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Posts Tagged ‘JV’

Scout Smith (John Fisken photo)

Scout Smith, destroyer of worlds. (John Fisken photo)

Scout Smith is the T-Rex. Everyone else is just the meal.

Making an especially strong high school debut, the Coupeville freshman punctuated her first day of school Tuesday by unleashing a seriously nasty serve that left Mount Vernon Christian players madly looking for someplace, any place, to hide.

Spoiler alert: they weren’t safe, even back on the bus.

At one point Smith reeled off 18 consecutive points on her serve, including the final 13 points of the second set, sparking the Wolf JV to a 25-20, 25-11, 25-15 romp over the visiting Hurricanes.

And yet, as on-target as Hunter and CJ’s lil’ sis was, she was far from the only Coupeville player to sparkle in the season-opener.

The Wolves, utilizing a young and talented roster, ran a constant stream of players onto the floor, and every one of them seemed to have the magic touch.

Things kicked off in high style as freshman Hannah Davidson rose up and pounded home a winner about three seconds into the match, claiming the season’s first point before most of the fans had settled into their seats.

After that, it was like a collection of SportsCenter highlights from the stars of tomorrow.

Raven Vick lashed a gorgeous spike that caught the back-line, Lucy Sandahl poked a winner into the smallest of gaps between two rivals and the Wolf service game was en fuego.

Zoe Trujillo, Maddy Hilkey, Vick, Sandahl and Smith (who was just warming up) all delivered crisp serves in the opening set, before Smith went nuclear in set #2.

With the Wolves up a set and clinging to a 12-11 lead, they handed the ball to Smith and (metaphorically at least) turned out the lights on the Hurricanes.

Smith opened by cracking a zinger that sliced several toes off of the MVC returner, then mixed up screaming serves with devious ones which dipped and dropped at the last second.

As super fan/team mom Amy Briscoe went berserk — “I LIKE THAT GIRL!!!!!!” — Smith, Coupeville’s most placid ace, kept the family tradition alive by maintaining a perfect poker face throughout most of her run.

Having swept the first two sets, CHS had the match in hand (JV teams play best two of three) but the two teams had extra time on the clock and decided to continue play.

Which was basically an excuse for the Wolves to open a further can of whup-ass, with Maya Toomey-Stout, Willow Vick, Melia Welling and others coming up with big plays.

Welling’s was especially sweet, as the frosh threw down a hook shot that skimmed over the heads of several Hurricanes and dropped in for a winner that seemed to catch a lot of people by surprise, most especially the beaming player who had just pulled off the surprise shot.

With the end of the match in sight, and the battered and bruised Hurricanes ankling for the door, Smith returned to put a final exclamation point on things.

On what would turn out to be her next-to-last serve, and the 27th point she won at the stripe on the night, she launched a wicked slice that caught a Mount Vernon player square in the arm, before ricocheting across the gym.

As the Hurricane gingerly rubbed her elbow, Smith let a small smile slip around the corner of her mouth.

It was the grin of a stone-cold killer.

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Hardball guru Mike Etzell (Sylvia Hurlburt photo)

   That moment when hardball guru Mike Etzell realizes he’s left the book in the hands of the freshmen. Be afraid. Be very afraid. (Sylvia Hurlburt photo)

(Scott Losey photo)

The future of Wolf baseball. (Scott Losey photo)

Mike Etzell has seen a lot of things in his years on the diamond as a baseball coach.

When he looked at the book from Wednesday’s JV game in Klahowya, the Coupeville High School hardball guru discovered something new, however.

“As for the book – oh my,” Etzell said with a laugh. “The book was done by a committee of a few fellas who shall remain nameless to protect the not-so-innocent…”

It’s a work of “beauty” that starts in ink, ends in pencil, has batters listed for the ninth inning (in a seven inning game), and at one point just has a giant question mark scrawled in place of a play.

Still, look hard enough and you can decipher a 10-4 loss to the host Eagles, which brings the Wolf young guns to a final record of 5-3-1 on the season.

Coupeville jumped on Klahowya for two in the first, with Cameron Toomey-Stout (walk) and Ty Eck (single) both coming around to score.

The Eagles responded with four in the first and four more in the second, stringing together a “series of softly-hit ground balls,” while the Wolf offensive mojo faded a bit.

CHS rallied to plate two more in the fourth.

We know Nick Etzell and Eck scored, but I don’t care how long you look at the book, you ain’t figuring out how they scored.

Jonathan Thurston and Nick Etzell shared pitching duties for the Wolves in the JV season finale.

While the Wolves lost, Mike Etzell (who was worked with Chris Smith this season, who was back on Whidbey Wednesday for a varsity game) came away pleased with a lot of what he saw this season.

“Unfortunate ending to a good season of growth for all involved,” he said. “We wish we could suit ’em up for a few more…”

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Nick Etzell and Co. will host a three-game tourney this Saturday. (John Fisken photos)

   Nick Etzell and Co. will host a three-game JV baseball tourney this Saturday. (John Fisken photos)

Cameron Toomey-Stout

Cameron Toomey-Stout has helped the Wolf young guns get out to a 4-1 start.

Clear your Saturday.

Coupeville High School’s rampaging JV baseball team has added a three-team home tourney to the schedule, with rematches against both of their Island rivals.

The three-game tourney, which will feature three-inning games, kicks off at 11 AM this Saturday, Apr. 16 at the CHS baseball field.

