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Posts Tagged ‘Happy birthday’

Micky LeVine, urban legend.

Micky LeVine, urban legend.

Micky LeVine will knock a girl out.

Now, you may be surprised to hear that, since the Coupeville High School junior seems like a pretty easy-going young woman who usually is wearing a smile.

Add on that she seems like a devoted older sister to younger siblings Jae and Izzy, and she doesn’t fit the classic profile of a brawler.

But mess with one of her soccer teammates, and the petite one will unleash the wrath of freakin’ God upon your head.

Her enduring moment on the pitch — and she’s had a ton of big ones playing for both CHS and the Whidbey Islanders GU18 select squad — came when she felt one of her girls had been unnecessarily roughed up by a rival team.

Out came the fists, like Wolverine popping the claws, and LeVine offered to drop-kick the entire other squad, and the ref as well, into tomorrow.

Rarely has a yellow card been more appreciated by a player’s coach and teammates.

Interesting fact: the other team immediately stopped trying to push the Islanders around.

And thus a nickname was born.

Well, at least in my mind, it was. Who knows if anyone else calls Ms. LeVine “Two Fists?”

They should, though.

Today, as she celebrates her 17th birthday — rumor has it that her arrival forced mom Joline to skip out early on an episode of “Days of Our Lives” — Micky is a justly-celebrated soccer and tennis standout.

She’s a bright, shining star who deserves her moment in the spotlight.

Just don’t get between her and her birthday cake, that’s all I’m sayin’. Cause she has two fists, and she knows how to use ’em.

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Ally Roberts, she was born awesome. (John Fisken and Jennifer Eelkema-Roberts photos)

Ally Roberts, she was born awesome.

She is heir to a pretty impressive legacy.

Her grandfather (Sandy Roberts) was a legendary Coupeville High School coach.

Her dad (Jay Roberts), aunt (Sherry (Bonacci) Roberts) and uncle (Jon Roberts) were all premier athletes during their times as Wolves.

Her older sister (Madeline Roberts) is going to play softball on scholarship in college.

So it’s a good thing Ally Roberts is pretty dang awesome herself. Otherwise, she might not have much to talk about during family get-togethers.

But the CHS freshman, who celebrates her 15th birthday today, has already accomplished much in her short time as a Wolf.

Volleyball player, and sparker of the one-woman “Ally Rally.” Irrepressible cheerleader whose smile lights up the entire gym on its own. Both nice accomplishments.

But put her on a horse, and that’s where Ally really rules.

Her collection of ribbons and trophies is building at a staggering rate, and at the top of the pile is a state championship she claimed in intermediate trail riding at the Washington State Fair in September.

That event is no walk in the park, consisting of a rider taking their horse through a course that can include gate (open and close), bridge walk-throughs (cones or poles), jog- throughs (cones or poles), jog-overs (poles on the ground), back-throughs (L’s, U’s, serpentines), loping (circles, over poles) and sidepassing (i.e. to a mailbox).

What’s next for the pint-sized spark-plug? More ribbons, more trophies, more awesomeness, and then, probably total freakin’ world dominance.

So learn her name now, cause you’ll be saying it a lot over the next few years.

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Hunter Hammer, the biggest thing to happen to sports coverage on Whidbey ... ever.

Just a taste of Hunter Hammer. Bottom row, the early days with dad Mark (left) and mom Linda (right). Above, the modern day master at work.

It’s another busy day at Wolf Nation’s Birthday Center.

CHS junior golfer Christine Fields, a two-time state meet competitor, hits the big 1-7 today.

Also, highly-respected hoops guru Avis Mitchell, who has given the Wolves three basketball players in the last two years (sons Anthony Bergeron, Dante Mitchell and DeAndre Mitchell) celebrates her arrival on the planet.

But the fact remains, in terms of Coupeville High School sports, both are overshadowed by the six-foot-seven legend himself, the one true Page Hit King, the man, the myth … Hunter Hammer.

Many have come for his title, and a few have made some serious inroads — I’m looking at you, softball sensation McKayla “Photo Bomb Queen” Bailey.

But none have knocked him off his perch yet.

Hammer, whether rejecting shots by delusional basketball rivals who dared to drive into his paint or flinging shot puts into the great wide unknown, is now, always was, and will always be, a first-class athletic beast.

But what separates him from others is his love of the camera, his willingness to go that extra mile to deliver the kind of photos that bring me increased page hits.

Without his birth 21 years ago today, we probably wouldn’t be talking about coupevillesports.com now.

Cause, seriously, what reason would there be for us to exist if not to pay tribute to the king?

It is always Hammer Time around these parts, and no one has to tell us to stop to get us to honor him.

Hunter, you complete us. And now I need to go to another room, because I told myself I wouldn’t cry and…

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Madeline Strasburg, AKA Maddie Big Time. (Photos by Shelli Trumbull/John Fisken/Linda Hammer)

Madeline Strasburg, AKA Maddie Big Time. (Photos by Shelli Trumbull/John Fisken/Linda Hammer)

Madeline Strasburg gets visibly annoyed at times when she’s playing.

And that’s a good thing, because when she does, the Coupeville High School junior, who celebrates her 17th birthday today, generally responds by unleashing a butt-whuppin’ on the rival team that has just irritated her.

If she loses the basketball on one play, or gets a foul called on her by a blind ref, she slams down the court like a whirlwind the next and rams the ball right down the throat of the defense.

Twice last season, in back-to-back games that were two weeks apart thanks to winter break, she pulled off the same dazzling play from the very same place on the court — virtual mirror images reflecting Strasburg fully earning the nickname Maddie Big Time.

In both games, she capped the third quarter by stealing the ball, whirling around and draining LONG three-point bombs off the glass, shots that dropped through the twine a mere fraction of a second before the horn sounded.

Then, both times, she spun around, hands slapping her thighs like a gunslinger putting away their six-shooters.

Rival fans and coaches cried softly those days, while Maddie Big Time permitted a small smile to grace her lips.

Even then, it was the smile of a stone cold killer.

CHS has some very talented athletes, but Strasburg is a rarity.

At a time when everyone has been raised to be overly reverent and deferential to the players on the opposing teams, she’s a bit of a throw back.

Volleyball, basketball, softball. Pick a sport. She is here to kick your butt.

That’s a beautiful thing to see.

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Taya Boonstra: American Legend

Taya Boonstra — she doesn’t mind if you take her photo.

Taya Boonstra is God’s gift to photographers.

Part of a proud tradition of camera-friendly Coupeville High School athletes that includes McKayla Bailey, Hunter Hammer and Caleb Valko, Ms. Boonstra never met a camera she couldn’t photo bomb.

During her time as a Wolf, whether she was doing time as a cheerleader or playing in the games herself, the irrepressible one always sparkled on camera.

She played her rear off on the court and diamond, but never failed to keep one eye cocked for a wandering camera.

Now a student at the University of Washington, Taya celebrates her birthday today. The legend turns 20.

And on this day, and every other day, we celebrate her — one of the classiest, sassiest to ever wear the red and black.

She made her town a better place, and she will always be held in high regard by those who have known her.

You are the gold standard, Ms. Boonstra. Never change.

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