Streitler leads the break in a SWISH game. (John Fisken photo)

Samantha Streitler is seeking inner peace. Sort of.

The Coupeville Middle School 7th grader is a strong three-sport athlete, and her natural aggressiveness is a positive, but she also wants to temper that with focus in the heat of battle.

“I have great leader’s skills and I’m very competitive,” Streitler said. “I need to work on not getting frustrated and keeping calm on the court and or field.”

She plays volleyball and basketball for CMS, plus youth soccer and was a captain while she was involved in youth cheer from K-6.

Once she hits the high school hallways, she plans to add cheer back to her full schedule of sports.

“I really enjoy cheering,” Streitler said.

Regardless of the sport, she wants to “become known as a persistent, trustworthy, hard worker” by coaches and teammates.

While she enjoys all of her athletic pursuits, if Streitler had to pick one as a favorite, it would be hoops.

“Basketball, because I can use my strength and aggression on defense,” she said. “But, most of all, all my best friends play on the team.

“I love seeing the community coming together and cheering for us,” Streitler added. “Plus I love sports in general.”

On the court or off, she embraces those close to her, whether they be coaches, family, teammates or friends.

“(CMS volleyball) Coach (Alexandra) Walter believed in me and pushed me and taught me I always can get better,” Streitler said. “My parents have made a huge impact in my life and are my #1 fans.

“My friends have taught me to be a winner and we will do it together,” she added. “My family and friends are my life!”

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