Former Coupeville High School girls’ basketball coaches Bob Barker and Phyllis Textor returned to the gym they once ruled. (Danette Beckley photo)
They rose to the moment.
Playing in front of a packed house on the night when Coupeville celebrated 50 years of high school girls’ basketball, the current varsity squad delivered a statement win.
Bouncing back strongly after a tough loss on Friday Harbor a night before, the Wolves built a big first-half lead Saturday, then coasted in for a 32-20 win over visiting South Whidbey.
The non-conference victory, coming against its next-door neighbors, lifts CHS to 3-3 on the season.
The anniversary night drew a substantial crowd, highlighted by numerous former coaches, players, and support staff.
Then the current Wolves went out and kept scorekeeper June Mazdra busy, as she works her way through a 30th season of keeping the books flawless.
Coupeville closed the first quarter on a 9-0 tear, with five of those points coming off the red-hot fingers of Mia Farris, to claim an 11-3 advantage at the first break.
Things continued in a most pleasant manner after that, as the Wolves swapped opening buckets with the Falcons in the second frame, then scored the final 10 points of the half.
Lyla Stuurmans, following in the footsteps of a torrid JV performance from lil’ sis Tenley, made the net keep jumping.
A steal and breakaway bucket sent an electric jolt through the packed throng, while a long jumper torched the net on its way down to stake the Wolves to a 23-5 lead at the half.
Coupeville honored its top 15 career scorers during an extended break, then brought out a fair portion of the 1999-2000 team, which owns the first state tourney win of any Wolf girls’ squad.
After that, former coaches and players on hand gathered at center court for a group photo, with old school roundball gurus such as Phyllis Textor, Bob Barker, and Bill Evans joined by more recent coaches such as Willie Smith, Greg Oldham, Geoff Kappes, and David and Amy King.
Current Wolves (left to right) Lyla Stuurmans, Mia Farris, Jada Heaton, and Madison McMillan have won three of their last four games. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Once back on the court, the current Wolves put the ball back into the hands of Farris, with the junior gunner slashing to the hoop for multiple layups.
The biggest roar in the late going came for Katie Marti, whose late aunt Judy — still the single-game scoring record holder for the CHS girls — was honored at halftime.
Attacking with giddy glee and wrestling the ball away from a frazzled Falcon, Christi Messner’s wild child brought her million family members to their feet.
While hopefully earning a smile of approval from former Wolf Jodi (Christensen) Crimmins, back in the stands in the gym where she used to terrorize rival players with her own mad dog defensive style.
As former players and coaches united, some for the first time in years, Madeline (Strasburg) Dixon’s adorable mini-me happily bounced around the gym where his mom once slayed South Whidbey with a half-court buzzer beater.
While there was no need of late-game heroics this time around, Farris and McMillan made a splendid duo, going off for 11 and 10 points respectively.
Marti added five, and with 104 points and counting, is the 110th Wolf girl to crack triple digits in the last 50 years.
She’s also just 22 points away from passing mom on the career scoring chart, for those keeping track of such stuff.
Stuurmans (4) and Teagan Calkins (2) rounded out the scoring attack, with Reese Wilkinson, Kayla Arnold, and Jada Heaton also seeing floor time for the Wolves.
Coupeville returns to action Tuesday with a home game against non-conference foe Forks, then hits the road to travel over the mountains for a pair of holiday tournament-style bouts against Cle Elum and Kittitas.
After that, they’re off until early January.
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