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Posts Tagged ‘Meridian’

Smooth start, rough finish!!

Posted in Boys Basketball, tagged , , , , on December 1, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Wiley Hesselgrave

Wiley Hesselgrave, shown here putting in conditioning work, scored a team-high 13 Monday night. (John Fisken photo)

“I did not see this coming.”

Coupeville High School boys’ basketball coach Anthony Smith was a bit perplexed after his squad absorbed a 68-35 loss to visiting Meridian in its season opener Monday night.

While the Trojans had a height advantage on their hosts, the Wolves had played strongly against schools that stacked up with Meridian during the summer.

And, for one quarter and a few minutes of another, CHS looked very competitive, even with no real way to counter Meridian’s big bangers in the paint.

But a quick start evaporated and turnovers began to pile up on each other, eventually short-circuiting Coupeville’s hopes.

With a squad that will play five games in the first eight days of the season — the Wolves travel to South Whidbey Tuesday — Smith and assistant coach Dustin Van Velkinburgh will get an immediate opportunity to help their players work out the opening night kinks.

“We had some stretches tonight when we quit being aggressive. We can’t have that,” Smith said. “We did well when we were aggressive.

“We need to take the good points and learn from them and take the bad points and do the same and get back after it.”

The Wolves, led by Wiley Hesselgrave, came out on fire.

The junior, a star linebacker who often plays basketball like he’s still wearing pads and a helmet, tore through the Meridian defense, scoring Coupeville’s first nine points.

He snagged a loose ball and turned it into a layup, swished a sweet pull-up jumper, then crashed the boards hard, snagging a rebound off of a missed shot by Aaron Curtin and putting it back up and in.

Not ready to stop there, he then drained a fade-away three-point bomb from the left side, staking the Wolves to an early 9-4 lead.

Meridian, mixing speed with their height, fought back, but the first quarter was about as evenly played as possible.

Hesselgrave hit for two more on a nifty shake ‘n bake move that tore a Trojan defender out of his high tops, giving him 11 in the quarter, while Aaron Trumbull, Joel Walstad and CJ Smith all added two points apiece.

Smith’s bucket, on a driving layup two ticks of the clock before the quarter-ending buzzer, pulled CHS back to within 20-17 and it looked like it would be an evening-long battle.

But then things took a sudden detour for Coupeville.

Shots that had been going in started popping out, Hesselgrave went scoreless for two quarters and, once they had their foot on the gas, the Trojans jammed the pedal through the floor.

A brief five-point spurt (a basket and free throw from Walstad and a short jumper from Curtin) trimmed Meridian’s lead to 27-22, before the game fell apart.

Over the next quarter and a half, Meridian went on a 29-3 tear, turning a closely-played contest into a rout. In the blink of an eye — and a never-ending string of layups — Coupeville fell behind 56-25.

The Wolf offense that had been so effective in the first quarter, scoring 17 points in eight minutes, only scored 18 more in the final 24 minutes of play.

Hesselgrave added a bucket in the game’s final seconds to lift his team-high scoring output to 13, while Trumbull added six and Walstad banged away for five.

Smith and Matt Shank each tacked on four, Curtin hit for two and Risen Johnson netted a free throw to round out the scoring attack.

Ryan Griggs, Gabe Wynn and freshman Hunter Smith all saw playing time as well.

JV falls: In the night’s opening game, the Wolves hit five three-point bombs, but could do little else offensively and fell 62-19.

Coupeville actually stayed close in the early going, pulling within seven at 18-11 midway through the second quarter after DeAndre Mitchell sliced through the Trojan defense for a quick bucket.

Unfortunately, the Wolves wouldn’t score again until Desmond Bell nailed a trey several minutes into the fourth quarter.

At that point, Meridian had run off 33 consecutive points, including a flawless 22-0 third quarter.

Bell paced Coupeville with six points, while DeAndre Mitchell added five. Cameron Toomey-Stout and Dante Mitchell each hit a three-pointer and Hunter Smith tossed in a layup.

Brian Shank, Nick Etzell, James Vidoni, Beauman Davis and Joey Lippo also saw court time, with Lippo starting.

