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Posts Tagged ‘Know Your Foe’

Like father, like son – Falcon hoops star soars!!

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , , on November 15, 2017| Leave a Comment »

   South Whidbey’s Lewis Pope wears #15 on his basketball jersey to honor his late father Henry, who was born Sept. 15. His dad’s initials and the number are also on a cross Pope now wears. (Photo courtesy Teresa Pope)

   After signing his letter of intent Wednesday to play basketball at Central Washington University, Pope enjoys the moment with his mom and sisters. (Nanette Streubel photo)

Every time the son plays, you can see the father.

As he’s risen to become the most electrifying high school hoops star on our Island, South Whidbey’s Lewis Pope has helped keep the memory of his late father Henry burning bright.

Henry’s unexpected death in the summer before Lewis entered 8th grade left a huge hole in the community.

The elder Pope, who was recruited to play college ball for the University of Washington, was a popular longtime coach who devoted countless hours to his community, both on and off the court.

As hoops fans have watched Lewis develop from a precocious freshman to a well-seasoned senior who signed his own college letter of intent Wednesday with Central Washington University, they have witnessed something special.

Like Manny Martucci in Oak Harbor in the early ’90s, or Makana Stone at Coupeville in recent years, the younger Pope often hits levels rarely seen on Whidbey courts.

A silky-smooth ball handler who can slash to the hoop for quick buckets, pull up and nail daggers from the outside, or use his passing skills to set-up teammates like Kody Newman and Levi Buck for success, Pope is dangerous in all aspects of the game.

Before he goes to college, Pope will have a final chance to showcase those skills in front of all three Whidbey fan-bases this season.

South Whidbey hosts Coupeville Dec. 9 and travels to Oak Harbor Dec. 20 in non-conference games.

A gym rat who “plays basketball year round,” Pope lives and breathes hoops, while still finding time to excel in school, where he enjoys math class and is a member of the National Honor Society.

On the court, though, is where he is the most free to create.

“Basketball is my favorite sport because I love everything about it,” Pope said. “The competition, the work ethic needed to be successful and the camaraderie.

“I love everything about the game of basketball and what it has to offer.”

While his natural talent carried him to the top of the Falcon depth chart very quickly, it’s taken hard work, and a lot of it, to stay on top of the mountain.

“I think I’m a well-rounded player but I believe I can always be better and work on all aspects of the game of basketball,” Pope said. “I want to leave my mark on the Falcon program by continuing to work my very hardest and try to bring out the best from every one of my teammates.”

Growing up in a rural, small-town environment, while still having big city-caliber coaching, has been a double blessing for the high-flying Falcon.

“Everyone is so nice and they all want the very best for you and your success,” Pope said.

“I also believe we are extremely lucky to have Coach (Mike) Washington, because he gives his all for the team and shows us every day at practice how to work hard by his actions.”

While he plays for his coaches, for his teammates and for his classmates, it is ultimately his family which most inspires and drives him.

“My family played a huge part in making me the person I am,” Pope said. “They all have supported me on and off the court, no matter what.

“Both of my sisters, Sam and Taylor, have always been there for me on and off the court, even giving me rides to the gym when I couldn’t drive.”

It all began with his parents, though, Henry and Teresa, who had 27 years of marriage together, raised three stellar children and impacted countless lives.

“My mom and dad first got me involved in basketball at a very early age and taught me the fundamentals of basketball and how to play the right way,” Pope said. “They both have always supported and encouraged me throughout my entire life.”

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Falcon hurler flings her way to big-time success!!

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , , on August 3, 2017| 2 Comments »

   South Whidbey High School senior softball sensation Mackenzee Collins. (Photo courtesy Collins)

“Softball has always been my escape.”

Mackenzee Collins is a standout on the diamond, a flame-throwing hurler, a coach’s daughter driven both by those who believed in her and those who did not, a high-flying Falcon on her way to big things off-Island one day.

The South Whidbey High School senior, who also plays basketball, hails from an athletic family which includes older brother Parker and dad Tim.

Her big brother was a rampaging force of nature as a football and basketball star, a role model as she developed her own impressive skill-set, while her late father shaped her life in a million little ways, starting with being her pitching guru, and going well beyond.

“There are a few people who have made me the player and person I am today,” Collins said. “Parker, growing up, he played a lot of sports, but basketball was his passion.

“Watching how dedicated he was and still is, how selfless of a player he is, and how incredibly hard Parker works, is amazing, and he inspires me to be the best athlete I can be.”

Their father, a noted pitching coach, had a sterling reputation in the local sports community, and his unexpected passing in 2015 affected players, fans and fellow coaches at all three Whidbey Island high schools.

“He always pushed me to be the very best player and teammate I could,” Collins said. “When I was feeling tired or lazy, it was my dad who made me go pitch to him (and thankfully he did).

“Even when it was 24 degrees out one winter years ago, I still remember going under the covered area at the elementary school and pitching with him,” she added. “He was, and always will be, my biggest fan and my biggest inspiration. I play for him.”