The tourney will open with Coupeville facing off with Oak Harbor’s C-Team, a week after the two schools split a doubleheader in North Whidbey.

Then, after a match-up between the Wildcats and South Whidbey, the finale will feature the Wolves and Falcons, followed by a barbecue.

Coupeville’s JV squad (4-1 on the season) also hosts Concrete in a regular game tomorrow (Wednesday, Apr. 13).

First pitch is 4:15 PM.

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Wolf catcher Joey Lippo holds on to the ball with a death-grip during a collision at the plate. (John Fisken photos)

   Wolf catcher Joey Lippo holds on to the ball with a death-grip during a collision at the plate. (John Fisken photos)

Shane Losey

The baseball thought it was getting away. Shane Losey has other ideas.

James Vidoni

  A pitch after being dusted off by the Wildcat hurler, James Vidoni settles back in to the box.

Nick Etzell

Nick Etzell can throw it. Doesn’t mean you can hit it.

Brenden Gilbert

Brenden Gilbert discovers all good things come to those who wait.

Julian Welling

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of Julian Welling’s kitchen.

Mound meeting

CHS coach Chris Smith (in red) holds a meeting of the minds.

Matt Hilborn

Matt Hilborn survives a dust storm to get the out.

It was a freakin’ heat wave.

The weather was so nice Saturday, Coupeville and Oak Harbor easily put in five plus hours of JV baseball, with the two squads splitting games.

Now, as some of us ponder sun burns on a Sunday morning, the rest of you can take a gander at some of the many snappy pics taken by wanderin’ photo man John Fisken.

If you like his work and want to see more, and possibly purchase some, thereby helping fund college scholarships for CHS student/athletes, pop over to:

http://www.olympicleague.com/index.php?act=view_gallery&gallery=11168&league=21&page=1&page_name=photo_store&school=24&sport=0

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Lauren Rose (JOhn Fisken photo)

   Lauren Rose paced the Wolf JV Thursday with seven points, two rebounds and two steals. (John Fisken photo)

JV is more about improvement than wins and losses.

Now, there is no doubt Coupeville roundball guru Amy King enjoys the former more than the latter (she was thrilled to go 14-5 last year), but the highlights of her season don’t always come from the scoreboard.

So, while this year’s young Wolves (7-10 overall, 5-3 in league play) fell 40-34 at Chimacum Thursday, she mourned the loss but came away happy with slices of the game.

King makes sure every one of her players scores during the season, so when Brisa Herrera, who has missed several games with illness, notched a free throw in the first quarter, that was one bright moment.

“The first (free throw) dropped and we all went nuts,” King said.

The second moment was seeing the continued development of one of her freshman who are brand new to the sport.

“Watching Maddy (Hilkey) play, it is hard to believe she has never played basketball before,” King said. “She was driving to the basket, taking the shots, playing tough defense and ended the night with a big bag of ice on her knee!”

And Hilkey wasn’t the only frosh who caught her coach’s eye.

Nicole (Lester) was so aggressive! Where did this girl come from?,” King said with a smile. “She found herself at the free throw line twice – fun to watch her come alive.”

The game itself was a wild one, as the two teams battered each other — often for real, as Chimacum prides itself on being a, shall we say, “scrappy” squad.

Tied at eight after the first quarter, the Wolves hit a cold spell in the second and watched as the Cowboys ran wild to the tune of 15-6.

“We got out-played. Made a lot of weak or bad passes allowing Chimacum easy steals and lay ups,” King said.

The Cowboys repeatedly sent one player flying up behind the Coupeville ball-handler, something the Wolves didn’t deal well with, even as their coaches warned them again and again.

A bit of tough talk at halftime lit a fire under the Wolves, who emerged in the second half much more in control.

“The third quarter was much better defense and steadier on offense. Fighting more for the ball, going strong after rebounds and out-scoring them like we knew we could,” King said.

Ashlie Shank and Allison Wenzel “were everywhere,” Sarah Wright “was moving around helping out anywhere needed” and Hilkey and Lauren Rose put considerable pressure on Chimacum’s ball-handlers.

Down by six with eight minutes to play, Coupeville played aggressively, throwing on a full-court press, but couldn’t quite catch the Cowboys.

Brittany Powers was a major force in the fourth, playing like “a crazy spider monkey,” which brought a smile to her coach’s face.

“She mauled a girl, stopping her from dribbling, then not giving her any room to breathe, let alone keep the ball,” King said. “The Chimacum girls aren’t exactly “clean” players and our girls were just tired of not getting some of the foul calls.

“Pushing calls and all their contact went unnoticed, so we dished some of that out as well.”

Powers ended the game with a bright red arm after being smacked on a play where the ref went conveniently blind, but she and her teammates made their coach proud.

“The girls gave everything they had – left it all on the court,” King said. “The energy and effort, attitude and fight they gave in that last half was awesome and just a good end to the game, regardless of the score.”

Rose paced the Wolves with seven points, while Wright and Lester dropped in five apiece.

Skyler Lawrence (4), Wenzel (4), Kyla Briscoe (3), Powers (3), Shank (2) and Herrera (1) all chipped in.

Coupeville snagged 40 rebounds and made off with 27 steals, as all 11 Wolves hauled down at least one board, from Wright (7) to Lindsey Laxton (1).

Powers pilfered six steals, with Shank hot on her heels with five.

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