The night’s biggest cheer from the crowd, in either game, came when Toomey-Stout, who is listed at five-foot-one in the program, went airborne and spiked a Meridian shot into the stands.

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Tip-off time!!

Posted in Boys Basketball, Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , on December 1, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Monica Vidoni (John Fisken photos)

  CHS senior Monica Vidoni looks super-enthusiastic during conditioning. With games kicking off, expect the mood of players to be much happier. (John Fisken photos)

Joel Walstad (5)

Joel Walstad (5) is shadowed by Hunter Downes during practice.

And so it begins.

Basketball is officially back today, as the first high school games tip off in the CHS gym. For the next three months or so, the sound of shoes squeaking on the hardwood will echo across the land.

Up first is a non-conference boys’ battle, as the Wolves host Meridian. JV tips at 5:15, varsity at 7.

Coupeville hits the road Tuesday for a twinbill in Langley against their longtime Island rivals, South Whidbey.

Now a non-conference affair with CHS having jumped from the 1A/2A Cascade Conference to the 1A Olympic League, that doesn’t diminish the annual rumble for bragging rights.

The Wolf girls play at 5, the boys at 6:45, with the teams respective JV squads going at opposite times.

CHS fans then get back-to-back home doubleheaders Friday and Saturday to cap the opening week of play.

Darrington hits Whidbey Friday (boys 5:15, girls 7), with Bellevue Christian visiting Saturday (girls 12:15, boys 2).

Time to lace up the high tops and let loose the dogs of war.

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12 hours a volleyball player!!

Posted in Volleyball, tagged , , , , , on September 28, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Hope Lodell, one of many Wolves to play strongly Saturday. (John Fisken photo)

Hope Lodell, one of many Wolves to play strongly Saturday. (John Fisken photo)

The Wolves enjoy a break from the muggy gym while a fire alarm is checked out. (Amy King photo)

  The Wolves enjoy a break from the muggy gym while a faulty fire alarm is checked out. (Amy King photo)

They put in a full day’s work.

The Coupeville High School JV volleyball squad spent close to 12 hours together Saturday.

Playing at a tournament in Bellingham hosted by Meridian, the Wolves met up at the CHS gym at 6:30 in the morning and didn’t return until 6 PM.

Along the way they played three matches, survived a muggy gym and were evacuated when faulty fire alarms interrupted them mid-match.

And while it didn’t win any of the three matches (losing to Nooksack Valley, Sehome and Mount Baker), Coupeville did have its fair share of highlights along the way.

“I know it was a long day, but the girls really stepped up and worked hard,” said CHS coach Amy King. “They did things today I haven’t seen them really do before. There were so many great rallies, awesome digs and hits.

“I’m very proud of each of them and how they continued to battle,” she added. “We may not have won but we made the other teams work for every point.

“This group is chalk full of talent and heart. I appreciated their positive attitudes and the way they constantly help each other out.”

The Wolves opened against Nooksack and had a bit of a struggle to blink away the early-morning tiredness. They got stronger as the match progressed, eventually falling 25-10, 25-17, 25-21.

Hope Lodell continued to earn her nickname of “The Surgeon,” slicin’ n’ dicin’ her foes with precision serving.

She nailed 14 serves in (including an ace) while Katrina McGranahan and Payton Aparicio connected successfully on 10 apiece.

McGranahan spent most of the match stalking the net, then exploding upwards to deny Nooksack. She amassed seven hits, two blocks and five tips in the match.

King also gave a nod of approval to the play of Sophia Hassapis and Abby Parker (“she was going for everything and saved a few balls heading out of the court”).

The middle match of the day started strong, then faded a bit, as Coupeville fell 25-20, 25-8, 25-12 to Sehome.

“We couldn’t maintain our scrappiness and let some of our errors get to us,” King said.

Lodell, Maggie Crimmins and Kayla Rose were money at the service stripe, while McGranahan soared for two court-shaking blocks that “got the bench screaming.”

Aparaicio, Rose, McGranahan, Lauren Grove and Kameryn St Onge spread out the kills, taking turns at destroying Sehome’s carefully-planned attacks.

