Haylee Armstrong was on fire Friday, scoring 24 points. (Jackie Saia photo)
Sweet, sweet, consistent revenge.
The first time the Coupeville High School varsity girls’ basketball team squared off with Friday Harbor, the Wolves bolted out to a double-digit lead, before crumbling during their worst 10-minute stretch of the season.
Friday night, playing their regular season finale on the road, Scout Smith’s squad avoided any repeat stumbles and emerged with a very satisfying 52-42 win.
The triumph lifts the Wolves to 2-8 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, 5-13 overall, snaps a four-game losing skid, and sends CHS into the postseason on a positive note.
Coupeville kicks off the double-elimination District 1/2 tourney Feb. 12, with six teams chasing three tickets to the state tourney.
Their opening opponent, and whether the Wolves begin at home or on the road, will be revealed Saturday night after the bracket is released.
Friday night was all about hitting the bottom of the net, as Coupeville had three players reach double-digit scoring.
Leading the way was Haylee Armstrong, who torched the net for nine points as the two teams battled to an explosive 16-16 tie through the first quarter.
The Wolves cracked the game open in the second frame, using a 19-7 tear fueled by five different gunners rattling the rim for points.
Teagan Calkins had the hottest hand in the quarter, rippling the net for seven points, but Armstrong was right on her heels, banking in another six.
From there, CHS stretched the advantage to 40-28 through three quarters, before coasting in for the win.
With very little help from the refs, apparently, but a lot from their hosts.
Friday Harbor was handed 15 free throw attempts, but clanked 10 of those, while Armstrong netted both of her shots during Coupeville’s one, and only, trip to the charity stripe.
The junior guard finished with a game-high 24 points, which lifts her to 290 career points, pushing her into a tie for #40 on the CHS girls’ career scoring list with … her current coach, Scout Smith.
Calkins knocked down 14 Friday, which moves “The Red Dragon” into #26 all-time for a Wolf program launched in 1974, leaving the senior just 11 points shy of reaching 400.
And the third Wolf to reach double digits?
That was sophomore Tenley Stuurmans, and with her 10 points Friday she becomes the 67th CHS girl to score 200 career points. She’ll head into the playoffs at #64 with 209 points and counting.
Kennedy O’Neill and Adeline Maynes both tossed in a bucket to round out the scoring, with Arianna Cunningham and Danica Strong bringing the defensive heat.
