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Big meet, huge win

Posted in Track, tagged Arianna Cunningham, CHS Wolves, George Spear, Lil Norway, North Kitsap, track and field on April 18, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Richmond Bandong was part of a record-setting relay unit Saturday. (Marquette Cunningham photo)

One of the smallest schools made some of the biggest noise.

Competing at the 23-team Dave Snyder’s Lil’ Norway Meet in Poulsbo Saturday, Coupeville High School shocked the track and field world in the mixed 4 x 100 relay.

Lining up against big school rivals North Kitsap, Bremerton, Lindbergh, and Clover Park, the Wolves, repping a 2B-sized student body, hit the tape first in a meet record 52 seconds, almost two seconds ahead of the second-place school.

The CHS unit, comprised of Lillian Ketterling, Richmond Bandong, Tamsin Ward, and Liam Blas, includes three sophomores and a freshman.

“Great way to end the meet!!!” said CHS coaches Elizabeth Bitting and Bob Martin as they likely exchanged high fives all the way back to Cow Town.

The spoils of (track) war. (Bob Martin photo)

Coupeville made a last-second detour to even attend the Lil’ Norway meet, as it was originally slated to travel to Forks Saturday before shuffling things.

Bellarmine Prep and Aberdeen took full advantage of deep rosters to claim the girls and boys team titles, respectively, while the Wolves were 17th and 19th.

Along with the huge win in the mixed 4 x 100, Coupeville picked up 12 PRs on the day.

CHS is back in action next Saturday, April 25, but much closer to home, when the Wolves host the Cow Town Classic Invite at Mickey Clark Field.

Lexis Drake debates how many relay teams she wants to run with. (Marquette Cunningham photo)

Saturday’s results:

GIRLS:

100 — Isa Mc Fetridge (29th) 14.09 *PR*

200 — Mc Fetridge (16th) 28.95 *PR*

400 — Taylor Marrs (20th) 1:14.52 *PR*

100 Hurdles — Myra McDonald (25th) 23.05; Frankie Tenore (26th) 24.54

300 Hurdles — Kennedy O’Neill (22nd) 59.98 *PR*; Devon Wyman (27th) 1:11.16

4 x 100 Relay — Arianna Cunningham, Lexis Drake, Willow Leedy-Bonifas, Mc Fetridge (13th) 56.72

4 x 200 Relay — Lillian Ketterling, Leedy-Bonifas, Drake, Mc Fetridge (15th) 2:03.62

DMR 4000 Relay — Mikayla Wagner, A. Cunningham, Wyman, Laken Simpson (7th) 15:37.79

Shot Put — Ward (10th) 30-03

Discus — Ketterling (11th) 74-04; Ward (23rd) 58-02

Javelin — A. Cunningham (11th) 76-10

High Jump — Ward (10th) 4-08; Tenore (15th) 4-04

Pole Vault — Ketterling (7th) 7-06

Long Jump — McDonald (33rd) 9-05.75; O’Neill (35th) 9-02.75

Triple Jump — Leedy-Bonifas (13th) 28-00.50 *PR*; A. Cunningham (14th) 25-11.25

BOYS:

100 — Marquette Cunningham (29th) 12.26; Liam Blas (36th) 12.46

200 — Nathan Coxsey (33rd) 25.55 *PR*; Shiloh Sandlin (38th) 27.83 *PR*

400 — Brian Thompson (21st) 58.55 *PR*

800 — Ossian Merkel (27th) 2:24.07 *PR*; Johnathan Jacobsen (33rd) 2:33.58 *PR*

1600 — George Spear (22nd) 5:01.66; Hunter Atteberry (37th) 5:56.87 *PR*

3200 — Spear (15th) 11:24.72; Kenneth Jacobsen (20th) 11:34.53

300 Hurdles — Edmund Wilson (22nd) 50.12

4 x 100 Relay — M. Cunningham, Blas, Beckett Green, Houston (16th) 47.79

4 x 200 Relay — Richmond Bandong, Sage Arends, Coxsey, Wilson (10th) 1:43.25

4 x 400 Relay — Wilson, Thompson, Will Tierney, Green (14th) 4:00.69

DMR 4000 Relay — Merkel, Tierney, K. Jacobsen, Cyrus Sparacio (4th) 11:56.71

Shot Put — Zachary Saho (11th) 38-09.75 *PR*; Khanor Jump (29th) 33-03.25

Discus — Jump (18th) 105-03; Blas (24th) 97-01

Javelin — Bandong (25th) 101-05; J. Jacobsen (30th) 78-10

Long Jump — Arends (12th) 18-05; Thompson (26th) 17-01

CO-ED:

Mixed 4 x 100 Relay — Ketterling, Bandong, Ward, Blas (1st) 53.80

Heading home after a successful day on the mainland. (Amber Wyman photo)

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Harriers run strongly at state meet

Posted in Cross Country, tagged CHS Wolves, cross country, George Spear, Mikayla Wagner, Pasco, state meet on November 8, 2025| Leave a Comment »

No rain in Pasco for the Coupeville High School boys’ cross country squad. (Photos courtesy Elizabeth Bitting)

Year #8 is in the books.