Things got interesting near the end of the day, as the Wolves and their final opponent, Mt. Baker, got run out of the gym midway through the first set when fire alarms went off.

After a reprieve from a stuffy gym and a chance to sit outside in the breeze and take selfies, the two teams got back it, with Baker eventually triumphing 25-17, 25-20.

King came away pleased with the play of all of her players who made the day-long trip.

“Hope and Lauren were very consistent in their setting duties. Moving around the court, setting their teammates up and being steady all around on both offense and defense,” she said. “Kayla served for Lauren all day as Lauren’s shoulder has been giving her some problems. Kayla did a great job with serving as well as back row defense.

“Payton and Katrina did a great job with serve receive and defense; Abby stepped in and played a very aggressive back row and had several saves,” King added. “Kameryn, Allison (Wenzel), Mackenzi (Valko), Sophia and Claire (Mietus) all had great moments, whether tipping, hitting, serving or defense.

“They all contributed positively through the day.”

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Bailey, big bats blitz Bellingham!!

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , on April 10, 2014| Leave a Comment »

McKayla Bailey (John Fisken photos)

 McKayla Bailey — she’ll destroy your very soul with her fiery pitches, and smile all day long afterwards. (John Fisken photos)

Madeline Roberts scored the first run of the game Thursday -- the only run CHS would need. (John Fisken photo)

Madeline Roberts scored the first run of the game, the only run CHS would need.

Bellingham ain’t got nothin’ on Coupeville.

Continuing a run of dominance that started with two wins — including a playoff thriller — during basketball season, the Wolf girls own Meridian this school year.

Thursday, the game was softball and CHS stormed into town and delivered a hard slap-down, routing the host Trojans 8-0 in a non-conference game.

The victory lifted Coupeville to 3-5 and was a nice bounce back after a rough, waterlogged doubleheader sweep at Archbishop Thomas Murphy earlier in the week.

“Offensively we worked yesterday on staying back on the ball and looking to hit the pitch to the right and up the middle,” CHS coach David King said. “The players executed what they practiced. All of our hits were up the middle and to right.

“It’s great to see the execution on things we are working at during practice.”

When the bats weren’t booming, Wolf hurler McKayla Bailey was busy bein’ nasty, twirling a two-hitter and striking out eight. Both hits were harmless singles.

“She had them off balance by hitting her spots and her change up was working well today,” King said.

Coupeville gave Bailey the only run she would need without actually getting a hit.

Madeline Roberts led off the game with a walk, zipped all the way to third on a sac bunt from Breeanna Messner, then trotted home on a passed ball.

The Wolves continued to play small ball, adding a run in the second before blowing the game open.

Madeline Strasburg singled and came in to score when a ball put into play by Monica Vidoni was bobbled for an error.

The wheels really came off for Meridian in the third and fourth innings, as Coupeville popped for three runs apiece in each round of at-bats.

Hailey Hammer crushed a two-run single in the third (Roberts and Messner scored), followed by Strasburg lofting a long sac fly to bring Bailey in from third.

Capping their offensive output, the Wolves juiced the bags in the fourth on two walks and Roberts beating a fielders choice throw to first.

Messner, who was torrid at the plate all afternoon, cracked an RBI single, Bailey dropped a sac fly in for another run, then Strasburg closed the day with an RBI single of her own.

While the big boppers were on fire, two of the team’s freshmen stepped up at the plate as well.

Tiffany Briscoe absolutely crushed a laser line drive up the middle for her first high school hit, while Erin Josue also joined the hit parade for the first time. Josue smacked a shot down the first base line, with the ball ricocheting off the fielder’s glove.

Sophomore Emily Coulter slid over into a different position for the game and “made some nice defensive plays at third.”

Coupeville wraps up a six-game road trip (they’re 2-2 so far) with a doubleheader Monday, April 14 in Sultan, then finally gets to come home for a stretch.

After the face-off with the Turks, the Wolves play their next six games on Whidbey — five home games and a short trip to Langley to face arch-rival South Whidbey.

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Still alive!!!

