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Posts Tagged ‘JV’

You say quit? We say, not likely

Posted in Boys Basketball, tagged , , , , , on January 9, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Grady Rickner and the Coupeville JV overcame a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit Tuesday, rallying to stun Granite Falls. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Just like Chris Smith drew it up.

Following the example set by their unflappable coach, the Coupeville High School JV boys basketball players pulled off maybe the most stunning comeback of the season Tuesday night.

Down by nine entering the fourth quarter, the Wolves went on a creative 15-0 run over the final eight minutes, storming from behind to shock visiting Granite Falls 45-39.

The magical mystery tour of a win lifts the CHS young guns to 1-2 in North Sound Conference play, 5-5 overall.

And I kind of, sort of, think the Wolves expected to win the whole time.

Even after Granite closed the third quarter with a three-ball that hit like a punch to the gut, capping a 10-3 Tigers tear, the Wolves seemed unbowed.

As they headed to their huddle, where Smith awaited them, a gleam in his eye and a play or two stashed up his sleeve, Coupeville’s young guns had a bounce to their step.

It showed as the Wolves charged back on the floor, taking the ball right at the heart of the Granite defense and drawing foul after foul.

CHS scored 10 of its 15 fourth-quarter points thanks to free throws, with five different players netting at least one freebie.

Crawling back, point after point, while also clamping down on defense and running the Tigers ragged, the Wolves also hit from the field when it mattered most.

Logan Martin sank a pull-up jumper, the ball crawling over a defender’s outstretched fingertips by the bare minimum, to pull Coupeville within 39-38.

That set up the super-charged Tucker Hall to hit heroic heights, as he smashed a Granite shot out of bounds, ripped down a key rebound and sank the free throws which pushed the Wolves over the top.

With the visitors unable to hit the side of a barn, much less get the ball to drop through the rim, Coupeville went for the kill and did it with flair.

Xavier Murdy took a pass down low, sucked the defense in, rose up and flung the ball over the top to a waiting Sage Downes, who knifed every Granite player (and all their relatives) with a game-clinching three-ball.

You know those mummy movies, where all the life gets sucked out of some poor fool’s body and all we’re left with is a dry husk rattling around in the middle of a sandstorm?

Make the body count five, as horrified Granite players crumbled to dust (metaphorically, at least), while Downes strolled back down court, a slight smirk gracing his face.

The big finale capped a game that started as a back-and-forth affair, with Coupeville clinging to an 11-10 lead after one quarter of action.

Things stayed tense through much of the second period, until Granite started to (seemingly) pull away.

A Tiger basket literally a millisecond before the halftime buzzer, coming on a pass airmailed the length of the court, was a particular killer.

Coupeville responded well to whatever its coach was selling in the locker room, however, opening the third on a 5-0 mini-run, capped by a sweet jumper from the side by Grady Rickner.

But then things took a bad turn, after a Granite player scandalized several Wolf fans by hitting a free throw while shooting underhanded, granny style.

Going all Rick Barry on the net, the shame-free Tiger fueled the run which set his team up for a strong finish which never came.

“I swear, if we lose by one…” murmured one CHS fan who couldn’t abide with the thought the much-maligned shooting style might be the final dagger.

Of course, it wasn’t, as you know if you read the first half of the story.

And PS — all those Wolf free throws in the fourth quarter?

Shot with your standard shooting style, which, for the moment at least, stopped the hyperventilating in the stands over the unexpected reemergence of the unappreciated granny shot.

Along with shooting their charity shots strictly with a new school method, the Wolves balanced their scoring attack, with Downes and Murdy rattling the rim for 10 points apiece.

Grady Rickner was right behind the duo, netting nine, while Daniel Olson sank eight, Martin ripped off five, Hall had his two big free throws and Cody Roberts added a solo freebie to round out the scoring.

TJ Rickner was the lone Wolf on the floor not to score, but the fast-rising CHS big man hit the boards with a suitable intensity, wrestling balls free and coming out of almost every scrum a winner.

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Paparazzi turns spotlight on young guns

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , , on January 8, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Eyes scanning the defense, Audrianna Shaw prepares to slice ‘n dice. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Anya Leavell can’t believe no one is playing defense on her.

“Why did the rooster go to Dairy Queen? He wanted to see a chicken strip!”

Kylie Van Velkinburgh and Shaw form an impenetrable defensive Wall o’ Doom and Despair.

Ja’Kenya Hoskins soars to the rafters.

“Mine! Mine!! Mine!!! Mine!!!!!!!!!”

The spotlight was fully on the young guns.

Monday night the court in Oak Harbor belonged to the Coupeville High School JV girls basketball team, as they hammered their hosts and got their photos snapped by the local paparazzi.

John Fisken had time to shoot his shot(s) and still get home at a reasonable time, and the pics above are courtesy him.

To see everything he shot, and possibly buy some glossies for Grandma, pop over to:

https://www.johnsphotos.net/Sports/Oak-Harbor-Basketball-2018-2019/GBB-2019-01-07-OH-vs-Coupeville/

And remember, purchases help fund scholarships for CHS senior student/athletes, so when you give some, you help other people get some.