The revival of Coupeville High School’s cross country program continues to roar along, with 12 Wolves competing Saturday at the state meet in Pasco.

CHS coach Elizabeth Bitting had full boys’ and girls’ teams on the line at the Sun Willows Golf Course, with the former finishing 11th in the 2B team standings and the latter 13th in a 1B/2B mashup.

“It was STATE! They put in the hard work and made it!” the Wolf running guru said. “Each team ran great races.”

Liberty Bell (girls) and Freeman (boys) claimed team crowns, with freshman Grace Walsh of Manson and sophomore Waylon Stoneburger-Schafer of Cle Elum-Roslyn earning individual titles while zipping across a 5,000-meter course.

For Coupeville, senior George Spear and sophomore Mikayla Wagner were the top placers, with Spear making his third appearance at the year’s biggest meet.

The Wolf girls enjoy the last day of the season.

In the girls’ race, the Wolves ran as a pack, with the time spread between their #1 and #5 runners the third smallest of any school, trailing just Liberty Bell and third-place finisher Pope John Paul II.

“The girls pushed themselves hard,” Bitting said. “Ivy (Rudat) and Allie (Powers) were our first time state runners. They both ran solid races and have goals for next season.

“Mikayla (Wagner) has been battling an injury but didn’t let that hold her back. She left it all out on the course and has earned some well-deserved healing time off.

“Devon (Wyman) has been fighting off a cold the past few weeks but today you would not have known. She ran one of her best races of the season,” Bitting added.

“Aleksia (Jump), our lone senior in the pack, ran her last state race of her high school career. She pushed herself, encouraged her teammates, her presence within the team will be missed.

“This girls’ team was more than just a team, they bonded, enjoyed each other’s company, laughed, they became family. I am excited to see what’s to come next season.”

CHS seniors (l to r) George Spear, Aleksia Jump, and Ezekiel Allen.

Bitting also came away impressed with her boys’ squad, which captured league and district titles in the same season for the first time since the 1970’s.

“The boys, the school history making boys! They ran amazingly,” she said. “What a group!

“The freshmen in the group, Cyrus (Sparacio) and Ossian (Merkel), truly added to the team. Their talents will take them far. This first year shaped them some but they still have so much more to give.

“Beckett (Green) and Isaiah (Allen), our sophomores, last year attended state as nonrunners #8 and #9, this year they made it and ran!! They both ran a strong race. They encouraged and pushed each other. The pack mentality is within them. Keep your eyes on them.

“Our lone junior Kenny (Jacobsen) always pushed himself and will continue to push himself. He ran a strong solid race.”

Topping things off are her two senior boys, Spear and Ezekiel Allen, who will depart along with Jump.

“George and Zeke – wow! Just wow! They will be missed!” Bitting said.

“They added so much to the team. Today they left it all on the course and both PR’d! So impressive.”

For now, the run is done, but with nine of Saturday’s 12 state meet participants scheduled to return, plus a solid group at home to join them, the future is bright.

“Next season there will be new faces, but the energy and dedication will be the same,” Bitting said.

Saturday results:

GIRLS:

Mikayla Wagner (46th) 21:58.90
Ivy Rudat (83rd) 23:26.90
Aleksia Jump (92nd) 23:47.80
Devon Wyman (101st) 24:20.80
Allie Powers (114th) 24:53.80

BOYS:

George Spear (40th) 18:08.10
Ezekiel Allen (46th) 18:18.20
Cyrus Sparacio (64th) 18:41.20
Kenneth Jacobsen (86th) 19:08.30
Ossian Merkel (117th) 20:06.50
Beckett Green (127th) 20:21.10
Isaiah Allen (130th) 20:41.50

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Lions Club honors Calkins, Spear

Posted in awards, tagged CHS Wolves, George Spear, Lions Club, Students of the Quarter, Teagan Calkins on November 6, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Teagan Calkins tosses candy to her fan club. (Julie Wheat photos)

It’s been a busy fall for Teagan Calkins and George Spear.

