Tim Ursu is here to rain down the pain. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Timmy hit like a tsunami.
One of the hardest-working athletes to walk the hallways at Coupeville High School, Tim Ursu was a soft-spoken dude, polite to those around him, and a living testament to what you can accomplish if you put in tons of work.
In the weight room, on the gridiron, around the track oval, the 2023 CHS grad was the true heir to Sean Toomey-Stout, a Cow Town legend who went on to play at the University of Washington after earning his spot sweat drop by sweat drop.
While Ursu may not be suiting up for the Huskies, he got his playing time in a Wolf uniform the same way “The Torpedo” did.
By outworking everyone in sight.
By never, ever backing down, regardless of the size of the guy on the other side of the line.
And then by hitting anyone foolish enough to enter his realm like he was taking an axe and chopping down a Redwood by hand.
Never dirty, always willing to leave an imprint on his rival’s very soul.
Those who got tackled by Ursu, or got run over by him, got up from the turf a little slower, moved a little more gingerly, and, almost always, tried to get the heck out the way the next time he came thundering at them.
“Try and run from me! See how well that works!!” (Photo courtesy Ashleigh Casey)
Like Sean Toomey-Stout (and older brother Cameron before him), Tim Ursu wasn’t the biggest dude on the field.
But like Maya’s brothers, he crafted his body into a piece of ripped art, one in which every muscle was there not just for show, but to get the job done.
Ursu, whose playing time steadily increased from season to season, was at his best as a senior.
A potent force of nature on both sides of the ball, he did it all, helping lead Coupeville to its first league title and trip to the state playoffs in three-decades plus.
Once there, Ursu was one of the true bright spots in Coupeville’s clash with powerhouse Onalaska.
Making the magic happen. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Late in the game, with starting quarterback Logan Downes on the sideline with an injury, he briefly took over the gunslinger role and showed he would have been pretty dang amazing at that position as well.
Backup QB Chase Anderson flipped the ball to Ursu deep in their own territory, then watched in awe as his older teammate pegged a perfect ball to a breaking Hunter Bronec.
Dropping the ball over the outstretched arms of the defense, a half-second before an Onalaska tackler caught up with him, Ursu brought both the razzle and the dazzle.
The play went for 54 yards, and while Coupeville couldn’t quite pull out the playoff victory, it sent an electric jolt through the stadium.
Ursu led the Wolves in receiving, was a solid third option on running plays, was the team’s primary kick returner, and was lights out on defense.
Playing in the backfield, he covered the entire gridiron, picking off passes, while also finishing the season as Coupeville’s #2 tackler.
You weren’t going to throw the ball past Ursu, and you weren’t going to run it past him either.
He was an equal opportunity destroyer intent on preventing you from getting anywhere near the end zone.
“End zone, here I come!” (Helen Strelow photo)
Altogether, with the catches, the runs, the picks, and the returns, Ursu tallied 12 touchdowns as a senior, putting a strong exclamation point on his career at CHS.
Well, his football career.
While Ursu never unleashed his mad dog style on the high school basketball court, he did make quite a splash in the world of track and field.
During his two seasons at the oval, he competed in eight different events, competing as a sprinter, a relay ace, a jumper, and a thrower.
Racking up strong performances in all of his events, Ursu went out in a blaze of glory in the 4 x 100.
He teamed with fellow seniors Dominic Coffman, Tate Wyman, and Aidan Wilson to finish first in the prelims and second in the finals while competing in stormy Eastern Washington conditions at the state meet.
The Wolf four-pack actually dropped its time from the first race to the second, coming within an eyelash (or two) of being the second Coupeville relay team to ever win a state title.
They look fast even standing still. (Elizabeth Bitting photo)
Now, in an act which makes perfect sense, Ursu will get the equivalent of a first-place medal.
He’ll be joining Coffman and Wilson in the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame, part of our digital shrine to the best athletes to wear a Wolf uniform.
After this you’ll find him hanging out at the top of the blog, under the Legends tab.
The choice is easy, and it’s well deserved.
Ursu is being honored for his work on the gridiron, for his work on the track oval, and for his work in the weight room.
And, maybe most importantly, for the way he channeled his drive and desire and made himself a star, while never losing his humility and open heart.
Tim Ursu was a sports sensation, yes, but he has always seemed to me to be a better human being.
It served him well during his days at CHS, and it will serve him well in real life.
#2 in the program, #1 in their hearts. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
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