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Posts Tagged ‘Kenneth Jacobsen’

Wolf harriers build new state meet legacy

Posted in Cross Country, tagged , , , , on October 26, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Kenneth Jacobsen flies across the prairie. (Julie Wheat photo)

The goal is Pasco.

That’s where the state cross country meet is held each year, and it’s a target Coupeville High School runners have hit more often than not.

Since the school-wide harrier program was relaunched in 2018, after being shut down for 20+ years, the Wolves have reached the big dance in six of eight seasons.

Toss out 2020, when the pandemic erased state for everyone, and it’s actually six of seven, with the only other season-ending meet missing the red and black being 2018.

That includes five trips for an entire team, with the Wolf boys qualifying for state as a group in 2023, 2024, and 2025, while the girls advanced as a unit in 2022 and 2025.

Overall, 26 Coupeville runners — 13 girls and 13 boys — have competed at state in this new era, with Carson Field, Kenneth Jacobsen, George Spear, and Ezekiel Allen reaching the big race three times.

Jacobsen, a senior this year, can make it four-for-four if things break correctly this weekend.

Coupeville will be back at it this Saturday, running on Halloween morning at the Westside Classic district meet at University Place, with Elizabeth Bitting’s squad trying to add to its rapidly-building legacy.

The following breakdown covers the seasons of CHS having its own full program during the rebirth years of 2018-2026.

That means it doesn’t include, say, Danny Conlisk, who made it to state for Coupeville in 2017 while training and traveling with South Whidbey.

Or Tyler King, who won an individual state title in 2010 while doing the same with Oak Harbor.

And certainly not the earlier decades when CHS had its own full program before being shut down in the ’90s.

That time frame includes the boys finishing fifth as a team in 1976 and 1977, while the girls earned a program-best 4th in 1982, before Natasha Bamberger cruised to a state title in 1985.

Mikayla Wagner is a two-time state meet participant. (Jackie Saia photo)

 

CHS cross country at state meet in the modern era:

 

Team results:

Girls: 8th in 2022, 13th in 2025
Boys: 10th in 2023, 9th in 2024, 11th in 2025

 

Top finishers:

Girls: Mikayla Wagner (36th) in 2024
Boys: Mitchell Hall (19th) in 2022

 

Participants:

2019:

Catherine Lhamon

 

2021:

Helen Strelow
Claire Mayne

Mitchell Hall

 

2022:

Claire Mayne
Helen Strelow
Cristina McGrath
Reagan Callahan
Erica McGrath

Mitchell Hall
Carson Field

 

2023:

Noelle Western

Carson Field
Landon Roberts
Ezekiel Allen
George Spear
Thomas Strelow
Kenneth Jacobsen
Axel Marshall

 

2024:

Mikayla Wagner
Aleera Kent
Aleksia Jump
Devon Wyman

Carson Field
George Spear
Landon Roberts
Ezekiel Allen
Kenneth Jacobsen
Thomas Strelow
Ethan Walling

 

2025:

Mikayla Wagner
Ivy Rudat
Aleksia Jump
Devon Wyman
Allie Powers

George Spear
Ezekiel Allen
Cyrus Sparacio
Kenneth Jacobsen
Ossian Merkel
Beckett Green
Isaiah Allen

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Fast times, furious finish

Posted in Cross Country, tagged , , , , on October 24, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Aleksia Jump motors to the finish line. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

They ran in the sun and had some fun.

The Coupeville High School cross country squad placed six runners in the top 10 Thursday at the Northwest 2B/1B League Championships.

Freshman Mikayla Wagner led the way with a 5th place performance at Mount Vernon Christian, helping the Wolf girls earn 3rd in the team standings behind MVC and Friday Harbor.

The Coupeville boys, who’s top three finished within a span of 1.2 seconds, earned 2nd place, narrowly edged by their hosts in the team standings.

MVC juniors Evangeline Fikkert and Peyton Smith copped the individual crowns on the 5,000-meter course.

Six Wolves earned top 10 finishes Thursday at the league meet. (Photo courtesy Elizabeth Bitting)

Things get increasingly tenser for everyone involved, with the next meet on the schedule the Tri-District meet.

That event, which brings together 21 schools from across Districts 1, 2, and 3, and is the qualifier for the state meet, is set to go down at Ft. Steilacoom in Lakewood Wednesday, Oct. 30.

