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Posts Tagged ‘Kenzi LaRue’

Like a comet, lighting up the sky!!

Posted in Girls Tennis, Happy birthday, Volleyball, tagged , , , , on June 23, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Kenzi LaRue

Kenzi LaRue charges into each new day with a smile. (John Fisken photos)

LaRue

LaRue shares a laugh with volleyball teammate Katrina McGranahan.

vb

Puttin’ in work as a a photo-bomber.

Kenzi LaRue is not shy.

Or, if she is, she hides it really, really well.

One of the most outgoing of all Wolf athletes, the Coupeville High School junior, who celebrates a birthday today, is a big-energy, big-talent fireball who lights up the universe around her.

When she’s not dropping spikes for the volleyball squad or swatting winners for the Wolf tennis team, Kenzi is a singer and actress who’s busy chasing those dreams with lil’ sis Chloe.

While her older brother, former CHS football legend Caleb Valko, was fairly low-key, Kenzi, without a doubt, is here to put on a show every day.

She seems to enjoy every moment of her life, and she’s entertaining to cover as a reporter, since she’s constantly zinging around, delivering monologues, a bit of smack talk, and a running commentary on life to anyone in her sight.

Will she hit it big in life?

You never know. Acting and singing are tough gigs to break into for anyone, even someone with as much charm as Miss LaRue.

But, regardless of whether we one day see her name in lights, I’m pretty sure she’ll go on to do something to amaze us all.

Kenzi, for all the over-the-top theatrics, seems like a genuinely kind, caring person, especially to her close friends and family.

Take a look at any of the many photos snapped of her in action for the Wolves, and she always (and I mean ALWAYS) looks like she is having the time of her life.

So happy birthday, Kenzi, and keep swinging for those stars.

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Surprise heroes carry the day!!

Posted in Girls Tennis, tagged , , , , , on April 15, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Kameryn St Onge teamed with Kenzi LaRue for a win at fourth doubles Friday, lifting CHS to a 4-3 win. (John Fisken photo)

   Kameryn St Onge teamed with Kenzi LaRue for a win at fourth doubles Friday, lifting Coupeville’s girls’ tennis squad to a 4-3 league win. (John Fisken photo)

There were wild twists and turns and unexpected detours.

And that was just getting the two teams together for a match.

Once Coupeville and Chimacum finally hit the tennis court Friday, it capped a wild 24 hours.

In a matter of hours Thursday, the match went from being on, to being postponed two weeks due to transportation issues, to being suddenly restored to its original date and time.

So, of course, that’s how the match itself played out, as the Wolves roared to three straight wins, took a step back with three straight losses, then won the match 4-3 on the basis of a victory from a doubles duo seeking its first win of the season.

When Kenzi LaRue and Kameryn St Onge exited their home court bearing a straight-sets win at fourth doubles, they were the final players still on the court.

Did they know they were playing to break a tie and put Coupeville into sole possession of first-place in the 1A Olympic League standings?

I kind of doubt it, since there seemed to be absolutely, positively no tension in their mid-match strut.

Or, they’re just super cool and composed at all times.

One of the two.

With LaRue wildly swatting bugs between points, St Onge skipping across the court after a particularly nice serve, or the duo repeatedly bumping rackets with enough fury to make onlookers think they would bust them, the CHS sophomores finished the day as unexpected stars.

The victory lifts the Wolf netters to 1-0 in league play, 2-3 overall and puts them atop Chimacum (1-1) and Klahowya (0-1) as they seek to defend their league title.

Coupeville came out looking for the rout, as their first two doubles teams were on and off the court in about the time it took their parents to unfold their chairs at court-side.

Toss in a win at second singles for Sydney Autio (over Coupeville Sports favorite non-Wolf athlete, Port Townsend’s eternally-smiling Amelia Breithaupt, who joins Chimacum for tennis) and the Wolves looked unbeatable.

Until, one by one, the remaining three matches still on court all began to go Chimacum’s way.

Stalking along the fence line, Coupeville coach Ken Stange never betrayed any nervousness as the match went from 3-0 to 3-1 to 3-2 to 3-3, but his voice reached a new, low growl as he verbally put the spurs to his final doubles duo.

It worked, with St Onge serving efficiently and LaRue dropping in a couple of sweet winners while their teammates gazed on, offering moral support as the rain clouds started to creep in around the edges.

Complete results:

Varsity:

1st Singles — Valen Trujillo lost to Sophia Thurston 6-4, 6-3

2nd Singles — Sydney Autio beat Amelia Breithaupt 6-4, 6-3

3rd Singles — Bree Daigneault lost to Renee Woods 6-3, 6-2

1st Doubles — Sage Renninger/Payton Aparicio beat Amy Plastow/Emma Craighead 6-0, 6-1

2nd Doubles — McKenzie Bailey/Jazmine Franklin beat Tessa Rasmussen/Jordyn Johnson 6-1, 6-0

3rd doubles — Julianne Sem/Maggie Crimmins lost to Marley Music/Aurora Plunkett 6-1, 6-0

4th Doubles — Kameryn St Onge/Kenzi LaRue beat Emily Calkins/Alex Solomon 6-2, 6-2

JV:

5th Doubles — Julianne Sem/Maggie Crimmins beat Lacey/Natalie 6-0

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Big aces, big photos!!

