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Posts Tagged ‘La Conner’

Big swings, tons o’ runs

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , on April 13, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Wolf slugger Madison McMillan abuses the softball. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Kevin McGranahan stayed busy on a milestone day.

Amid a flurry of lineup changes, his Coupeville High School varsity softball team bashed host La Conner 24-7 in a six-inning affair Thursday afternoon.

The victory, McGranahan’s 90th as CHS head coach, lifts the Wolves to 5-1 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, 7-4 overall heading into a weekend non-conference doubleheader at Onalaska.

The rumble with the Braves came with its own hurdles, as La Conner is winless and while Coupeville wanted to win, it wanted to do so with class and a sense of fair play.

So that kept McGranahan hopping, as he got action for 16 players, including starting three girls who normally come off the bench.

“I mixed up the lineup and tried to get players at least two innings and a couple at-bats for everyone,” he said.

Mixing and matching players left and right, while trying to give scorekeeper Gordon McMillan carpal tunnel syndrome, the CHS softball guru kept things interesting.

Fifteen different Wolves, including three 8th graders, reached base, as Coupeville piled up 14 hits and 17 walks, though McGranahan’s squad limited their base-stealing and taking extra bases.

South Korean foreign exchange student Layla Heo made her first varsity start.

Coupeville jumped out to an 8-0 lead, gave some runs back in the middle innings thanks to some walks and one well-cracked double, then fired up the bats to put things out of reach.

Freshman catcher Teagan Calkins lit up dad Shawn’s Facebook Live stream right from the start, launching a long triple to deep center field to lead off the game.

She soon scampered home on a wild pitch, heading for the camera with a grin on her face, a star made for prime time, as the Wolves slapped six runs on the board in the top of the first inning.

Madison McMillan cracked an RBI double which went to the heavens, high-fived the sun, then dropped back to the field, while her teammates took advantage of La Conner errors to get the offense rolling.

But the Braves proved resilient, limiting Coupeville to just a single run apiece in both the second and third, before scraping together a rally to get within 8-5.

The Wolves pushed it back to 13-5, scoring twice off of wild pitches, once on a bases-loaded walk to Bailey Thule, and twice on a booming double from Calkins snazzy, still-fairly-new bat.

La Conner hung tough, cutting things to 13-7 by the end of the fourth, before McGranahan went back to his starters to emphatically close things out.

CHS pitcher Maya Lucero, who tossed two scoreless innings to open the game, came back around to fling two more lights-out frames, while twin sister Allie pasted a three-run double.

Mia Farris, Sofia Peters, and Gwen Gustafson all had big run-scoring hits in the latter stages of the game, with a nine-run sixth inning finally tipping things into mercy-rule land.

With the win, McGranahan gets to 90-42 as Wolf softball coach.

He’s in his seventh season at the head of the diamond program, though it would be his 8th campaign if the pandemic hadn’t completely erased the 2020 schedule.

 

Thursday stats:

Capri Anter — Two walks
Haylee Armstrong — One walk
Taylor Brotemarkle — Two walks
Teagan Calkins — One double, one triple, one walk
Mia Farris — Two singles, one double, one walk
Gwen Gustafson — Two singles
Jada Heaton — One double
Allie Lucero — One single, one double
Maya Lucero — One single, two walks
Chloe Marzocca — One single
Madison McMillan — One double, two walks
Melanie Navarro — Three walks
Sofia Peters — One double, one walk
Bailey Thule — One walk
Melanie Wolfe — One walk

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Wolves run over Braves

Posted in Baseball, tagged , , , , , on April 13, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Chase Anderson flies for home. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Speed kills.

So, good thing the fastest team on the diamond Thursday was Coupeville, and not La Conner.

Sparked by 19 steals, the Wolf varsity baseball team ran away with a resounding 12-2 win over the host Braves, handing them a key league win.

With the victory, CHS gets to 5-1 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, 7-3 overall.

