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Posts Tagged ‘football’

Knoblich had Wright mentor!!

Posted in Baseball, Boys Basketball, Football, tagged Aaron Wright, baseball, Basketball, CHS Wolves, football, Gavin Knoblich on June 22, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Gavin Knoblich, well-dressed man about town. (Photos courtesy Mariah Knoblich)

“Hey, mom! Mom! MOM! Mom mommy mom mom mom!”

Aaron Wright no longer anchors the line for the Coupeville High School football squad, but his impact lingers long after he hung up the uniform.

As Gavin Knoblich prepares for his freshman year at CHS, one which will kick off with him taking his own place on the gridiron, Wright’s words and actions spur him on.

“Aaron, he set an example for me to push myself to be like,” Knoblich said. “He taught me how to do more than go through the motions.”

A strong player at the middle school level, Knoblich intends to be a three-sport athlete for the Wolves, playing football, basketball and baseball.

While he enjoys all three, spring will herald the return of his favorite pastime.

“Baseball (is my favorite), because it’s the first sport I took seriously,” Knoblich said. “And I found I had some athletic ability.”

He wants to make an impact right out of the gate (“I want to have a chance to be starting JV in any of my sports”), but knows there’s always room for growth.

“I enjoy the accomplishment of learning,” he said. “I like the time I spend with my friends working on something fun together.”

Knoblich loves to be in the thick of things, and fire up his teammates.

While that’s a huge plus, he also realizes he needs to know when to go loud and proud, and when to dial it back and keep a calm head.

“I’m always trying to think ahead. I’m always trying to be positive for my teammates,” he said. “My weakness is my composure – my inner voice in the back of my head.”

Helping him find his center is mom Mariah, who has a huge impact on his day-to-day life.

“My mom, she is always there to calm me,” Knoblich said. “She gets me where I need to go, and she always smiles for me.”

Whether it’s camping and hunting with his dad Clint or hanging out at the beach and riding dirt bikes with friends, he has a reliable support group.

Along with his mother, his grandparents step up big to help anchor things.

“My Grammy and Poppy. They make things so easy by always helping my mom,” Knoblich said. “Getting me places when my mom can’t, and they always have awesome dinners for us.”

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Wolf football picks new boss!!

Posted in Football, tagged CHS Wolves, football, Jon Atkins, new hire, OHHS Wildcats, The Bucket on June 10, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Jon Atkins patrols the sideline during an Oak Harbor High School girls' basketball game. (John Fisken photos)

Jon Atkins will do double-duty, coaching football at Coupeville, while staying on as girls basketball coach at Oak Harbor. (John Fisken photo)

One part Wolf, one part Wildcat.

Jon Atkins will be balancing two schools, two teams and two towns from this point on, after being offered the head football coaching job at Coupeville High School.

While it won’t be official until the school board approves the hire at their next meeting June 27, Atkins met his new players Thursday and will run spring practices.

Taking the Wolf job, which opened up when Brett Smedley left after one season to return to Columbia River, his alma mater, Atkins will let go of his current football job — defensive coordinator for Oak Harbor.

But while he’ll be running the CHS football program, he will also remain at OHHS as a teacher and as the varsity girls’ basketball coach.

Atkins has coached in Oak Harbor the last four years.

Before that he did a stint in the U.S. Army and spent a year as an intern strength and conditioning coach at Washington State University.

The gridiron has always been important to Atkins, both as a player and coach.

“I played football since I was a young boy,” he said. “It was always a part of my life.”

After four years of high school ball, he played two years at Yuba Community College in California.

Coming out of the Army, Atkins attended Western Washington University, majoring in kinesiology.

That led him to Wazzu, before he took a detour into the world of high school athletics, getting his teaching degree along the way.

Working under Jay Turner in Oak Harbor, Atkins has been part of a successful program, one which he will still hold near and dear.

“The highlights of the program have to be the relationships that were built with the players and coaches,” Atkins said. “That I can say that the coaches and players did things the right way, even when faced with some tough decisions, we always did things right.”

He picks a playoff win over Kennedy Catholic in 2014 as a particular high point.

