Wyatt Fitch-Marron charges into the fray. (Julie Wheat photos)
Second time out, a lot more fun.
Six days after being nipped 1-0 in its first-ever meeting with Evangel Classical, the Coupeville High School boys’ soccer squad got a chance for some sweet revenge.
Mission accomplished.
Busting open a close game in the second half Thursday, the Wolves ran away with a 4-0 victory against the visiting Raggants, moving into a tie for second place in the 10-team Northwest 2B/1B League.
Coupeville, now 2-0 in conference action, 5-2 overall, is deadlocked with Mount Vernon Christian (2-0), a win back of two-time defending state champ Orcas Island (3-0).
The victory also means the Wolves, with eight regular season games left to play, have already matched last year’s win total, when they finished 5-9.
CHS gets a chance to grab win #6 Monday, when it hosts winless Lopez Island in the second half of a free admission double header at Mickey Clark Field.
The Wolf girls play the Lobos first at 3:00 PM, followed by the boys teeing it up at 5:00.
Playing against Evangel Classical, a private school out of Marysville in its first year in the NWL, Coupeville’s boys capitalized on all the opportunities they barely missed the first time around, when the contest was considered a “non-conference” tilt between league foes.
Edmund Kunz banged in his first goal of the season to stake the Wolves to a lead they never lost, while Edmund Wilson added a pair of scores to go with one from Malachi Chapa.
The assault on the goal lifts Wilson to a team-leading nine goals on the season, and 17 for his prep career, as the Wolf junior moves into a tie with Ethan Spark for #5 all-time on the CHS boys scoring chart.
Evangel had no answer for Coupeville’s scoring touch, as Wolf goaltender Sam Richards and his defenders thoroughly shut down the Raggants.
Players such as Brian Thompson, Wyatt Fitch-Marron, and Liam Lawson all delivered stellar work for the Wolves, with everyone in uniform having an impact in a win which typifies Coupeville’s team-first approach on the pitch.
“Defense was the key,” said CHS coach Jim Kunz. “Brian and Wyatt winged by Solomon (Rudat) and Lincoln (Wagner) created a wall back there.
“The few times Evangel broke through Sammy was there.”
Sawyer Rudat and Co. are off to a strong start.