That keeps the Wolves right on the heels of 1B powerhouse Mount Vernon Christian, which is 6-0 in NWL action, while also pushing them to 3-0 against their fellow 2B schools.

League title or not, Coupeville’s playoff fate is determined entirely by how it does against La Conner and Friday Harbor, and Thursday’s win gets the Wolves halfway to a sweep of that six-game royal rumble.

CHS spaced out its runs against the Braves, scoring in six of seven innings, while using three pitchers to shut La Conner down.

Camden Glover got the start and tossed two scoreless innings before giving way to fellow freshman Chase Anderson, who whiffed seven batters across three frames.

Senior hurler Scott Hilborn wrapped things up, striking out five while working the sixth and seventh.

The Wolves jumped on the Braves for two runs in the top of the first, after starting things off with two outs and no one aboard.

Jack Porter poked a single to give Coupeville its first runner, before Jonathan Valenzuela and Glover eked out walks to juice the bags.

Taking full advantage of his opportunities, Peyton Caveness smacked a two-run single to left field, and the Wolves were off and rolling.

Back-to-back RBI singles from Hilborn and Anderson keyed a three-run rally in the second, while the third inning was the only time the Wolves failed to score.

La Conner briefly rallied in the bottom of the third, plating a pair of runners to cut the margin to 5-2, but that was it for the Brave offense.

Working methodically, and running the bases like crazy, Coupeville pushed three more runs across in the fourth, one in the fifth, two more in the sixth, and a final tally in the seventh.

“I love it when a plan comes together!”

Hilborn and Anderson delivered back-to-back RBI singles for a second time, while the run in the fifth came courtesy of a rare triple steal.

The last big crunch of the game came off of Glover’s bat, with the fab frosh walloping an RBI double to left.

CHS was strong in all facets of the game, with Hilborn gunning down a runner at the plate, and Anderson teaming up with Cole White and Glover to pull off an inning-ending double play.

Eight different Wolves garnered a steal in the speed-fest, with Aiden O’Neill, Hilborn, and Anderson notching four apiece.

 

Thursday stats:

Chase Anderson — Two singles, one walk
Peyton Caveness — One single
Coop Cooper — Two singles
Camden Glover — One double, one walk
Scott Hilborn — Two singles
Aiden O’Neill — One walk
Jack Porter — One single, one walk
Johnny Porter — One single, one walk
Jonathan Valenzuela — One walk
Cole White — Two walks

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Everyone plays, everyone wins

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , on March 21, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Mia Farris picked Princeton to beat Arizona in the NCAA men’s basketball tourney (seriously), and hammers homers on the softball diamond. Truly a woman for all seasons. (Jackie Saia photo)

It was a tasty appetizer.

The full meal arrives Saturday, when the Coupeville High School softball team hosts a doubleheader in which it will square off with top-level rivals Forks and Granite Falls.

In preparation for those tilts, the Wolves romped to a 20-2 win over visiting La Conner Tuesday in the Northwest 2B/1B League opener for both programs.

The victory, which lifts CHS to 1-0 in conference action, 2-1 overall, was a savage affair.

Or could have been, as the Wolves did everything in their power not to unnecessarily embarrass the overmatched Braves.

Ten of the 12 outs Coupeville recorded came via things such as leaving the base early, as La Conner was only able to record two putouts on its own.

Wolf coach Kevin McGranahan also went all the way down his bench, giving an at-bat to all 16 eligible players, with 8th graders Haylee Armstrong, Capri Anter, and Melanie Wolfe making their high school softball debuts.

Anter got the spotlight role, coming on in relief of senior hurler Allie Lucero to chuck 2.1 innings from the pitcher’s circle.

“Great day for softball and a lot of needed reps for the younger players,” McGranahan said. “The veteran players were extremely supportive.”

Those older Wolves keyed an explosive 17-hit, 13-walk performance, with the big plays coming from the very start.