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Wolf JV routs big city neighbors

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , on January 7, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Mollie Bailey and the Coupeville JV basketball squad crushed their big city neighbors Monday night, routing Oak Harbor 48-10. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Clemson football has nothing on Coupeville JV girls basketball.

Routing their big city neighbors to the North, the Wolf young guns thrashed Oak Harbor’s C-Team 48-10 Monday night, capturing their fifth win in their last seven games.

Now 5-5 this winter, the JV girls boast the best record of Coupeville’s five high school basketball squads.

And the Wolf girls, fronting a tiny 1A school, cruised Monday despite not having much advance word on their foes, who rep a 3A school.

“Not knowing what to expect, the game plan was decided and all we could do was move forward with it,” said CHS coach Amy King. “We set up for the jump ball a little different, hoping to spread out their defense and give ourselves a better chance to score on the first play.”

Bim-bam-boom, mission accomplished, as Ja’Kenya Hoskins soared high into the air, spiked the tip to Anya Leavell, then celebrated as her fellow fab frosh drove the lane and slapped home a bucket.

Operating with a press on defense, the Wolves then harassed Oak Harbor’s ball-handlers, picking off back-to-back inbound passes.

With Audrianna Shaw providing the tip to the defensive spear, Izzy Wells and Leavell made off with steals.

Get past that trio, and Hoskins was hovering at mid-court, where she immediately clamped on to any wayward balls, as well.

With the host Wildcats crumbling, King switched things up midway through the first quarter, moving to a zone defense and unleashing her not-so-secret weapon.

“Kiara (Contreras) came in and made her presence known,” King said. “Ball-hawking and driving back down the court.

“The girls all played very well off each other – true team, making that pass, setting those screens,” she added. “Ja’Kenya was unstoppable with ripping the rebounds and even had some nice put-backs.”

Up 13-2 after one quarter, Coupeville pushed the lead to 21-4 by the half, then went bonkers after the break.

Six Wolves scored during a 20-5 third-quarter surge, with Contreras and Wells leading the way with six apiece.

With the game getting out of hand, King did what she could to keep things reasonable, asking for “good, clean, tough defense,” but moving to a no-steals philosophy during the fourth quarter.

With the win well in hand, Coupeville was able to try new things, such as using post players Wells and Hoskins at point guard, and King was pleased with the effort she got from her 11 active players.

“Everyone stepped up their games tonight,” she said. “Kylie (Van Velkinburgh) was a constant help, whether at wing or post, while Abby (Mulholland) came up with some key rebounds and had a nice scoring night.

“Alana (Mihill) was a burst of energy each time she went out on the court. She had a few steals that got the crowd cheering,” King added. “Same with Morgan (Stevens); her defense is getting stronger and stronger and when she grabbed the rebounds, the crowd exploded.

“Very proud of how the girls played.”

Lily Leedy, back in the lineups after being out for multiple games while recovering from a concussion, made an immediate impact, “getting good minutes” and “playing where she hasn’t before on defense and helping handle the ball.”

She also popped in a basket off of a nice drive and kick-out from Contreras.

Audrianna Shaw, Mollie Bailey and Contreras ran Coupeville’s offense for much of the night, and all three “were strong with the ball, setting up our offense and keeping things moving.”

Wells, who “always seems to be in the right place at the right time” paced the Wolves with a game-high 12 points, while also snagging five rebounds and pilfering three steals.

Contreras was hot on her heels with eight points, with Mulholland (7), Leavell (7), Hoskins (6), Shaw (4), Leedy (2), and Bailey (2) also scoring.

Coupeville ripped down 27 boards for the game and recorded 20 steals in three quarters, with Hoskins garnering nine and six, respectively. Contreras topped the team with three assists.

While she couldn’t suit up, Kylie Chernikoff, who is working her way back from an injury, kicked things off nicely by bring a speaker on the bus and filling the relatively short drive with “some great music.”

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Bard of the hardwood lets fly!!

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , , , on December 22, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Freshman Kiara Contreras, an Energizer Rabbit in a Wolf uniform, had a sensational blocked shot Saturday for the Coupeville JV hoops squad. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

It wasn’t the prettiest of games, but we’re not going to focus on that for very long.

Instead, if you keep reading, we have the world debut of a poem by a hoops coach, written while camped in a bouncing bus on the back-roads of America.

Yeah, you’re not getting that in the Seattle Times, now, are you?

But first, a few quick notes.

Yes, Nooksack Valley, using a full lineup of varsity swing players, beat the Coupeville High School JV girls basketball squad 54-24 Saturday.

With the non-conference loss, the Wolf young guns head into a 12-day break between games sporting a solid 4-4 record.

If you’re looking for statistical highlights, we have Kylie Van Velkinburgh, dropping a team-high seven points and snatching three rebounds, and Izzy Wells, going for six and nine.

Anya Leavell (5), Audrianna Shaw (2), Kiara Contreras (2), Abby Mulholland (1), and Morgan Stevens (1) also scored, while Ja’Kenya Hoskins tore down six boards.