“One of my more memorable memories,” Atkins said. “The team really came together.”

When the Coupeville job came on the market — he will be the school’s fourth head coach in seven seasons after Ron Bagby put in a quarter-center at the helm of the Wolves — Atkins saw a chance to recapture what he experienced as a young athlete.

“I am from a small school, my alma mater has about 450 students,” Atkins said. “My former coach, Scott Turner, and Defensive Coordinator Ryan Reynolds, took that team and built a program that is respected throughout Northern California.

“More importantly, he (Turner) had a huge impact on the community and every player on his team,” he added. “I saw the CHS job as a way for me to make the same kind of impact on Central Whidbey as he did in my small town of Sutter, California.”

While he’s been on the job less than 24 hours, Atkins likes what he sees.

Coupeville went 1-9 last season, but returns a fair chunk of its starters.

That includes Hunter Smith, who owns the school single-season interception record, both players who saw time at QB a year ago — Hunter Downes and Gabe Eck — defensive whirlwinds Uriel Liquidano and Chris Battaglia, All-League punter Clay Reilly and durable running back Jacob Martin.

“I think that there is a lot of potential with this group,” Atkins said. “There are some very skilled players returning from last year’s team. They looked eager to get better and they are committed.”

The new coach plans to build around five core covenants — Commitment, Family, Toughness, Leadership, and Competition — and his new players seem eager to buy in.

“I spoke with the seniors that were out there and they seemed on board with those covenants and are going to work very hard to leave a legacy after they are gone,” Atkins said.

Goal one? An opening night win at home against arch-rival South Whidbey.

“The players and I were on the same page of returning The Bucket back to its rightful home on September 2nd.”

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Rip it up! Rip it out!!

Posted in Everything changes, tagged CHS Wolves, construction, football, John Fisken photos, press box, Track on June 2, 2016| Leave a Comment »

The bleachers are gone, but the dilapidated press box of my misspent youth hangs on … for the moment. (John Fisken photos)

When they rip it down, someone keep all the dead bees you find inside. There will be at least 12,000 of them. Trust me on that.

The bleachers were led away. “Tell me about the rabbits, George…” Then, a single gunshot and the bleachers were quiet, forever.

Just in case someone forgets.

Yikes.

We sit three months away from the first CHS football game of the season (Sept. 2 at home vs. South Whidbey) and it’s safe to say some work will need to be done between now and then.

Which is exactly the point, as the long-anticipated revamp of the school’s track has officially begun.

The bleachers are gone, leaving the press box to look even more sad in their absence, and things are beginning to be ripped up.

Over the next couple of months, the outdated, six-lane track will be torn to bits and replaced with a snappy new eight-lane masterpiece.

That will allow CHS to host track meets for the first time in years, something Wolf stars like Lindsey Roberts, Jacob Smith and Skyler Lawrence can look forward to.

The plan is to eventually have brand new permanent bleachers in place (and maybe a posh new press box … nudge, nudge, wink, wink), though the school may go with portable bleachers this coming fall.

As the transition kicks off, John Fisken wandered through the currently rough-looking environment to snap a few pics for us all to goggle at.

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Be there or be square!!

Posted in Boys Tennis, Football, Girls Soccer, Volleyball, tagged CHS Wolves, fall schedules, football, Soccer, tennis, volleyball on June 1, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Lauren Rose (left), Emma Smith and the CHS spikers will play five straight matches at home to start next season. (John Fisken photos)

Uriel Liquidano (63) and Co. will play for The Bucket at home Sept. 2.

Wolf netters like John McClarin will spend more than 50% of their season on the road this fall.

In exactly 100 days, Mia Littlejohn (20) will get to kick foes in the ankles again.

Where will you be in 94 days?

If you answered, “Ploppin’ my butt on the temporary bleachers to watch the first Coupeville High School football game of the fall,” then, like me, you have absolute faith in Willie Smith.

Back in the CHS Athletic Director chair after an absence of several years, the Scheduling Maniac already has the fall sports schedule 98.37% locked in place, and we’re not even on summer vacation yet.