The Coupeville High School seniors have been at the forefront of the sports world, starring for the Wolf volleyball and cross country teams respectively.

Plus, the duo has been showcasing their big brains with their in-class performances and side gigs.

All that hard work is paying off, however, as Calkins and Spear have been tabbed as the Coupeville Lions Club Students of the Quarter.

They’ll be honored by the club at a meeting Nov. 19.

The local Lions Club, which has been chugging along awarding scholarships for 87 years, honors two CHS 12th graders each quarter during the school year, before picking two as the Students of the Year come graduation time.

School staff votes for the students, while considering things such as community service, effort, character, social relationships, leadership, scholarship, and sportsmanship.

Teagan Calkins, daughter of Jackie Saia and Shawn Calkins, is a multi-sport star for the Wolves, playing a leading role for CHS volleyball, basketball, and softball squads. She’s been to the state tourney as both a spiker and diamond ace.

“The Red Dragon” is also busy in the community, working as a volunteer ref and coach for youth sports while participating with the Lions Leo Club, Exec, Captain’s Club, and the National Honor Society.

Calkins works in the school library, is part of the Green Team environmental club, and has been a Race the Reserve volunteer.

And she’s also a popular nanny who enjoys puzzles while frequently hopping around the country to pursue life as a home run-mashing club softball player.

In the classroom, she gravitates towards science, math, and sports medicine, while maintaining a flawless 4.0 GPA.

The future? It includes plans to attend a four-year university to pursue a Biomedical Engineering or Mechanical Engineering degree.

George Spear runs between the raindrops.

Her fellow honoree, George Spear, is the son of Ward Sparacio and Teresa Stewart.

The president of the Coupeville High School Leo’s Club, he’ll be in Pasco Saturday to run in the state cross country championships for the third time.

Also an accomplished track and field athlete, Spear is involved in ASB, is a library volunteer, and a member of the National Honor Society.

Staying busy at all times, he’s worked in the catering business, as a farmhand at the Whidbey Equestrian Center, and as a pool attendant at the Sierra Country Club.

Spear enjoys math, reading, and playing Dungeons and Dragons, carries a 3.959 GPA, has been active in local food drives and beach cleanups, and is part of the Coupeville School District Facilities Task Force.

He plans to attend a United States service academy or attend college through the ROTC scholarship program, with designs on becoming a military officer.

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Wolf runners punch state tickets

Posted in Cross Country, tagged CHS Wolves, cross country, districts, George Spear, Mikayla Wagner on November 1, 2025| 1 Comment »

CHS cross country coach Elizabeth Bitting is all smiles after both her boys’ and girls’ teams qualified for state. (Photos courtesy Amber Wyman and Elizabeth Bitting)

They were built for the moment.

Overcoming brutal weather conditions Saturday in Pierce County, Coupeville High School cross country runners shone brightly at the district meet, punching their ticket to the state championships.

Competing in the Westside Classic at University Place, the Wolf boys beat the field in the 2B clash, claiming the program’s first district team title since 1977.

Back then, all-timers like Jeff Fielding, Don Sherman, and Chris Chan were flying down the trail for CHS.

This time around, seven years after the school’s cross country program was revived after a two-decade-plus shutdown, the roster includes two freshmen, two sophomores, a junior, and two seniors.

League and now district champs.

Placing four runners in the top six, the Coupeville boys held off archrival Mount Vernon Christian 36-43 to claim the crown, with Orcas Island (70) and Friday Harbor (78) rounding out the top four.

CHS and MVC advance to state, set for next Saturday, Nov. 8 in Pasco, as complete teams.

They’re headed to Pasco.

On the girls’ side of things, 2B and 1B schools competed together, with the top four teams advancing.

The Wolves, led by sophomore Mikayla Wagner’s 8th place performance, claimed the final team slot to state, finishing fourth with 91 points, edging out Tacoma’s Covenant High School (115).

Pope John Paul II (24), MVC (67), and Friday Harbor (84) will join the Wolves in Pasco.

Saturday’s meet sent runners off across a 5,000-meter course, where Mother Nature promptly unloaded on them.

And it wasn’t just the competitors, as Wolf supporters had to wage war to keep the team’s tent from flying off and never being seen again.

Wolf fans 1, Mother Nature 0.

“Imagine the worst possible conditions for running a race,” said CHS coach Elizabeth Bitting with a laugh.

“We had gale force winds, rain, light at times, heavy at times, soggy, muddy, sponge like grass, water everywhere … the worst, yet the perfect conditions for a great cross country district race!!!”

