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Posts Tagged ‘Jenn Spark’

“She was a lion in that box!!”

Posted in Girls Soccer, tagged , , , , on September 8, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Lauren Grove, seen here last spring when she was smashing track records, had a strong soccer debut Tuesday.

   Lauren Grove, seen here last spring when she was smashing track records, had a strong soccer debut Tuesday.

One game.

That was all it took for Lauren Grove to have her one shining moment on the soccer pitch.

Having made the jump over from volleyball, the Coupeville High School junior played like a beast in goal for the Wolves on opening night Tuesday, earning kudos from her coach for the way she helped carry her squad to a 3-3 tie against host Mount Vernon Christian.

“The MVP of the game had to be Lauren Grove. She was a lion in that box!,” said CHS coach Troy Cowan. “For her first time in the box in like forever and getting limited training, she did great!

“Coming off her line and attacking strikers with reckless abandonment, diving and crawling on the ground for every ball was really inspiring!,” he added. “Two weeks ago she couldn’t drop kick the ball out of 10 yards, tonight she was clearing the ball to the 50!!!

“She was very impressive and I was very proud of her. She kept us in the match and ensured we didn’t lose!”

Kicking off a new season against a non-conference foe, the Wolves jumped out to a 3-1 lead at the half, riding goals from sophomores Mia Littlejohn and Sage Renninger and fab frosh Kalia Littlejohn.

“Girls played well for their first full match together,” Cowan said. “First half was a dominant one and where I thought we were going to coast to an easy victory.”

MVC scratched back into the game in the second half, taking advantage of a very young Coupeville defense.

“We are relying on some inexperienced, young defensive players to learn on the job,” Cowan said. “The playing experience is awesome for the new players, but it can be painful to watch.

“I just have to keep reminding myself and the few veterans remaining that it’s part of the growing pains that a young team has to go through and that the game is always the best teacher!,” he added. “We will learn from our experiences and get better.”

Along with Grove’s play in net and the rapid-fire goals, Cowan was pleased with the return of senior Jenn Spark, who missed most of last season after a devastating knee injury.

“My personal highlight of the night was to see Jennifer back on the pitch playing soccer,” Cowan said. “She had her moments and scared me a few others, but overall she played well.”

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The Spark is back!!

Posted in Girls Soccer, tagged , , , , , on August 30, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Jenn Spark is back, healthy and ready to lead the Wolf booters. (John Fisken photos)

   Jenn Spark is back, healthy and ready to lead the Wolf booters. (John Fisken photos)

Bree Daigneault (left) will be a captain this season.

Bree Daigneault (#17) will be a captain this season.

The brightest bit of news from the first week of practice for the Coupeville High School girls’ soccer squad was the return of senior spark-plug Jenn Spark.

The defensive whiz kid with the booming clearing kick suffered a devastating MCL/ACL injury and missed most of her junior campaign, but is back to lead a young Wolf squad into a new season.

“Jennifer has been working hard and I expect great things from her and she expects great things from herself,” Wolf coach Troy Cowan said. “She will take the helm of our defense as our “sweeper.” Welcome back Cap!”

Coupeville, which went 6-7-1 and finished second in the 1A Olympic League last season, will face an uphill battle in 2015.

League rival Klahowya is the defending 1A state champ, and while it lost its top two players, McKenzie Cook and Izzy Severns, to graduation, the Eagles are still stacked.

“Tough team to deal with, lots of talented players on the pitch and a coach that is always well prepared and has a bench full of starters!,” Cowan said. “We will do our best and give them everything we have, no excuses and no backing down.”

While the Wolves lost eight players to graduation, Spark will have some familiar running mates and a strong group of promising freshmen will be fighting for immediate playing time.

Sophomore Mia Littlejohn is the top returning scorer, having netted three goals while winning Rookie of the Year honors last season.

“Mia’s versatility allowed her to play goalie to forward for CHS last year, but after an extremely successful European soccer tour, Mia’s offensive prowess will be on display full time this season!,” Cowan said. “No net will be safe this season, ciao…”

Junior Bree Daigneault and sophomore Sage Renninger (“she hasn’t missed a beat and her shot is better than ever”) join Spark and Littlejohn at the forefront, with Daigneault being named a team captain.