Now, things happen, and there’s always a chance some dates might get tweaked, or, in the case of tennis, rained out.

It happens.

But if you went ahead and laminated this baby now, I think you’d be pretty safe.

As well as being one of the few people to actually own a laminating machine…

Anyway, as you peruse the schedules, a few things of note.

There are more home games than road games — a rarity on The Rock — with volleyball getting the best break, with nine of 15, including its first five, at home.

Coupeville has kept its rivalry games with South Whidbey in football (where The Bucket is at stake) and girls’ soccer, though at the moment, the Falcons do not appear on the boys’ tennis or volleyball skeds.

After two seasons of having six league games, CHS soccer and volleyball are jumping to nine (three each against Port Townsend, Klahowya and Chimacum), which brings them in line with basketball, softball and baseball.

And, lastly, football kicks off season one of a new look in which the Olympic League and Nisqually League have combined to form a super league for gridiron play.

The Wolves will have seven league games, up from six, and no longer face the same team more than once.

The agreement allows the schools to set a full 10-game schedule, while eliminating the need to scramble and schedule crossover games once week #10 arrives.

Depending on each year’s playoff allocation for District 3, either the top two or three teams advance to the playoffs.

The schedules (as of June 1), with league games starred:

BOYS TENNIS

Tues-Sept. 6 @ Port Angeles
Mon-Sept. 12 Sequim
Wed-Sept. 14 @ Kingston
Fri-Sept. 16 Klahowya (*)
Fri-Sept. 23 @ North Kitsap
Mon-Sept. 26 North Mason
Wed-Sept. 28 @ Chimacum (*)
Fri-Sept. 30 Klahowya (*)
Wed-Oct. 5 Chimacum (*)
Thu-Oct. 6 @ Klahowya (*)
Tue-Oct. 11 @ Sequim
Thu-Oct. 13 @ Chimacum (*)

FOOTBALL

Fri-Sept. 2 South Whidbey
Fri-Sept. 9 @ La Conner
Fri-Sept. 16 Nooksack Valley
Fri-Sept. 23 @ Charles Wright Academy (*)
Fri.-Sept. 30 Vashon Island (*)
Fri-Oct. 7 Port Townsend (*) HOMECOMING
Sat-Oct. 15 @ Bellevue Christian (*)
Fri-Oct. 21 @Klahowya (*)
Fri-Oct. 28 @ Chimacum (*)
Fri-Nov. 4 Cascade Christian (*)

GIRLS SOCCER

Thu-Sept. 8 South Whidbey
Tue-Sept. 13 Chimacum (*)
Thu-Sept. 15 Sequim
Sat-Sept. 17 @ Port Townsend (*)
Mon-Sept. 19 @ Mount Vernon Christian
Thu-Sept. 22 North Mason
Tue-Sept. 27 @ Klahowya (*)
Thu-Sept. 29 Port Townsend (*)
Tue-Oct. 4 @ Chimacum (*)
Thu-Oct. 6 Port Angeles
Tue-Oct. 11 @ Sequim
Tue-Oct. 18 Klahowya (*)
Thu-Oct. 20 @ Port Townsend (*)
Tue-Oct. 25 Chimacum (*)
Thu-Oct. 27 @ Klahowya (*)

VOLLEYBALL

Tue-Sept. 6 Mount Vernon Christian
Tue-Sept. 13 Chimacum (*)
Wed-Sept. 14 Sequim
Tue-Sept. 20 Bellevue Christian
Thu-Sept. 22 North Mason
Tue-Sept. 27 @ Klahowya (*)
Thu-Sept. 29 Port Townsend (*)
Tue-Oct. 4 @ Chimacum (*)
Thu-Oct. 6 Port Angeles
Tue-Oct. 11 @ Sequim
Tue-Oct. 18 Klahowya (*)
Thu-Oct. 20 @ Port Townsend (*)
Tue-Oct. 25 Chimacum (*)
Thu-Oct. 27 @ Klahowya (*)
Sat-Oct. 29 @ Port Townsend (*)

To stay on top of schedules, pop over to:

Olympic League — http://www.olympicleague.com/index.php?league=21&page_name=school_home&school=0&sport=0

Coupeville Schools — http://coupeville.tandem.co/

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“They want to be the best!!”