As positive as her time with her father was, on the field and off, there’s another coach, one with a different outlook, who drives Collins through the toughest practice, who helps her reach back and find one more laser pitch to escape a bases-loaded jam.

“As crazy as this may be, I will never forget one other person who had a huge impact on me as a player,” she said. “The coach of my first select softball team when I was only nine years old.

“I pitched one inning the entire season, simply because he didn’t believe in me, and didn’t hide it,” Collins added. “I may have only been nine years old at the time, but somewhere on that team it lit a fire in me to prove him wrong, a fire that’s still there today.”

Away from the field, she’s a member of the National Honor Society, someone who “loves reading and writing, so naturally my favorite class is English,” a strong student who wants to follow both of her parents into the teaching profession.

“Other than sports, I love to spend time with my friends, out in the sun on the beach, reading a good book, or blasting my country music,” Collins said.

But the softball diamond is where she makes her name, where she wants to carve a path which will lead to “playing collegiate softball at a competitive school.”

“It’s always been my dream,” Collins said. “And I am working very hard to make it happen, so I’m looking forward to what the future holds.”

While she enjoys basketball, spring is her time.

“Softball is easily my favorite,” Collins said. “I grew up around a lot of sports, but ever since I started playing softball when I was eight I just fell in love with the game. It’s fast paced at a high level, and I love the competition.”

She has a ferocious bat and a slick glove, but it’s her propensity for eye-popping strikeouts which catch most people’s eye.

The Cascade Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Collins, with her killer mind-set and big-game work in the pitcher’s circle, carried the Falcons to the state tourney as a junior.

“One of my strengths as a pitcher is the movement I put on my pitches,” she said. “Over the past two years, I’ve worked a lot on my screwball, curve-ball, and rise-ball in order to really make them jump.

“Of course, movement and location is something a pitcher can absolutely always improve upon, so that is my focus this coming off-season,” Collins added. “Another strength of mine is my composure on the mound.

“My motto has always been that whether my team is winning by 10 or losing by 10, I stay the same.”

While the spotlight often rests on her, thanks to playing a key position and putting up impressive stats, Collins is quick to spread the love to her teammates.

“I enjoy sports in general because they give young people a chance to be a part of a team, represent their community, compete, and have fun, all of which is incredibly valuable,” she said. “Softball, in particular, has always been my escape. I knew it was something that I could do that could take my mind off of anything.

“As I mentioned, it’s very competitive, and I love the pressure put on me as a pitcher,” Collins added. “I love knowing that my teammates are counting on me, and I work very hard to not let them down.”

While Coupeville fans might logically daydream what it would be like to have her wearing a Wolf uniform, forming a potent pitching combo with fellow CHS ace Katrina McGranahan, Collins is content with life on the South end.

“In many ways, Coupeville and South Whidbey are very similar,” she said. “I love how close-knit our school is. As much as I want to branch out and meet new people, I love walking down the hallways and being able to recognize pretty much everyone.

“Our community is filled with kind, helpful, and incredibly caring people, and all of South Whidbey is beautiful. In fact, our whole Island is; we’re pretty lucky!,” Collins added. “South Whidbey is home, and it always will be.”

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“I want to stand out in the crowd!!”

Posted in Girls Basketball, Softball, tagged , , , , on February 22, 2017| Leave a Comment »

Amber Bumbalough

   Klahowya’s Amber Bumbalough honors her brother by following her dream on the softball diamond. (Photo courtesy Bumbalough)

“When I don’t get something, I keep going until I get it. I hate failure. I will push and push myself until I succeed.”

There is little doubt Amber Bumbalough is one of the top athletes in the Olympic League, and the Klahowya junior, who has lettered in swimming, basketball and softball every season she has played, has gotten there by refusing to surrender.

Through fatigue, injury and personal and family heartbreak, she keeps coming, relentless and committed in the pursuit of excellence.

“I want to make a name for myself,” Bumbalough said. “I don’t wanna be just another girl on the team.

“I want to stand out in the crowd.”

For outsiders, such as those of us here in Coupeville, we’ve witnessed her athletic excellence — she’s already a two-time league MVP in softball, where she excels at third base, shortstop and pitcher.

But while we’ve seen her stalk the pitcher’s circle and thump base hits to all fields or swish three-balls on the hardwood, what we’ve seen is the surface.

Go below and you find a young woman who is driven to excellence because every moment she crafts, every high she achieves, is a silent testament to her brother William, whom she deeply loves.

A brother who can’t be here with us in the stands to watch Amber soar. But one who will always be with her in spirit.

William Bumbalough passed away in 2012, but he walks out onto the field with his sister every time she charges out to play.

“He’s had the biggest impact on my life,” Amber Bumbalough said. “When he was killed in a car accident I thought everything was gone; I felt like I couldn’t do anything, going days on days without eating.

“He wasn’t the type who loved sports, but he wanted nothing but the best for me,” she added. “He always told me to go big and go to the top; he wants me to get there.”

Bumbalough has already attracted interest from college teams, both for her play at the high school level and with her select squad, and she is firmly committed to strive for the peak of her sport.

