Gwen Gustafson and Co. have full schedules this year. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)
The Wolf booters jump from a six-game schedule to a 16-game one.
The schedules are back to normal.
Or, at least a lot closer than they were a year ago.
While some restrictions — like spectators needing to wear masks — are still in place, high school sports schedules have largely reverted to pre-pandemic normalcy.
After playing out of order during the 2020-2021 school year, fall sports are back to the front of the pack, with winter, then spring competitions planned to follow.
Non-conference bouts are back in vogue, which means Coupeville returns to playing next-door rival South Whidbey.
Also, both the Bucket Game and Homecoming live again for football, and almost all CHS teams will play a double-digit number of games.
Hopefully.
As everyone who has lived through the Age of Coronavirus knows, nothing is set in stone. Things can, and may, still change.
But for now, here’s where we sit, sport by sport.
PS — An * indicates a league contest.
BOYS SOCCER:
It’s a 16-game schedule, eight at home, eight on the road, with every tilt a conference showdown.
While just five of seven Northwest 2B/1B League schools play boys soccer — Coupeville, La Conner, Orcas Island, Mount Vernon Christian, and Friday Harbor — they’re joined for this one sport by four other squads.
While Concrete and Darrington avoid the pitch, Grace Academy, Providence Classical Christian, Cedar Park Christian-Lynnwood, and Lopez Island take their places.
Tues-Sept. 7 — @ Mount Vernon Christian — (4:00) *
Fri-Sept. 10 — Cedar Park Christian-Lynnwood — (6:00) *
Fri-Sept. 17 — Orcas Island — (4:00) *
Tues-Sept. 21 — Grace Academy — (6:00) *
Fri-Sept. 24 — @ Friday Harbor — (4:30) *
Tues-Sept. 28 — @ La Conner — (TBA) *
Fri-Oct. 1 — @ Grace Academy — (3:30) *
Tues-Oct. 5 — La Conner — (6:00) *
Thur-Oct. 7 — Mount Vernon Christian — (6:00) *
Sat-Oct. 9 — Providence Classical Christian — (1:00) *
Fri-Oct. 15 — @ Lopez Island — (TBA) *
Tues-Oct. 19 — Friday Harbor — (4:00) *
Thur-Oct. 21 — @ Cedar Park Christian-Lynnwood — (4:00) *
Sat-Oct. 23 — Lopez Island — (12:30) * — SENIOR NIGHT
Tues-Oct. 26 — @ Orcas Island — (TBA) *
Thur-Oct. 28 — @ Providence Classical Christian — (TBA) *
BOYS TENNIS:
Only two NWL schools play boys tennis, which is why there was no season last year.
While Coupeville was ready and rarin’, Friday Harbor shut down all fall sports after Covid cases spiked in the San Juans.
Now, the Wolverines are back in action, and the two schools will link up, in some fashion, to play tennis against South Whidbey and its (mostly private school) rivals in the Emerald Sound League.
A schedule is still being worked out.
CROSS COUNTRY:
Coupeville, Orcas Island, and Mount Vernon Christian once again vie for NWL harrier supremacy, but this season schools also return to competing at invitationals.
The Wolves host one of three league meets, as well as the league championship races.
Sat-Sept. 11 — @ Sehome Invitational — (TBD)
Sat-Sept. 18 — @ Westling Invitational (South Whidbey) — (10:00)
Fri-Sept. 24 — HOME meet (Fort Casey) — (3:30) *
Sat-Sept. 25 — @ King’s Invite — (12:00)
Fri-Oct. 1 — @ Mount Vernon Christian — (3:30) *
Fri-Oct. 8 — @ Orcas Island — (TBD) *
Sat-Oct. 9 — @ Hole in the Wall (Lakewood) — (9:00)
Thur-Oct. 21 — Northwest 2B/1B League Championships (Fort Casey) — (3:30)
FOOTBALL:
Homecoming is back, with the Eastern Washington opponent traveling 142 miles to face off with CHS, while the Bucket Game against South Whidbey goes down in Langley.
Other non-conference games, featuring Klahowya and East Jefferson, are against familiar foes from Coupeville’s time in the Olympic League.
And what is an East Jefferson, you ask?