Posted in Football, tagged CHS Wolves, football, Jacob Martin, Jonathan Thurston, spring practice, The Bucket on June 1, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Wolf seniors-to-be (l to r) Clay Reilly, Jacob Martin, Uriel Liquidano, Ethan Marx and Jonathan Thurston. (Kalia Littlejohn photo)

Football’s back, at least for a few days.

Spring practice kicked off Wednesday, and returning Coupeville High School players were out on the practice field after school.

Without an official head coach, but with high hopes intact.

The Wolves, who open the season Sept. 2 at home against South Whidbey, will be playing for their third coach in as many seasons — once that coach is actually hired.

With the departure of Brett Smedley (he left after one season to take a coordinator job at Columbia River), players who will be a junior this fall will have played for a different head coach every year in high school.

After two years of playing twice against league rivals, they’ll also face a twist in the schedule, with the Olympic League and Nisqually League having formed a super league for football.

Coupeville will play three non-conference foes, then seven league games, with Port Townsend, Chimacum and Klahowya now joined by Cascade Christian, Vashon Island, Bellevue Christian and Charles Wright Academy.

But a new coach and the schedule are thoughts for tomorrow.

For now, the focus is on putting in work under assistant coach Ryan King (a candidate for the head job), and turning things around after last fall’s 1-9 season.

Some thoughts from day one:

Ryan King:

We had 27 kids show up today, not including the incoming freshman, and a few others who couldn’t make it due to legion baseball and what not.

But those kids are determined, they put in the work today and their mindset isn’t on who will be the next head coach but their focus is on game number one.

They want to be the best and they want to make a difference. They want to compete for a league title.

I have an amazing group of kids.

From the seniors to the juniors to the sophomores and I know a lot of the freshman coming up; I am so proud of what I saw today from them.

Whoever will be the next head coach is gonna have a great group of athletes.

If I get the position, awesome, I’m honored.

If not, then at least I got these kids ready.

Jonathan Thurston (senior):

We’re seniors and we’re gonna try to do better then last year.

I’m excited to play at home to win The Bucket; it’s gonna be a great game.

Going into this new league is gonna be interesting, but fun to play different schools than what we’re used to.

I could not ask for better players to be side by side with on that field and senior year is gonna be a blast!

Jacob Martin (senior):

We have strong returners from Clay, Uriel, Mitchell Carroll, me and Jon.

It’s all about the players, and how much work they’ve put in during the off-season.

No coach, no problem!

I personally think this team will be special, despite being delayed without a coach, or low expectations from others. We genuinely have seniors who will unite this team.

Uriel Liquidano (senior):

To start, I want to say that it’s going to be a great season and I have a strong feeling that we are going to do good.

It sucks we won’t have Smedley next year but who ever is going to be the new head coach I’m sure he’ll do good.

This coming football year I’m going to be a senior so I’m going to have to GIVE IT ALL I HAVE for my team, my family, my town.

It’s going to be a good year!

We’re going to lead this town together. Give it all we have. And yes, beat South Whidbey here on our game field and take that bucket back.

Clay Reilly (senior):

The goals I have in mind for this upcoming football season are beating South Whidbey at home, fighting until the end against every team we face and hopefully winning league.

I’m so stoked to play football as a senior and leading the team into every game.

With finding a new coach, I hope us seniors find common ground and excel with what he wants to do with this great program.

This new league is a whole bunch of new challenges and I think it will make us better individually and as a unit. I want this season to be one I can look back on throughout the rest of my life.

Gabe Eck (sophomore):

The goals for this year would be to definitely beat South Whidbey and improve and build on what we had from the season before.

With the league bigger we’re going to have to be in the weight room all summer and come out bigger, faster, and stronger.

Ethan Marx (senior):

I’d like to add, we play as a team, and that our team remains a family no matter what happens on or off the field!

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