Shaw and Mollie Bailey each dealt out two assists, while Contreras, the Energizer Bunny in a Wolf uniform, delivered the night’s loudest play.

Chasing down a Nooksack player from behind, the CHS guard sprinted from half court, went airborne, then rejected the Pioneer shot from behind at the very last second, LeBron James-style.

“She (Kiara) brought the most energy as always,” said Coupeville coach Amy King. “Everyone else took the court and did what they could do. Move the ball, help their teammates, play the best defense they could.”

And now on to the world-exclusive, as King, the Bard of the Hardwood, delivers a poem to send us into winter break.

“Amy started writing her poem when we got on the bus and before we made our stop for food,” said CHS varsity coach (and proud husband) David King. “Less than 30 minutes. What a talent she has.”

 

A long trip up North,
No, not to North Pole
The Grinch is named Nooksack
We got in a hole

The game was a tough one
We did what we could
We were getting down on ourselves
But still did some good

They had one defender
Always harassing the guard
We found ways around it
But made it too hard

They stole like the Grinch would
They laughed as they shot
Their coach strayed out of his box
And finally got caught.

We weren’t watching the score
Though their book got it wrong
Thanks to Heidi and Nicole
For keeping it strong

The game was the normal
Back and forth fight
And every girl on our team
Did all they could for the night

Audri, Mollie, Kiara and
Anya led us up top
Ja’Kenya, Abby, Morgan
Izzy, Kylie pulled out all the stops

Kiara had a shot block
Surely heard from outside,
And Izzy, a spin move,
Her defender along for the ride.

Towards the end it was noticed
Their #12 needed to score
We would not let that happen
So we defended her more

So the Grinch got the win
But we put up a fight
We get to go eat now
And to all a good night

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Every night a different hero!!

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , , , on December 19, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Morgan Stevens tossed in four points and played inspired defense Tuesday as the Coupeville JV girls basketball team squashed Sultan. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

First, the great news. Then, the good news.

The top buzz coming out of the world of Coupeville High School JV girls basketball concerns Kylie Chernikoff, who is off her crutches and due back at practice.

One of the hardest-working Wolves in the program, the sophomore has been recovering after hurting her ankle, and her return should deliver a nice jolt to her team’s defense and intangibles.

And, the news gets better, as the team she will be rejoining just shredded visiting Sultan 34-18 Tuesday, capturing its fourth-straight win.

Now 2-0 in North Sound Conference action, 4-3 overall, Amy King’s squad, which has shuffled players all season, is just starting to find its groove.

Imagine if the roster ever solidifies for two games in a row.

No matter which lineup King has to throw at opposing teams, she has multiple weapons at her disposal, as the Turks found out to their great detriment.

Leading from start to finish Tuesday, the Wolves needed just one play to effectively break the collective backs of the Turks.

It came from fab frosh Audrianna Shaw, who rolled around a defender and buried a running hook shot off the glass in the game’s opening moments.

If Sultan thought it still had at least a chance, that quickly vanished, as well.

Anya Leavell, snatching one of her three steals, beat the crowd to the basket, flying coast to coast, while switching hands at the last second. That allowed her to evade a trailing defender and slap the ball home with ease.

From there, it was pretty much all-Coupeville, all-the-time, whether Abby Mulholland was droppin’ jumpers, with Ja’Kenya Hoskins and Leavell feeding her with great set-up passes, or Morgan Stevens suddenly erupting.

The Wolf freshman, a solid role player who continues to show growth in her first year on the hardwood, had a second-quarter run where she brought her JV teammates, and their varsity counterparts, to their feet.

First, Stevens connected on a jumper, set up by a thread-the-needle pass from Kiara Contreras, then she went big-time, backing down her defender and lofting up a ball that banked off the glass and hit pay-dirt.

Inspired by her play on the offensive end of the floor, Stevens ramped up her game on the defensive end, as well, attacking the Sultan ball-handler and barking out “ball, ball, ball!!” like a new version of Chernikoff.

Up 16-7 at the half, with four different players having scored four points apiece, Coupeville continued to share the ball after the break.

Contreras, in particular, played with real precision, wheeling and dealing with flair while running the point for the Wolves.

“Kiara had great selfless passing,” King said. “The highlight of the first half to me was her pass out to Morgan.

“It’s so nice to see these girls finding their teammates.”

Along with her passing, Contreras also showed off a deadly jumper, netting a third-quarter bucket with a ball which barely rippled the net as it dropped through.

Keeping alive the selfless theme of the night, that bucket came off a rebound and kick-out from Hoskins, who made the pass while weighed down by a Turk draped across her back.

Coupeville spread out its scoring, with six of 10 active players landing in the book.

Shaw and Leavell each rattled the rim for 10 points, while Mulholland (6), Stevens (4), Izzy Wells (2), and Contreras (2) also scored.

Mulholland yanked down eight rebounds, Shaw pilfered four steals, and the trio of Kylie Van Velkinburgh, Alana Mihill and Mollie Bailey all contributed defensive scrappiness.

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