It’s the name being used by Port Townsend and Chimacum, which combined for all sports after both schools struggled to field teams due to declining student counts.
With Friday Harbor football back in action, Coupeville plays four league games — two each against the Wolverines and La Conner, the only other 2B schools in the NWL.
Currently, there are eight games on the schedule, but the Wolves continue to look for a week six opponent.
Sat-Aug. 28 — @ Sultan Jamboree — (11:00)
Fri-Sept. 3 — Klahowya — (5:00)
Fri-Sept. 10 — @ South Whidbey — (7:00) — BUCKET GAME
Fri-Sept. 17 — @ East Jefferson — (6:00)
Fri-Sept. 24 — La Conner — (7:00) *
Fri-Oct. 1 — @ Friday Harbor — (6:00) *
Fri-Oct. 8 — ?
Fri-Oct. 15 — @ La Conner — (7:00) *
Fri-Oct. 22 — Cascade Leavenworth — (7:00) — HOMECOMING
Fri-Oct. 29 — Friday Harbor — (6:00) * — SENIOR NIGHT
GIRLS SOCCER:
Last year, Mount Vernon Christian, La Conner, and Coupeville played this sport, and now Friday Harbor rejoins the battle.
Unlike other sports, where CHS plays two league games against other schools, here it will play three.
Non-conference games against former league rivals Sultan and Granite Falls, and a home-and-away series with East Jefferson round out the schedule.
Sat-Sept. 4 — @ Oak Harbor Jamboree — (TBD)
Thur-Sept. 16 — La Conner — (6:00) *
Sat-Sept. 18 — @ East Jefferson — (1:00)
Tues-Sept. 21 — @ Mount Vernon Christian — (4:00) *
Thur-Sept. 23 — Granite Falls — (6:00)
Tues-Sept. 28 — @ Friday Harbor — (4:00) *
Thur-Sept. 30 — @ La Conner — (TBA) *
Thur-Oct. 7 — Mount Vernon Christian — (4:00) *
Tues-Oct. 12 — Friday Harbor — (4:00) *
Thur-Oct. 14 — La Conner — (6:00) *
Sat-Oct. 16 — Sultan — (1:00)
Thur-Oct. 21 — @ Mount Vernon Christian — (4:00) *
Sat-Oct. 23 — East Jefferson — (11:00) — SENIOR NIGHT
Tues-Oct 26 — @ Friday Harbor (4:00) *
VOLLEYBALL:
With Friday Harbor’s return, the only fall sport where all seven NWL schools face off.
A couple of tournaments, and a home-and-away with arch-rival South Whidbey highlight a very-full schedule.
Sat-Sept. 4 — @ Oak Harbor Jamboree — (TBD)
Thur-Sept. 9 — @ Concrete — (4:30/6:00) *
Tues-Sept. 14 — Mount Vernon Christian — (4:30/6:00) *
Thur-Sept. 16 — Orcas Island — (3:30/5:00) *
Mon-Sept. 20 — Cedar Park Christian-Bothell — (4:30/6:00)
Tues-Sept. 21 — @ Darrington — (4:30/6:00) *
Thur-Sept. 23 — @ La Conner — (4:30/6:00) *
Sat-Sept. 25 — @ Sultan Tournament (Varsity) — (TBD)
Sat-Sept. 25 — @ Oak Harbor Tournament (JV) — (TBD)
Mon-Sept. 27 — South Whidbey — (4:30/6:00)
Tues-Sept. 28 — @ Friday Harbor — (4:00/5:30) *
Tues-Oct. 5 — Concrete — (4:30/6:00) *
Thur-Oct. 7 — @ Mount Vernon Christian — (4:30/6:00) *
Tues-Oct. 12 — @ Orcas Island — (TBA) *
Thur-Oct. 14 — Darrington — (4:30/6:00) *
Mon-Oct. 18 — @ South Whidbey — (5:15/7:00)
Tue-Oct. 19 — La Conner — (4:30/6:00) *
Thur-Oct. 21 — Friday Harbor — (3:30/5:00) * — SENIOR NIGHT
Sat-Oct. 23 — @ South Whidbey Tournament — (TBD)
Coupeville Sports 