“I think Bree has surprised me the most. She really worked hard since last year and has transformed herself into something special,” Cowan said. “Not only is she a much more physically dominating player, but her leadership is profoundly distinctive and magnanimous.

“Bree has added quickness and ball control to her game,” he added. “She really came out of the gate on fire and hasn’t looked back.”

Two youngsters expected to make an immediate impact are freshmen Kalia Littlejohn and Lindsey Roberts.

“Kalia will be fun to watch this season, so everyone better come early because you may not want to miss the show this young striker is going to put on!,” Cowan said. “Not to be outdone, Lindsey has turned her golden track shoes in for spiked soccer cleats and we have been picking up the bodies ever since.

“This young, defensive-minded speedster with power in both legs has been anything but freshman like! Just dangerous.”

While the Wolves will miss the veterans lost to graduation, Cowan looks to the future, and sees a bright one.

“Our goals are simple; Stay positive, improve each and every half, give 100% effort, and never, ever quit!,” he said. “We are going to focus on what we can control and manage what we can’t!

“Our team strengths are our youthfulness and our high energy,” Cowan added. “We are very young and have some players with a lot of energy. We will be looking to capitalize on that energy and use it to gain momentum and turn it into our advantage.”

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Get well soon, Sparky!!

Posted in Girls Soccer, tagged , , , , on October 28, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Jenn Spark shares a light moment with the surgery crew. (Kali Barrio photos)

Jenn Spark shares a light moment with the surgery crew. (Kali Barrio photos)

Boyfriend Anthony Bergeron

Boyfriend Anthony Bergeron waits for Spark to get out of surgery.

A blown-out knee is preventing Jenn Spark from playing, but not cheering.

   Even with a hurt knee, Spark has continued to cheer on her team. (John Fisken photo)

One of Coupeville’s best and brightest is on the mend.

Wolf junior Jenn Spark, owner of the most ferocious leg to ever patrol the backfield on a soccer pitch, underwent extensive surgery today to fix her knee, which she blew out late in a game earlier this month.

After having the work done at Seattle Children’s in Bellevue, Spark hit Twitter to muse “I’m on so many drugs, it’s funny.”

Hopefully the pain killers (and the doctors) do their work, and do it well.

All of Wolf Nation is pulling for a fast, fairly painless recovery for the feistiest of defenders.

We hope to see you back on the pitch sooner rather than later. But more than that, we want to see you walking without pain, enjoying your life.

All the best, Sparky, from all of your many fans.

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“She is a warrior and will overcome!!”

Posted in Girls Soccer, GU18 Whidbey Islanders, tagged , , , , on October 5, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Jenn Spark

  All positive thoughts and prayers go out to CHS soccer captain Jenn Spark as she starts the road back from a blown-out knee. (John Fisken photos)

Spark unleashes a shot in a game from last season.

Spark unleashes a shot in a game last season.

The Spark has been extinguished. For now.

A devastating injury suffered in the final minutes of her team’s last game has ended the soccer season for Coupeville High School junior defender Jenn Spark.

An MRI taken Friday revealed the Wolf captain had done far worse damage than originally thought.

An initial visit to the ER after Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Mount Vernon Christian had raised hopes she had a sprain, but it wasn’t to be.

“Our worst fears came to fruition,” said CHS coach Troy Cowan. “Jennifer completely blew her knee out; it couldn’t be more serious.

“The MRI results read like a knee surgeon’s shopping list — grade 1 MCL and ACL strain, deep bone bruise, partial meniscus tear and a completely shredded ACL.”

Spark confirmed she will need surgery and is expected to miss at least six months, which will cost her the rest of the high school season and prevent her from playing select soccer with her GU18 Whidbey Islanders squad.

“We will badly miss her abilities, leadership, and character on the field for some time, but she’ll be back!,” said Islander coach Sean LeVine. “We wish her the most speedy and painless recovery and rehab possible!”

The loss of arguably their toughest defender, one who had a booming kick that cleared the ball with passion, will be a huge challenge for the Wolves (3-2 on the season).

For now, though, all thoughts go to Spark and her recovery.

“Jennifer is one of the toughest players I’ve ever been around and I have zero doubts she will attack this injury like she attacks the ball, with determination, passion and fearlessness,” Cowan said. “She is a warrior and will overcome this setback.

