Teagan Calkins brings the thunder and makes the hardwood quake. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)
It wasn’t flawless, but they stayed perfect.
Concrete, playing on its Senior Night Thursday, became only the second team to take a set from the Coupeville High School varsity volleyball team this season.
But in the end, the high-flying Wolves were too much for the plucky Lions, rebounding for a 17-25, 25-22, 25-4, 25-12 win to clinch the Northwest 2B/1B League crown.
With the victory, the Wolves get to 9-0 in conference action, 11-0 overall, and the second mark is the best start in CHS volleyball history.
The 2024 net crew, which has three regular season matches left to play, starting with a non-conference rumble Saturday at Neah Bay, breaks a tie with the 2004 Wolves, who started 10-0 and finished 14-3.
Thursday’s match started with a stumble, as a fired-up Concrete squad seized control early.
The Lions are the first NWL team to take a set from Coupeville in regular match play this season, with non-conference foe Okanogan the only other school to ding the Wolves.
CHS, which is a senior-dominated team, pulled together, however, and reasserted its dominance.
“We struggled to focus on remembering ourselves today, but when we did, we played like I would’ve expected,” said Wolf coach Cory Whitmore.
“The first set was full of errors that then became errors in other skills. We definitely need to work on that.”
The Wolves got a big boost from “The Red Dragon,” as junior Teagan Calkins came flying in from the right side to decimate Concrete, pounding away for a team-best 19 kills.
“Teagan had a great night and Katie (Marti) got her the ball whenever we needed a point or a string of them,” Whitmore said.
“Teagan was very fluid and a good mix of power and precision.”
Madison McMillan, also known as Miss Dependable.
Whitmore also praised the steady play of senior jack of all trades Madison McMillan.
“Madison had a great game, especially from the service line,” he said.
“She gamed tonight – she would grab the ball, run back to the line, and had that look in her eye of confidence and a desire to take control of things.”
While the first set was a bump in the road, Whitmore has confidence in his veterans rising to the occasion and working things out on the floor while the storm rages around them.
Once again, they did not fail him.
“They had to find a way to settle in and do it together,” he said. “So, I’m glad that they made enough changes to get it done.”
Thursday stats:
Taylor Brotemarkle – 4 digs
Teagan Calkins – 19 kills, 1 ace
Mia Farris – 8 kills, 2 digs, 2 block assists, 1 ace
Jada Heaton – 4 kills, 1 dig, 1 solo block
Katie Marti – 4 digs, 34 assists, 3 aces
Madison McMillan – 5 kills, 8 digs, 2 assists, 8 aces
Lyla Stuurmans – 9 kills, 4 digs, 3 assists, 2 block assists, 2 aces
Tenley Stuurmans – 2 digs
Coupeville Sports 