Chloe Marzocca, ready to get medieval on the softball. (Jackie Saia photo)

Leading off in the bottom of the first inning, Mia Farris clouted an inside-the-park home run, launching a long shot which dropped over the head of the centerfielder and rolled to the fence.

Not content to stop there, the Wolves added another dinger before the opening frame was done.

Melanie Navarro, who is on a tear to rival any put together by a Wolf softball slugger, walloped a grand slam, the ball clearing the fence at its furthest point from the plate.

The socko slam was the fourth tater for the senior in three games, with three of those four landing outside the fence.

Navarro has lashed a longball in every game this season, with two against South Whidbey in the opener, followed by shots against Meridian and La Conner.

Along with the pair of home runs, the Wolves got doubles from Gwen Gustafson, Madison McMillan, Sofia Peters, Chloe Marzocca, and Anter.

Up 5-0 after one inning, Coupeville pushed the lead to 10-0 after two, 17-2 by the third, and settled for the 20-2 romp.

Allie Lucero and Anter combined to whiff nine La Conner batters, while giving up just a single hit on the afternoon.

In addition to the players previously listed, Taylor Brotemarkle, Jada Heaton, Maya Lucero, Teagan Calkins, Bailey Thule, and foreign exchange student Layla Heo saw action against La Conner.

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Pick your moment, then pounce

Posted in Baseball, tagged , , , , on March 21, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Chase Anderson struck out nine batters in relief Tuesday afternoon. (Morgan White photo)

Not all mercy rule games are the same.

Case in point, Tuesday’s baseball clash on the prairie between Coupeville and visiting La Conner.

Heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, the league opener, played with sunny skies and virtually no wind, was a 3-3 stalemate.

Hop ahead 20 minutes, however, and Coupeville strolled off the diamond early, thanks to a 10-run frame which made the final score 13-3 in favor of the hometown Wolves.

The victory lifts CHS to 1-0 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, 3-1 overall, with a non-conference home game against Forks set for this Saturday, Mar. 25.

Tuesday’s clash with La Conner was a mildly tense affair for most of the afternoon, as pitching issues dictated things.

A home plate ump with an ever-moving strike zone made things dicey, as the Braves — who were outhit 13-1 with their lone hit coming courtesy the first batter of the afternoon — hung around thanks to garnering a ton of free passes.

La Conner eventually struck out 12 times on the day, but nine walks, with five of them coming in one inning, stung the Wolves for a bit.

The visitors, without putting a ball into play, walked their way to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning and had the bags crammed full.

That was when Coupeville coach Steve Hilborn went to the bullpen, bringing in freshman hurler Chase Anderson.

“The Magic Man” ended the bleeding, whiffing the first batter he faced, then went on to strike out eight more Braves before his day was done.

It took the Wolves a bit to get their own offense going, however.

Facing a soft tosser, Coupeville went down 1-2-3 in the first, then loaded the bases in the second, only to come up empty.

Singles from Camden Glover and Johnny Porter put a man on every base with just one out, but La Conner’s lobber escaped with a strikeout and a comebacker to the mound.

The Wolves finally broke through in the bottom of the third, pushing three runs across to reclaim the lead at 3-2.

Scott Hilborn led off the frame by bashing a two-bagger to left, with Jonathan Valenzuela and Coop Cooper coming up with run-producing hits soon after.

CHS looked like it might get more, but La Conner pulled off a slick double play on a liner headed back up the middle, spearing the ball and doubling a Wolf runner off the bag.

Both teams put two men aboard in the fourth, only to see the opposing pitcher slam the door shut.

That set up La Conner’s last gasp, with the Braves turning two walks, a Wolf error, and a passed ball into the tying run.

On the play at the plate, the throw from catcher Peyton Caveness back to Anderson was blocked by the Brave hitter, who failed to get out of the way.

After much discussion, the umps declined to call defensive interference, and counted the run, making at least one vocal La Conner fan happy for about 2.1 seconds.

Her joy faded fast, however.