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , , on February 13, 2014| 1 Comment »

Fab

Amanda Fabrizi (right) gets her pregame good luck hug from team manager Jae LeVine. It worked, to the tune of 18 points. (John Fisken photos)

Wolf coach David King (in red) remains the only calm person in the gym. (John Fisken photos)

  Wolf coach David King (in red) remains the only calm person in the gym as Julia Myers hits what would be the winning free throw.

win

And then they all lost their freakin’ minds.

When it was darkest Thursday night, when the season seemed to be slipping away, Amanda Fabrizi refused to let her high school basketball career end.

With her Coupeville girls’ hoops squad trailing by eight in the third quarter and momentum swinging wildly in favor of visiting Meridian, it would have been easy for the Wolf senior to give in, give up.

But Fabrizi has never quit on a basketball court, ever.

Which is why CHS came roaring back to beat the Trojans 42-41, carried by Fabrizi’s 18 points, to capture its first 1A district playoff win in at least five seasons.

Julia Myers iced the game, ripping a rebound out of an opposing player’s hands while being hammered, then calmly swishing a free throw with 9.9 seconds to play to break the game’s final tie.

But she never would have had her chance to be the heroine if Fabrizi hadn’t pulled the Wolves on her back.

And she did, drilling back-to-back shots — a high, arcing three-point bomb and a tough jumper with three girls in her face — sparking an 11-0 run that turned a 30-22 deficit into a 33-30 lead.

With Makana Stone tossing in a pair of buckets and freshman Carlie Rosenkrance hitting a jumper from the top of the key off of a brilliant pass from Breeanna Messner, Coupeville looked dominant for a four-minute run.

With the losing team being eliminated, Meridian wasn’t ready to roll over, however, and the Trojans fought back, setting up a knockdown brawl in the fourth.

First Coupeville surged to a four-point lead, on buckets from Stone and Fabrizi, then Meridian retook the lead at 38-37.

Back came Coupeville as Kacie Kiel wrested a ball free on the offensive boards and roared back up for her only bucket of the night, followed by Fabrizi picking the pocket of a Meridian ball-handler and racing in for a breakaway layin.

Up 41-38, it was over. Or was it?

After netting a free throw, Meridian forced a turnover on an inbounds pass and got their own breakaway to tie things at 41.

Worse, the girl flying to the hoop was fouled, setting her up for a three-point play the hard way with 27 ticks on the clock.

With CHS fans doing their best 12th Man impression and creating a sonic boom inside the gym, Meridian missed the free-throw, their 16th miss at the charity stripe on the night.

Fabrizi had a chance to reclaim the lead for Coupeville, but both of her free throws with 11.1 seconds to play rolled around and rimmed out at the very last moment.

Enter Myers, who, as she has done all season, simply wanted the rebound more than the girl on the other team reaching for the ball. Cleanly wrestling away the carom, the Wolf junior hunkered down and let herself get smacked, then hit the biggest free throw of her life.

Even then, things weren’t completely done, as Meridian managed to get two wild shots off at the end.

It wasn’t to be, though, and the Wolf students in the bleachers charged the floor, setting off a giddy celebration with their classmates who had just pulled off the biggest win in recent CHS girls’ basketball history.

It was a win accomplished without two starters, as junior Hailey Hammer (ankle injury) was joined in street clothes by junior Madeline Strasburg, who had been battling a high fever.

The hope is Strasburg will be back in uniform when Coupeville (10-12) travels to Blaine Friday for another loser-out playoff game.

The Borderites lost 55-26 to King’s Thursday.

The winner of the Coupeville/Blaine game is guaranteed a tri-districts berth and will play the winner of Mount Baker/Nooksack Valley Saturday on a neutral court at Mountlake Terrace High School for seeding.

Fabrizi (18) and Stone (12) combined to score 30 of Coupeville’s 42 Thursday, while Messner (3), Myers (3), Kiel (2), Rosenkrance (2) and Monica Vidoni (2) all chipped in.

Vidoni and Messner both scored off of big offensive rebounds, as the Wolves fought hard on the boards with a tough-nosed Meridian squad.

McKayla Bailey and Wynter Thorne didn’t score, but put in quality minutes off the bench, playing tough on defense and helping handle the ball smartly under considerable pressure.

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