The Wolves came prepared for the challenge.

“Spikes were a MUST in this race and thankfully they all wore them,” Bitting said. “We saw a few (runners) go down … but none of ours.”

Along with having the proper gear, having a strong mindset helped, as well.

Ten of the 12 Wolves running Saturday also competed in the annual Ragnar run this summer, and the entire crew has been diligent about putting in the work necessary to grow both as individuals and as a program.

“I believe last week (at the league meet), and today’s showing are a reflection of their summer miles,” Bitting said. “I love it when they buy into it!!”

Allie Powers outraces the weather.

Saturday results:

GIRLS:

Mikayla Wagner (8th) 23:19.0
Ivy Rudat (18th) 24:31.4
Aleksia Jump (19th) 24:33.9
Allie Powers (25th) 25:18.3
Devon Wyman (27th) 25:29.1

BOYS:

George Spear (2nd) 18:33.0
Ezekiel Allen (3rd) 18:57.3
Cyrus Sparacio (5th) 19:09.8
Kenneth Jacobsen (6th) 19:13.6
Ossian Merkel (20th) 20:56.7
Isaiah Allen (21st) 21:00.9
Beckett Green (22nd) 21:15.3

Devon Wyman powers to the finish line.

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Runners sizzle at league championship meet

Posted in Cross Country, tagged CHS Wolves, cross country, George Spear, Mikayla Wagner, Northwest League on October 23, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Isaiah Allen zips along at the league championship meet. (Shaloma Allen photos)

They stand alone on the mountain top.

Placing four runners in the top nine Thursday in Mount Vernon, the Coupeville High School boys’ cross country team ran away with a team title at the Northwest 2B/1B League Championships.

It’s the third league title in program history, following a shared title in 2022. Other than that, you have to go back to 1977 when the Wolf boys ruled the Cascade League.

It also pulls Coupeville male runners even with their female counterparts, who won league crowns in 1982, 2021, and 2022.

Not bad for a cross country program which was revived in 2018 after lying dormant since the early 1990’s.

For CHS coach Elizabeth Bitting, who has been the driving force behind the rebirth and growth of the harrier team, this latest accomplishment is something worth celebrating.

“What a season! I am so proud of these runners,” she said. “They have pushed through illnesses and injuries and are peaking when they need to be.

“Just about every runner who ran this course last season set a personal record at today’s race.”

Tearing up the 5,000-meter course, the Wolf boys, who were led by third-place finisher George Spear, finished with 46 points, holding off Mount Vernon Christian (46) and Evangel Classical (55) to claim the title.

Spear not only set a PR Thursday but ran the second-fastest time by a Wolf boy in the modern era.

He edged past Danny Conlisk, Carson Field, and Mitchell Hall, and trails only Tyler King, who won a state title in 2010 running as a Lone Wolf without a team.

Devon Wyman cruises for the finish line.

Coupeville’s girls, who got a third-place finish from Mikayla Wagner, also finished strongly Thursday, earning third with 57 points, trailing only MVC (26) and Friday Harbor (43).

Up next for the Wolves is the Westside Classic, set for Saturday, Nov. 1 at University Place. That meet is the qualifier for state, and CHS sends 12 runners.

Barring any changes between now and then, the lineup will be Wagner, Aleksia Jump, Ivy Rudat, Devon Wyman, and Allie Powers on the girls side of things.

The boys will be Spear, Cyrus Sparacio, Ezekiel Allen, Kenneth Jacobsen, Beckett Green, Ossian Merkel, and Isaiah Allen.

Thursday results:

GIRLS:

Mikayla Wagner (3rd) 21:55.3
Aleksia Jump (11th) 23:46.6
Ivy Rudat (12th) 23:47.1
Devon Wyman (18th) 24:33.4
Allie Powers (19th) 24:45.2
Ava Lucero (26th) 28:40.9

Aleksia Jump enjoys her nature run.

BOYS:

George Spear (3rd) 17:40.7
Cyrus Sparacio (4th) 17:52.9
Ezekiel Allen (8th) 18:23.0
Kenneth Jacobsen (9th) 18:26.8
Ossian Merkel (23rd) 19:43.8
Beckett Green (27th) 19:59.4
Johnathan Jacobsen (29th) 20:12.4
Isaiah Allen (31st) 20:16.3
Will Tierney (42nd) 21:33.3
Hunter Atteberry (44th) 21:54.0
Donovan Fox (54th) 26:30.3
Nolan Hunt (55th) 26:46.8
Zach Blitch (56th) 28:30.9
Zachary Saho (60th) 38:17.7