Anderson reared back and fired BB’s past the next batter, ending the inning with his ninth strikeout, then the Wolf hitters finally put everything together.

Aiden O’Neill rips a hit. (Morgan White photo)

Coupeville sent 15 runners to the plate in the bottom of the fifth, bashing hits, drawing walks, and making hustle play after hustle play.

Whether it was Jack Porter sliding headfirst into home to score, Valenzuela wearing a pitch which plunked him square in the back, or Caveness beating out an infield single, the Wolves were on fire in the final frame.

Cooper, Jack Porter, Hilborn, and Caveness all plated runners off of hits — with Cooper doing it twice in the same inning — before fab frosh Aiden O’Neill ended the day by dropping the thunder.

Cracking a two-run single to straightaway right field as younger sister Kennedy nodded her approval, he pushed the lead out to 10 runs and sent everyone off to find dinner.

Coupeville spread its hits out between eight players, with Cooper rapping three singles, while Jack Porter, Hilborn, and Caveness had two apiece.

Valenzuela, Glover, Johnny Porter, and O’Neill also collected base knocks, with Valenzuela (2), Jaje Drake, Anderson, and Glover earning walks.

Landon Roberts had the day off at the plate but played a fairly flawless defensive game at first base for the Wolves, as well.

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“Our boys played their hearts out tonight”

Posted in Boys Basketball, tagged , , , , , on February 17, 2023| Leave a Comment »

All three Coupeville vs. La Conner boys’ basketball games this year were tense brawls. (Bailey Thule photo)

All the emotions were on display.

Elation. Despair. And a whole lot of confusion.

Trapped in a packed gym with two rabid cheering sections operating at a full-throated roar for two hours-plus, Coupeville and La Conner waged a magnificent, sometimes confounding boys’ basketball playoff thriller Thursday night.

In the aftermath the Braves, somewhat improbably, claimed the District 1/2 tourney crown and the program’s 43rd trip to state — even though they will carry a losing record to the big dance.

On the other side, the host Wolves, who beat La Conner twice during the regular season, were dazed, but not KO’d.

Brad Sherman’s squad, which fell 63-61 after a gut-punch final few seconds, return to their own gym Saturday to face Auburn Adventist Academy in a 6:45 PM rumble.

Beat the Falcons, who they thunked on the road earlier this season, and the Wolves punch a return ticket to state after breaking a 34-year dry spell last season.

Lose Saturday and they are done.

Coupeville will carry a 14-8 record to the floor Saturday, while La Conner, which is just 11-12, awaits the release of the state brackets Sunday afternoon.

The Braves reached the promised land dropping eight three-balls, coming up with countless key rebounds, and, in the moment, getting two free throws from Braden Thomas with 0:00.4 of a second to play.

After leading for most of the game, but never able to pull away, Coupeville fell behind by six points late in the fourth quarter.

Thanks to La Conner clanking five free throws in the final 25 seconds, while the Wolves netted all four of their charity shots, CHS still had a chance to send the game to overtime on the final possession of the game.

Thundering up-court under heavy pressure, Wolf junior Logan Downes drilled the bottom of the net out with a pull-up jumper, and mass confusion reigned.

With the refs (and fans) in disagreement over whether it was a three-ball (to tie) or a two-point shot fired up from just inside the arc — but action not stopping — La Conner inbounded the ball.

Thomas was fouled a millisecond before the buzzer rang out, by a Wolf defender who likely believed he needed to stop the clock if Downes shot was being counted as a two.

Unlike several of his teammates, who were undone by the screams of the Wolf faithful as they rimmed out their free throws, Thomas never flinched, sliding both of his gift shots through the net.

That left the Wolves with less than a second on the clock and few options, with a baseball-style pass the length of the court sailing up, up, and away as La Conner’s fans went berserk.

While the final seconds provided the final score, the Braves won the game earlier in the fourth quarter.