Posted in Girls Tennis, tagged , , , , on March 29, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Kenzi LaRue (John Fisken photos)

   Kenzi LaRue is so excited to smash this winner, she starts to jump with joy midway through her swing. (John Fisken photos)

Bree Dagineault

   Sunglasses in place, Bree Dagineault ignores the glowing orb in the sky and focuses on the fuzzy tennis ball bouncing her way.

Sage Renninger

  With a mere flick of her wrist, Sage Renninger deposits another winner in the bank.

Bailey

   Rabid tennis fans (l to r) Donna, Mollie and McKayla Bailey take a moment away from watching their favorite player (McKenzie Bailey) to snap a family photo.

Payton

Payton Aparicio unleashes Hell. Or a really nice serve. One of the two…

Kameryn St Onge

   Silhouetted against a chain-link background, Kameryn St Onge displays laser-like focus as she and doubles partner Maggie Crimmins roll to a win.

The weather was nice and the tennis even nicer.

Taking advantage of a truly sunny, dare I say warm, spring afternoon Monday, the Coupeville High School girls’ tennis team rolled to a big win under the ever-clicking eye of the wanderin’ cameraman.

The pics above are courtesy John Fisken.

To see more, and possibly purchase some, thereby helping fund college scholarships for CHS student/athletes, pop over to:

http://www.nw1a2bathletics.com/index.php?act=view_gallery&gallery=11049&league=5&page=1&page_name=photo_store&school=45&sport=0

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Wolf sisters need help to howl in the big city!!

Posted in Fundraisers, tagged , , , , , , , on March 20, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Kenzi LaRue (John Fisken photo)

   When she’s not working on her singing and acting skills, Kenzi LaRue finds time to play a little volleyball and tennis for CHS. (John Fisken photo)

From Coupeville athlete to world-wide star.

It’s a long trip, but one Kenzi and Chloe LaRue are hoping to take.

The sisters, who have starred for various sports teams in town the last few years — older sister Kenzi is currently the #2 singles player for the CHS girls’ tennis squad — have a huge opportunity at their feet.

But they’ll need the help of their local fans to take advantage.

The LaRues emerged from auditions at Seattle Talent — the agency where they are signed and take acting classes — and have received invitations to the International Modeling and Talent Association convention in New York in July.

While there, they would have the chance to take part in competitions including monologues, commercials, and improvisation.

The convention, which is attended and judged by hundreds of fashion and talent agents, personal managers, casting directors, network representatives and music producers, also offers modeling and singing competitions.

Among those discovered at IMTA are Katie Holmes, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Biel, Breaking Bad’s Aaron Paul and future Hobbit Elijah Woods.

Kenzi’s audition in Seattle included a performance of Adele’s Don’t You Remember, while Chloe sang Lost Boy by Ruth B.

To raise the money needed to make the trip, the sisters have started a GoFundMe page and are seeking sponsors.

To read more about their journey, and possibly help them, pop over to:

https://www.gofundme.com/6dv46mdw

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“Sweep! Sweep! Sweep!!”

Posted in Volleyball, tagged , , , , on October 15, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Ashley Menges (John Fisken photo)

   Ashley Menges had four kills, four service aces and 22 assists to power the Wolves to a straight-sets victory. (John Fisken photo)

Ashley Menges does not know the meaning of mercy.

Neither do her teammates on the Coupeville High School JV volleyball squad, apparently.

Riding a scorching performance from their freshman phenom, who was everywhere and nowhere at once, the Wolves trounced host Chimacum Thursday 25-16, 25-17, 25-17.

“Sweep, sweep, sweep!,” said an elated CHS coach Heidi Wyman. “Chimacum played us really tough tonight, but these young Wolves stayed focused, played together and were dominating at the net!”

“It’s awesome to see how far they have come,” she added. “Even more amazing is where they will be two years from now; very proud of all of them!”

The win, the fifth in their last seven matches, lifted the young Wolves to 5-4 overall, 2-0 in Olympic League play.

The five wins ties the JV spikers with Coupeville’s varsity boys’ tennis squad for the most wins by any Wolf team this fall.

While the netters have likely wrapped up regular season play, unless two postponed matches get rescheduled before postseason play (doubtful), Wyman’s squad has between 2-4 matches left this season.

Coupeville has one more match against both Klahowya and Chimacum and two against Port Townsend.

The RedHawks didn’t have a JV the first time around, so it’s likely the younger Wolves will only get to take the court in half the remaining regular season matches.

They continue to take full advantage of whatever floor time they see, however.

Facing off with Chimacum, who they also beat in a “non-conference” match earlier this season, they dominated, collecting 24 kills (“they were vicious at the net!”) and 19 service aces while averaging 87% from the line.

Menges collected player of the night honors with a stellar performance.

She netted 22 assists, served 93% from the stripe (with four aces) and had “four awesome tips for kills.”

Kenzi LaRue was perfect on serve, while Sarah Wright dropped in six aces.

Allison Wenzel, Kameryn St Onge and LaRue shared the hitting duties, as each player tallied five kills.

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