Hall of Fame | Coupeville Sports

Posts Tagged ‘Hall of Fame’

They made the gym jump

Posted in Boys Basketball, tagged Boys Basketball, CHS Wolves, Hall of Fame, Northwest League, state championships on June 16, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville celebrates its first boys basketball district title since 1970. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

They found joy in despair and made the night rock once again.

Not that many years back, the Coupeville High School boys basketball program endured a winless season-plus.

The number of fans in the stands dwindled, excitement ebbed, and that was before a worldwide pandemic crushed the life out of just about everyone.

But the Wolves endured and they rebounded.

Brad Sherman, one of the best to ever make the nets flip in the CHS gym, accepted his prairie destiny and returned to build a program which honored those who came before while looking to craft a bright future.

Brad and Abbey Sherman and their future All-Conference hoops stars. (Deb Sherman photo)

As Sherman and his fellow Wolf coaches worked tirelessly, they drew on a core of players from the Class of 2022.

Three ball-happy sniper Hawthorne Wolfe was the first to reach the varsity, a starter from day one of his 9th grade season, and he was soon followed by Xavier Murdy, the glue.

Later, Logan Martin and Grady Rickner would join, with Miles Davidson contributing while battling through extensive injuries.

Two were missing, with Bennett Boyles battling valiantly against brain cancer in middle school, and Caleb Meyer having moved to the big city before his freshman campaign.

But Bennett, even after his premature passing, remains with his friends in spirit, with Wolfe writing his name on his sneakers, and the team saving a chair on the bench for their youthful companion.

Then, as the world struggled to rise from the pandemic, with masks still required, and frequent Covid tests making it a struggle to keep a roster whole, the last touchstone of my Videoville days returned.

He’s taller now, stronger now, with a lot more of the curly locks he rocked even as a lil’ kid, but Caleb Meyer’s smile still lights up the gym, and his reentry into Wolf Nation was like a lock clicking into place.

Suddenly the Wolves who ran together in middle school were back together, and, backed by a strong group of underclassmen, they were ready to rock the world.

It began with the ultimate smack upside the head, with Coupeville, a 2B school, drop-kicking 3A Oak Harbor — the Wolves proving they wouldn’t crack under pressure, wouldn’t back down against their big-city neighbors, showing a new age had arrived.

Meyer, repeatedly hit in the arms and body by feisty Wildcat defenders as he brought the ball up court, just smiled and never flinched, the ball zinging into the waiting hands of teammates.

Caleb Meyer brings the heat. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Things ended with CHS students storming the court while Wolfe flexed and popped his uniform.

Revenge for an overtime loss to OHHS as a freshman when refs swallowed their whistles as he was brutally thrashed on the final play in regulation?

Possibly, or maybe just an acknowledgment that things were going to be different this time around.

And man, were they ever.

Covid hung over everything — with Sherman often forced to juggle his lineup hours before tipoff as players were sidelined — and it didn’t matter.

Every night a different Wolf seemed to go off, and the hot hand was always fed.

Look, it’s high school ball and, down deep, every player wants to be the guy racking up points, but the 2021-2022 CHS squad did a better job than most at sharing the load — and looking happy about doing it.

They made the pass to the open guy.

They scrambled for every rebound and loose ball.

They sacrificed personal glory for the good of the whole.

A butt hit the floor and four other Wolves ran to pick up the fifth guy.

They were one of the most cohesive teams I’ve seen in my time writing about prep sports, and it paid off.

Win after win, whether it be a rout, or the occasional stunning come-from-behind victory, carried them to a promised land not seen by the boys hoops program in decades.

Team, above all else. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

The first league title since 2002, when Sherman himself was still dropping three-balls from the parking lot.

The first district title since 1970, thanks to a win over eternal bogeyman La Conner on Coupeville’s home court in a gym as loud as any I have personally witnessed.

The first trip to the state championships since 1988, back when then head coach Ron Bagby was still rockin’ the ‘stache and the short shorts.

Coupeville was 16-0 when the big dance began — the only unbeaten team left in 2B — and, while the Wolves fell to established powers Kalama and Lake Roosevelt, they pushed both teams hard.

They won praise from rival coaches, media types, and state tourney broadcasters, for their defense, for their hustle, and for the way they meshed.

“Get yourself a hype man like Hawthorne Wolfe!” screamed one giddy play-by-play man, after Hawk danced in celebration when sophomore Logan Downes splashed home a long-range bomb.