“My dream is to go Division 1 (in college) and I’m going to keep working my butt off until my dreams come true, or my dreams give up on me,” she said. “I play every game for William, knowing he’s watching.”

She’s 7-for-7 in lettering as a high school athlete (a broken finger kept her from swimming this fall), and draws something valuable from every one of her seasons.

“I enjoy getting to spend time with my teammates and creating a sisterly bond with them,” Bumbalough said.

But there is little doubt which sport claims her heart.

“Favorite sport is my softball,” she said. “This is my favorite because I have put so much time into it; I only wanna become bigger and better.”

Her pursuit of diamond excellence has taken Bumbalough to Eastern Washington, where she suited up with USA Explosion, and Puyallup, where she reps the Washington Ladyhawks.

Both teams, and their coaches, helped fine-tune her skill-set and love for the game.

“Steve Farrington (USA Explosion) made me see the real side of softball that I didn’t ever see,” Bumbalough said. “When I wanted to give up, he showed me the side of the sport that made it so I couldn’t.

“Wayne Miller (Ladyhawks) pushes me and gives me the opportunity to play the best of the best softball and helps me understand the game that much more.”

In the few moments when she’s not practicing or playing a sport, Bumbalough enjoys “listening to my music up loud” with little sister Hannah.

Hip hop duo Rae Sremmurd, rapper Russ and country stars Brett Eldridge and Keith Urban lead off the sister’s play list.

Bumbalough used to show pigs through 4-H, but has had to take a break recently as softball carves away more of her time.

Regardless of where she is, or what she’s doing, the Klahowya star draws inspiration from both her family and her community.

“I have a few people who have really impacted my life,” Bumbalough said. “Obviously my parents, for getting me where I am and supporting me with everything I do and always going to my sports events.

“Something that makes my school so special to me is the kids and teachers around me,” she added. “We are one big family; we’ve all been through the worst and the best of times.

“With the amount of losses we have had with students, it has hit us all very very hard, but we have helped each other get through it and it really makes me happy to see how strong we are for one another.”

Her own experiences dealing with loss continue to shape Bumbalough’s future plans, and she is working towards a goal of being a grief counselor.

“I want to help others who have gone through what I’ve gone through,” she said. “Losing a loved one is hard and it doesn’t get better; you just start to cope with not seeing them every day, hoping maybe they will come through the door.

“Everyone deals with grieving differently,” Bumbalough added. “But if I could help just even one person, I would feel like I have reached one of my biggest goals.”

 

Amber in action:

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Know Your Foe: Falcon lineman soars!!

Posted in Football, Track, Wrestling, tagged , , , , , , on August 25, 2016| 1 Comment »

South Whidbey three-sport star Chase Barthlett. (Submitted photo)

South Whidbey three-sport star Chase Barthlett. (Submitted photo)

Know your foe and respect him, too.

When Coupeville High School opens a new football season Sept. 3, one of the players they’ll need to keep an eye on is Chase Barthlett.

The South Whidbey three-sport star is a rampaging force for the Falcons from his center and defensive end positions, and one intent on helping the forces of Langley retain possession of The Bucket.

While those of us in Coupeville obviously hope he goes home disappointed after the Island rivalry game, we can’t help but take a moment to give him props for all he’s accomplished.

Barthlett, who wants to be an All-State lineman during his final prep season, has his eyes set firmly on an extended gridiron career.

“After high school I want to play college football and then after go on to the NFL,” he said. “Of course, this isn’t a sure thing, so, if not that, then I would love to have a job in the graphic design field of work.”

On the field, Barthlett leads by example, never flinching from battle.

“My best strengths are the physical contact, cause you get to really see the fight or flight instinct in action,” he said.

Barthlett brings the same attitude to his other sports, wrestling and track.

On the mat, he’s a state meet veteran who went to Australia this summer to compete in an international tourney. While there he finished second in his weight class and his team finished third.

When spring rolls around, Barthlett runs the 4 x 100 while spending the majority of his time as a thrower, competing in the shot put, discus and javelin.

He’s been to bi-districts twice in the shot put, finishing fifth as both a sophomore and junior.

A big fan of the Will Ferrell film Step Brothers and hip-hop music, Barthlett gravitates to history class when in school.

“My favorite class has always been history,” he said. “Because you can compare so much of it to present times.”

Family and friends help keep him centered, both in sports and in everyday life.

“The people who have made an impact on me the most have been my parents and my friends,” Barthlett said. “Especially my two best friends, who graduated last year; they really brought me up and showed me how to lead.”

As he looks forward to kicking off his senior year, the Falcon senior doesn’t badmouth his team’s closest rival, instead choosing to focus on the positives he sees in his own program.

“Well, every football team has their own little things that makes them better,” Barthlett said. “But one thing that I’ve only seen at my school is even when we are down and out I’ve never seen one guy quit.

“Especially last year, when it was so easy to quit, every single one of us went back out and fought,” he added. “This year we are stronger and faster and we are ready for this year.”

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