Wolves Ezekiel Allen (201) and Kenneth Jacobsen were separated by 0.2 of a second. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

 

Thursday results:

 

GIRLS:

Mikayla Wagner (5th) 23:33.2
Devon Wyman (9th) 24:28.8
Aleksia Jump (11th) 25:12.8
Aleera Kent (15th) 26:08.2
Ivy Rudat (17th) 26:13.6
Ari Armstrong (19th) 26:26.0
Reagan Callahan (22nd) 27:27.4
Ava Lucero (28th) 29:37.0
Dahlia Miller (29th) 29:52.2
Jeann Nitta (31st) 31:48.1
Mary Western (33rd) 33:59.8

 

BOYS:

Carson Field (7th) 18:43.0
Ezekiel Allen (8th) 18:44.0
Kenneth Jacobsen (9th) 18:44.2
Landon Roberts (10th) 18:58.4
Thomas Strelow (15th) 19:28.7
Ethan Walling (30th) 20:47.1
George Spear (36th) 21:20.5
Isaiah Allen (37th) 21:21.6
Johnathan Jacobsen (43rd) 23:15.6
Beckett Green (46th) 23:30.3
Will Tierney (51st) 23:46.0
Zach Blitch (58th) 32:27.9

The CHS harrier program is booming. (Photo courtesy Elizabeth Bitting)

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Spear surges, Wolf harriers dominate

Posted in Cross Country, tagged , , , , , on October 9, 2024| Leave a Comment »

George Spear finds a new gear. (Morgan White photo)

It’s been a pretty good week for George Spear.

The Coupeville High School junior was selected as Homecoming royalty last Friday, then he went out and lapped everyone Wednesday.

Competing at a three-team cross country meet on Friday Harbor, Spear ran away with an individual title, finishing 24 seconds ahead of his nearest rival.

Who happened to be his teammate, sophomore Kenneth Jacobsen, as the Wolves claimed the top six slots in the boy’s race.

Needless to say, that propelled Coupeville to a team title as well, as it finished with 15 points to Friday Harbor’s 46 and Orcas Island’s 73.

Coupeville coach Elizabeth Bitting was thrilled to see Spear surge to the front of the pack on the 5,000-meter coure.

“It was so well deserving!” she said. “He fought so hard for it! Once they took off, he was focused!”

On the girl’s side of things, the Wolves were led by third-place finisher Aleera Kent and nabbed six of the top 10 finishes.

Friday Harbor, with individual winner Isabel Bashaw, compiled just enough premium times to nip Coupeville for the team title, however, edging out the Wolves 26-31.

CHS coach Elizabeth Bitting got to drive in style on Friday Harbor. No word on whether she was able to smuggle her ride back on to the ferry.

The race was unique in that it featured the three island schools from the Northwest 2B/1B League.

Add in an elegant course, and Bitting came away impressed.

“It was such a beautiful day,” she said. “Only schools from the islands attended and they all ran amazing!

“What a difference to run a race, work hard at it, but have the cushion of an all-grass course to run on.

“Just what the legs needed! We look forward to returning next season.”

Before then, the Wolves will hit the trail again this weekend, joining their middle school counterparts in trekking to Granite Falls Saturday for the 4th annual Mountain Loop Invitational.

Aleksia Jump streaks for the finish line. (Shaloma Allen photo)

 

Wednesday results:

 

GIRLS:

Aleera Kent (3rd) 24:28
Mikayla Wagner (5th) 24:38
Aleksia Jump (6th) 26:21
Devon Wyman (8th) 26:44
Ivy Rudat (9th) 26:47
Ari Armstrong (10th) 27:38
Reagan Callahan (11th) 28:13
Jeann Nitta (12th) 30:19
Dahlia Miller (13th) 31:03
Ava Lucero (16th) 32:21
Mary Western (17th) 38:03

 

BOYS:

George Spear (1st) 18:30
Kenneth Jacobsen (2nd) 18:54
Landon Roberts (3rd) 19:07
Carson Field (4th) 19:13
Ezekiel Allen (5th) 19:17
Thomas Strelow (6th) 19:29
Isaiah Allen (15th) 20:59
Beckett Green (18th) 21:49
Johnathan Jacobsen (20th) 24:36
Will Tierney (21st) 24:44
Zach Blitch (25th) 33:53

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Rainy day run for Wolf harriers

Posted in Cross Country, tagged , , , , , on September 26, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Devon Wyman (left) and Ivy Rudat charge up a hill. (Elizabeth Bitting photos)

The rain fell on the plain, but mainly, it fell on their heads.

Returning to Orcas Island Wednesday, the Coupeville High School cross country team endured a damp day while taking part in a four-school race.

The Wolves lined up with Friday Harbor, Mount Vernon Christian, and their hosts for an event which featured one race — boys and girls combined, taking off from the same start line.

The 5,000-meter course offered a variety of experiences, said CHS coach Elizabeth Bitting.

“A true cross country course,” she said. “So much diverse terrain, literally across railroad tracks.

“It rained right up until race time, then started raining again as the race started, but they were happy to be back on Orcas, as it was cancelled last year.”