It was a theme which continued as the Maraudin’ Murdy boys — Xavier and Alex — relentlessly harassed rival ballhandlers, and Meyer grabbed Rickner and Martin in bearhugs after big plays.

Xavier Murdy cuts down a memory. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Heading into the state tourney, it was obvious few outsiders had any respect for CHS basketball.

If they even knew where Whidbey Island was, they certainly had never seen the Wolf boys play at a high level in a really long time, and we were an afterthought, even at 16-0.

That changed, and now, when Coupeville next steps on a big stage, the conversation will start from a different place.

This is how you build a program, and this team, which overcame deep personal loss and troubling times, will live on as the guys who started the rebirth.

Their accomplishments will sit proudly on the Wall of Fame in the CHS gym, and, after this, they will also be a part of the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame.

Pop up to the top of the blog, under the Legends tab, and you’ll find them sitting side-by-side with some of the most-successful teams in school history.

But, most of all, the ’21-’22 varsity hoops team will live on in the memories of those who saw them play, those who were on the floor, and those who will follow them.

All the young boys and girls who crowded into the CHS gym game after game, the ones who whooped and hollered and high-fived Hawk and X and Co.?

They will take the next step, hit the next bucket, spread the story of Wolf basketball.

Honor the past, embrace the present, strive for the best in the future.

This is the way, the way they were taught by a team for the ages.

Inducted as a team:

The 2021-2022 CHS boys varsity basketball team:

Coaches:

Randy Bottorff
Arik Garthwaite
Brad Sherman
Hunter Smith
Greg White

Players:

Hunter Bronec
Dominic Coffman
Logan Downes
Nick Guay
Logan Martin
Caleb Meyer
Alex Murdy
Xavier Murdy
Zane Oldenstadt
Grady Rickner
Jonathan Valenzuela
Cole White
Hawthorne Wolfe

Managers:

Miles Davidson
David Somes

Team Mom:

Courtney Simpson-Pilgrim

In Memory:

Bennett Boyles

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Bitting a true “fountain of joy”

Posted in Cross Country, Hall o' Fame, Track, tagged CMS Wolves, cross country, Elizabeth Bitting, Hall of Fame, track and field on December 26, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Elizabeth Bitting, the newest inductee into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame. (Jackie Saia photo)

There are many different types of coaches.

The screamer. The silent leader. Captain gung-ho. The passive-aggressive prodder.

It goes on and on, but the rarest of the bunch may be the fountain of joy.

That’s a coach who really, truly loves their athletes, one who seeks out superstars and marginal role players alike, making each and every one feel important and treasured.

With no disrespect meant to other Coupeville coaches, past or present, one woman stands alone in best exemplifying those traits for Wolf Nation.

Whether working with middle school athletes, or high school competitors, whether guiding track teams or cross country squads, Elizabeth Bitting is our fountain of joy.

Having worked with her for several years now, I can attest to the level of her commitment, which is extraordinary.

Bitting has helped guide champions to their destiny, and exulted in her athlete’s achievement.

But she is also always there when the last runner crawls across the finish line — genuinely thrilled in a two-second improvement for that young girl or boy.

A stellar athlete in high school and college, Bitting continues to compete in running events, from 5K’s to endurance-level tests of the human soul.

She loves running, and it shows in her words and action.

Never more so than when she takes the lessons she’s learned while pounding away on backwoods trails, finds that 12-year-old kid who has never been an athlete, and lights a fire inside of them that they never expected to find.

When you look at Bitting during races, she is a tsunami of joy, and it touches her own athletes and rivals from other schools.

The running guru nimbly installs confidence and joy into each of her young athletes. (Elizabeth Bitting photo)

And that explosion of joy soon filters across the faces of virtually all of her young charges.

Trace the line of photos during a Coupeville Middle School track or cross country season, and you see the growth.

Athletes who looked shy and anxious in the early going have a new confidence as the season plays out.

Half-smiles widen into huge grins, and the interplay between the young Wolves and their exuberant coach becomes a two-way street.

Cross country is often a lonely sport, with runners navigating trails and underbrush off on their own, but it is also a perfect launching pad.

You don’t have to learn intricate team plays, or find your spot in a five or 11-player lineup. You just have to put one foot in front of the other, then celebrate each “win” against your personal clock.

It’s a beautiful entry sport for girls and boys of all sizes, shapes, and athletic backgrounds (or lack thereof).