“The Lady Wolves want everyone to know we love Jennifer and that we are dedicating the remainder of our season to her,” he added.

“We have to adjust and move on now. Jennifer cannot be replaced, but we will do our best to maintain the level of play Jennifer set for us.”

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Big win, big loss!!

Posted in Girls Soccer, tagged , , , , , on September 30, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Jenn Spark

  Wolf defensive ace Jenn Spark had to be taken to the ER after suffering an MCL injury in the final two minutes of Tuesday’s win. (John Fisken photo)

Whidbey Islanders unite after th egame.

Whether they wear Oak Harbor or Coupeville colors, they’re all Whidbey Islanders in the end. L to r, Scott Rosenkranz, Becca Pabona, Jacki Ginnings, Erin Rosenkranz, Paige Waterman, Kenzie Perry, Micky LeVine, Jacalyn Hefflefinger, Sean LeVine.

It was two minutes of ecstasy and agony.

A scoreless duel between the Coupeville High School girls’ soccer squad and visiting Mount Vernon Christian took two huge swings in the waning moments Tuesday night.

First came the joy of senior Micky LeVine burying her third goal of the season into the back of the net, off an assist from fellow captain Erin Rosenkranz, to lift the Wolves to a thrilling 1-0 non-conference win.

Then came the stab through the heart, as junior defensive ace Jenn Spark, owner of the hardest-kicking leg in all the land, went down, badly hurt.

A three-hour visit to the nearby ER at Whidbey General later, it’s believed to be a sprained MCL, and not a blown one, as originally thought.

Either way, CHS coach Troy Cowan would prefer not to relive the moment.

“Let me start by saying the CHS Lady Wolves community needs all hands on deck with prayers and positive thoughts,” Cowan said. “When the referee waved me on to the field, I knew it had to be serious because Jenn is ferocious and tough as nails; simply put, she is a “warrior”.

“The early diagnosis, thankfully, is a sprained MCL, and with any luck she will only be off the pitch for a few weeks,” he added. “Jenn is one of those players that you CANNOT replace, but it’s next woman up. Please pray for Jenn and for a quick recovery.”

Leading up to the final two minutes, Coupeville, which improved to 3-2 with the win, dominated the match in every category.

The Wolves rained down shot after shot, only to see the MVC goalie barely escape time and again.

“Overall, the girls played really well,” Cowan said. “We spent a lot of time in practice this week on winning those all-important 50/50 balls and checking all the way to the ball.

“Don’t have all the numbers in front of me right now, but would speculate we won probably 85-90% of all free balls,” he added. “The girls really focused on winning the ball and maintaining possession, very proud of their efforts.”

On their own half of the field, the CHS defense, led by goaltender Julia Myers, was lights out.

“Once again our defensive unit stands tall and played some incredible soccer,” Cowan said. “Jenn, Jacki (Ginnings), Christine (Fields), Ivy (Luvera) and Mckenzie (Meyer) all stood up today and said, “not today” and absolutely controlled the pitch with sheer determination and hustle and sweat.

“Jacki and Ivy were awesome!!!,” he added. “Both used speed, ball control and an iron will to carry the ball into our offensive end of the pitch and help provide an offensive push.”

Coupeville was the far more aggressive team, with freshman Mia Littlejohn playing “like a caged animal tonight” and leading the attack.

“Her aggressiveness is extremely refreshing, but cost us a few runs by getting caught in an offside position,” Cowan said. “I told Mia, keep playing aggressive, just play smart Wolves soccer and mark that last defender.

“Mia is an incredible athlete and outstanding soccer player,” he added. “She is very smart and will learn from this match and be even stronger for our next match.”

Cowan also credited Sage Renninger, Rosenkranz, Ana Luvera and Lauren Bayne for doing “a great job of controlling the pitch,” while saving his biggest praise for LeVine.

With a group of her GU18 Whidbey Islanders select teammates from Oak Harbor High School cheering her on, LeVine lit up the net at crunch time.

“Two-Fist LeVine played one of her finest matches and was instrumental all night,” Cowan said. “She just has a knack for being our spark; I don’t always understand it and find myself asking, where did she come from, but Micky is a powerful catalyst that sparks a  lot of offense.

“She is a very dangerous weapon and can be deceptive because of her size, but dynamite comes in small packages too!”

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