It’s a two-fer week for the Wolf runners, who hit the road again this Saturday, travelling to Seattle, where they will compete in the King’s Roller Coaster Run.

Thomas Strelow goes for the burn.

 

Wednesday results:

 

GIRLS:

Mikayla Wagner – 25:42.00
Noelle Western – 25:52.1
Kayla Crane – 26:24.1
Aleera Kent – 26:27.8
Devon Wyman – 26:45.3
Ivy Rudat – 26:47.8
Aleksia Jump – 27:09.0
Ari Armstrong – 27:42.8
Reagan Callahan – 28:49.8
Jeann Nitta – 31:00.9
Dahlia Miller – 31:26.7
Ava Lucero – 31:34.3
Mary Western – 38:14.9

 

BOYS:

Carson Field – 19:39.1
Landon Roberts – 19:46.8
Ezekiel Allen – 19:53.4
Kenneth Jacobsen – 19:57.2
George Spear – 20:31.4
Thomas Strelow – 20:56.8
Isaiah Allen – 22:03.6
Beckett Green – 22:22.8
Ethan Walling – 23:06.5
Will Tierney – 23:51.8
Johnathan Jacobsen – 25:40.2
Zach Blitch – 33:34.9

One race, one start line.

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Big team, bold results

Posted in Cross Country, tagged , , , , , on September 14, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Kenneth Jacobsen brought home a top 10 medal Saturday. (Photos courtesy Elizabeth Bitting, Amber Wyman, and Sarah Stuurmans)

She sent a whole pack to the start line.

Coupeville High School cross country coach Elizabeth Bitting had 25 runners compete Saturday at Civic Stadium in Bellingham, solid proof of how much the Wolf harrier program has grown.

The event was the 14th annual Gear Up Northwest XC Preview, hosted by Sehome High School, with 49 teams sending runners careening across the two-mile course.

Keeping things unique, the meet has runners largely compete against athletes from their own class — freshmen vs. freshmen, seniors vs. seniors, and so on.

Seniors (l to r) Landon Roberts, Thomas Strelow, and Carson Field are ready to go.

With so many runners, some of the Wolves were first timers, while always were returning to the site of past glory.

“What a great day!” Bitting said. “So many amazing PR’s!!!!”

Eight of the 11 Coupeville runners who had previously competed at the meet smashed their top times this time around.

“The most impressive PR was Reagan (Callahan). She went from a 20:41 last season to a 17:55 unofficial time this season,” Bitting said.

The Wolfpack invades Bellingham.

CHS senior Thomas Strelow knocked off almost a minute from last year, dropping from 13:34 to a hair under 12:44, while Kenneth Jacobsen nabbed Coupeville’s lone top 10 individual finish.

“Today’s race helped me a lot in seeing where each runner is and how they should be training,” Bitting said. “So many fun firsts for so many, (and a) shout out to Coach (Amber) Wyman for joining us.

“She is always so helpful!”

Wolf coaches Elizabeth Bitting (left) and Amber Wyman find a new friend.

Coupeville returns to action next Saturday, Sept. 21, but the bus trip will be a far shorter one.

The Wolves stay on Whidbey, heading south to Langley for the 45th annual Carl Westling Invitational.

Ava Lucero runs this joint, and she has the starter’s pistol to prove it.

 

Saturday results:

 

GIRLS:

 

Seniors:

Ari Armstrong (100th) 17:00.66

 

Juniors:

Aleera Kent (52nd) 14:51.96
Noelle Western (93rd) 16:02.41
Aleksia Jump (118th) 17:13.25
Reagan Callahan (132nd) 17:59.58
Dahlia Miller (138th) 18:44.23
Jeann Nitta (139th) 18:44.75

 

Sophomores:

Kayla Crane (63rd) 15:12.42
Ivy Rudat (84th) 16:04.30
Lydia Price (89th) 16:11.05

 

Freshmen:

Mikayla Wagner (57th) 15:22.00
Devon Wyman (126th) 17:32.83
Ava Lucero (160th) 20:19.00
Mary Western (167th) 22:14.00

 

BOYS:

 

Seniors:

Landon Roberts (82nd) 11:50.81
Carson Field (106th) 12:37.23
Thomas Strelow (110th) 12:43.89

 

Juniors:

Ezekiel Allen (49th) 11:50.99
George Spear (59th) 12:05.09

 

Sophomores:

Ethan Walling (132nd) 13:19.53

 

JV:

Kenneth Jacobsen (8th) 12:03.72
Isaiah Allen (43rd) 13:13.01
Johnathan Jacobsen (83rd) 15:14.12
Beckett Green (86th) 14:07.92
Zach Blitch (136th) 19:31.95

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