And how blessed then are the young Wolves, who find the coach awaiting them to be a hardy mix of sunshine and love — a woman who makes their time on the trails a truly positive experience?

Bitting is a joy to work with as a writer, as well.

She’s quick to send info, goes into great detail, and often shoots photos of her young stars which provide a behind-the-scenes look rarely captured by those clicking away from the outside.

Toss in the fact she birthed what we now know as Race the Reserve, and her positive impact on our schools and our community just continues to grow.

Celebrating at Race the Reserve. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

So, while we could wait until retirement to induct her into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame, the answer to that would be a simple, why?

For one thing, we all hope Bitting keeps at it for years (decades?) to come.

And secondly, inducting her now gives us a chance to reflect a bit of that shine back on to her, to let her know how much we all respect her.

So, after this, when you look up at the top of the blog, under the Legends tab, that’s where you’ll find Bitting hanging out.

Over the years we’ve had a lot of good coaches in Coupeville, and we’ve had a few bad ones. It would be the same in any town.

But no other community has Elizabeth Bitting, which truly sets us apart from the pack.

She is joy unleashed, and we all benefit from being a part of her universe.

A freakin’ fountain of joy, I said. (Morgan White photo)

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She’s the Master(s) of two worlds

Posted in Girls Tennis, Hall o' Fame, Volleyball, tagged artwork, Hall of Fame, Jaimee Masters, tennis, volleyball on September 10, 2021| 1 Comment »

Coupeville’s Jaimee Masters, a two-sport athlete who also possesses oodles of artistic talent. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Talent on the court, talent off the court.

A highly-accomplished artist and two-sport athlete, Jaimee Masters had a sizable impact during her days at Coupeville High School.

She followed in the footsteps of cousin Hope Lodell on the volleyball court, but carved out her own solid reputation.

A hard worker with a team-first attitude, Jaimee played all four seasons during high school, working her way into being a valuable role player for the Wolf varsity.

Masters played multiple positions on the court, but always gave her all.

As a senior, she played in 29 of 30 sets during a pandemic-shortened campaign, racking up a solid number of digs as a dependable back-row assassin for a CHS squad which claimed second-place in the Northwest 2B/1B League.

Her tenacity and solid work ethic greatly helped her on the tennis court, as well.

Playing both singles and doubles over the course of her hardcourt run, Jaimee ended her prep net career by teaming with Emily Fiedler to form Coupeville’s #1 doubles duo.

The seniors didn’t get to play as many matches as they might have liked — again with the Covid restrictions — but they took advantage of every opportunity presented.

“Prepare to die, Mr. Tennis Ball!”

Facing off with Friday Harbor in a six-match royal rumble, Coupeville went undefeated during Jaimee’s senior season.

As in truly undefeated, with a 6-0 mark in team matches, and a 30-0 record in individual rumbles.

Masters and Fiedler strolled to straight-sets wins in all six of their matches, winning them by a combined score of 72-11.

They were brutal, efficient, and remarkably kind to the rival players they were battering, showcasing their athletic skills, but also their compassion.

While sports accomplishments are the driving force behind this blog, it’s also worth noting that Jaimee’s talents go far beyond the athletic world.

During the early days of Covid lockdown, with no games to write about, I transitioned a bit and tried to highlight other skills.

One of those areas was artwork, and Jaimee was a particular standout there, showing off works of precise beauty and artistry.

That mixture of talent, hard work, and a caring soul helped her accomplish great things during her school days in Coupeville, and should serve her well as she charges out into the adult world.

Today, though, we’re bringing Jaimee back for a moment, as we induct her into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame.

It’s a well-deserved honor for a remarkable young woman, and, after this, you can catch her hanging out at the top of the blog, up under the Legends tab.

Jaimee never asked for praise, but instead went out and earned it every step of the way.

The true mark of a great one.

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Forever a hard worker, high achiever

Posted in Girls Soccer, Hall o' Fame, tagged CHS Wolves, Emily Rose, Enterprise, Girls Soccer, Hall of Fame on August 25, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Emily Rose has followed up high school soccer success with impressive real-world achievement. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Work hard in silence. Let success be your noise.

Having done the former, Emily (May) Rose is hopefully enjoying the latter.

The 2017 Coupeville High School grad has gone from selling sweet, sweet soft serve at Oak Harbor’s Dairy Queen during her teen years, to rocking the world of big business.