After trailing from midway through the second quarter until midway through the fourth — but never by more than eight points — La Conner came up huge in crunch time.

The Braves hit four of their eight treys in the final frame, and the real killer was two of those three-balls were set up by offensive rebounds.

Coupeville fought doggedly all night, but La Conner had an uncanny ability to win 50/50 balls at the end, and it stung.

The Braves pulled ahead 47-46 on a jumper from Isaiah Price, taking their first lead since 20-18, then stretched their advantage out to 56-50.

The one thing keeping Coupeville in the game was the play of Cole White, who went off for all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter.

And they weren’t easy buckets, as the wiry junior guard hit three jumpers while surrounded by defenders, converted an offensive board into a bucket, and drained both of his late-game free throws.

White’s charity shots pulled the Wolves to within 58-56, while Downes went the length of the floor, slashing between bodies for a layup to make it 60-58.

Logan Downes finds the bottom of the net. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

When La Conner split a pair of free throws with 10.4 seconds to play, that set up the frantic finale.

The game started intense, and never let up.

Coupeville jumped out to a quick 9-2 lead, only to have the Braves pop a trio of three-balls to get back in the game.

Alex Murdy slapped home nine points in the opening quarter, while Downes rang up five more, but La Conner tied things at 16-16 when Thomas netted three free throws with no time on the clock after being fouled on a three-ball attempt.

After a little back-and-forth to open the second quarter, Coupeville seized the lead at 21-20 when Downes drilled a three-ball, then briefly stretched its advantage out to six points before heading into the half up 31-27.

Murdy was a rampaging two-way warrior in the first half, but the Wolves also got big moments from everyone on the floor.

From Dominic Coffman draining free throws, to freshman Chase Anderson knocking down a breakaway bucket set up by a Murdy steal, to Jonathan Valenzuela pulling off an impressive airborne steal and bucket combo, the highlight reel was full.

The third quarter was the lowest-scoring frame of the night, as the two teams circled each other, punching and counterpunching.

Downes rang up all nine of Coupeville’s points, while Murdy delivered a tooth-rattling block, but La Conner closed on a 6-0 mini-run to pull back within 40-38.

That set up a fourth quarter full of offense, with the team’s combining for 46 points in the final eight minutes.

And, depending on which side of the gym you were sitting on, vastly different emotional states as you exited in search of your car.

For Wolf head coach Brad Sherman, who spent his first moments post-game the way all coaches should — getting hugs from his pack of young sons — there was a trace of disappointment, but much more pride.

“Our boys played their hearts out tonight,” he said.

“Tough loss. But that’s basketball – sometimes it doesn’t go our way.

“I told them to come in tomorrow with heads high, ready to get right back to work,” Sherman added. “And knowing them that’s exactly what they are going to do.

“They have shown resilience at every turn this season and they’ll do it again.”

How close was this brawl? Both big threes combined to score exactly 51 points.

For La Conner, that was Ivory Damien with 19, Thomas with 18, and Price with 14.

For Coupeville, Downes rippled the nets for a game-high 26, with Murdy knocking down 15, and White closing hard with his 10.

Valenzuela (4), Nick Guay (2), Coffman (2), and Anderson (2) rounded out Coupeville’s scoring attack, with William Davidson and Ryan Blouin also seeing floor time.

With his 26 points, Downes rises to 754 and counting for his three-year career, pushing past Dan Nieder (729) and Steve Whitney (730) to move into 18th place all-time for a program launched in 1917.

Heading into Saturday’s game, he is a bucket away from toppling #17 Hunter Hammer (755), with #16 Barry Brown (769) and #15 Jack Elzinga (770) not far off.

Further down the career scoring list, Guay’s first-quarter free throws lifts him to 132 points, pushing him into a tie with Craig Anderson.

That’s notable — for me at least — since Anderson is both an assistant coach for the Wolves and the dad of the aforementioned fab frosh Chase.

106 seasons of Wolf basketball, so many hidden connections.

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