Having earned a B.A. in Business Administration with a minor in applied advertising and strategic communications from Washington State University, Emily is now off to join the management trainee program with Enterprise.

That follows on the heels of raking in sales for Alta Marketing, as she juggled all the parts of her busy life with the same skill she once brought to the soccer pitch.

A perfect complementary player, Emily played at midfielder and forward for the Wolves, providing an often-potent scoring touch with a willingness to do whatever was necessary for the betterment of her team.

While she played alongside some of the biggest names in CHS girls soccer history, her impact was noticed by those down on the pitch.

“She was so overlooked by many, and yet she always worked hard,” said a former teammate, who bumped me in the direction of inducting Emily into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame.

It was an easy decision, as I already had her on my master list of former Wolves worthy of being immortalized in our lil’ digital shrine.

But knowing others out there, and especially those who played alongside Emily, felt the same way, really tips the scales in her favor.

Ever alert and ready to pounce on a scoring opportunity. (Sylvia Hurlburt photo)

Emily’s four goals as a CHS booter — three as a junior and a final tally as a senior — ties her on the all-time CHS girls scoring list with Hayley Waterman and Erin Rosenkranz.

That’s a quality trio there, as both of those older-school Wolves are among the best to ever pull on a Coupeville uniform, while also being truly brilliant scholars who have been highly-successful in real life.

Like her counterparts in the four-goal club, Emily was never the focal point of her team’s offensive plan.

Instead, she put in the work, grinding and putting herself in the right places at the right time.

Emily could scramble and scrap and fight for 50/50 balls, and, given the chance, she had a nimble scoring touch.

Through it all, as her former teammate attested to, she never coasted, and should feel justifiably proud of her prep sports career.

Now, as she rapidly climbs the real-world business ladder of success, her work ethic, her commitment, her inner strength, are all being highlighted and recognized.

So I’m more than happy to induct Emily into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame, and, after this, you’ll be able to find her hanging around under the Legends tab at the top of the blog.

Well, symbolically at least.

In real life, Emily is not the type to rest on her laurels or past glory.

Instead, she’s boldly achieving success and impressing folks with each new day, a high achiever who shines as brightly as her smile did when she stalked the prairie pitch.

A hard worker and high achiever, on and off the pitch. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

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An old-school warrior in a new-school era

Posted in Baseball, Football, Hall o' Fame, tagged baseball, CHS Wolves, football, Hall of Fame, Matt Hilborn on August 24, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Matt Hilborn pulls off a web gem. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Matt Hilborn often reminded me of Wiley Hesselgrave.

The pair crossed paths at Coupeville High School very briefly, with the former playing his freshman season of football as the latter wrapped up his senior campaign.

Other than that they weren’t on the same teams, as Hesselgrave played basketball, while Hilborn opted for baseball.

But both guys, the CHS Class of 2016 one — among the most highly-respected Wolf athletes of the modern era — and the Class of 2019 one, always struck me as being very similar in how they approached their time repping Cow Town.

They were old-school players putting in work during a new-school time frame, dudes who showed up to practice and games with lunchbox seemingly in hand, ready to work.

Neither wasted much time on social media, and neither wasted much time flexing between plays.

Hilborn, like Hesselgrave, let his actions speak louder than words, and will be fondly remembered by coaches, teammates, and fans long after moving on to post-high school pursuits.

The oldest of Scott and Wendi’s two sons, Matt was a true four-year star, making an impact on both the Wolf football and baseball programs from his debut to his Senior Night farewells.

A two-way warrior on the gridiron. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

On the gridiron, he had skills and pop.

Matt could lay a hurtin’ on rivals, flying into the scrum ready to break fools in half, and pop the football free for his squad to recover.

But he was also a huge asset on the offensive side of the ball, as a runner and receiver, or returning kicks.

Having sent an electric jolt through the assembled Wolf faithful, Matt, like Wiley before him, would pop back up, nod (ever so slightly), then move on to the next play.

He didn’t prance around and celebrate tackling a third-string runner late in a game where his team trailed by three touchdowns, like some.

Matt wasn’t big on theatrics, but he was huge on results.

That carried over to the diamond, where he landed on multiple all-league teams while putting in work on the pitching mound and patrolling the infield.

His bat had pop, his legs could generate some speed, and, above all, he was a smart, seemingly self-contained player.

Add in an arm which could rip off some nasty pitches, and the Wolves were blessed during his four-year run.