Peyton Caveness | Coupeville Sports

Posts Tagged ‘Peyton Caveness’

Blue skies, big win

Posted in Baseball, tagged baseball, CHS Wolves, Landon Roberts, North Mason, Peyton Caveness on March 16, 2024| Leave a Comment »

The Wolves bask in the sun, and the afterglow of a win. (Stevie Glover photo)

After a tough opening week, the Coupeville High School varsity baseball squad bounced back big Saturday, drilling visiting North Mason 5-2.

Sparked by a powerhouse performance on the mound from senior Peyton Caveness, the Wolves improve to 1-2 on the very-young season.

With their next three games being their first Northwest 2B/1B League tilts, the victory provides a nice spark for the young hardball squad.

Saturday’s rumble with North Mason played out in the best weather, by far, that the prairie has seen during the start of spring sports.

That seemed to put a little extra zing in the offense, as the teams combined to score four of the game’s seven runs in the first inning.

The Bulldogs scratched out a run in the top half of the frame but couldn’t get more as Caveness bore down with a little defensive help from shortstop Cole White.

Cole White (left), discussing the mysteries of the universe with Jack Farrell, pulled off several web gems Saturday. (Morgan White photo)

Given their first crack, the Wolves immediately responded, pushing three runs across to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

White led off with a single, before Matthew Gilbert and Caveness walked to load the bases with no one out.

North Mason momentarily looked like it might escape, thanks to back-to-back strikeouts, but then Coupeville stung the visitors.

Coop Cooper eked out a bases-loaded walk to tie the game up at 1-1, before Johnny Porter laced a two-run double to right field to push his team in front.

Once he had the lead, Caveness was relentless, striking out seven as he held the visitors scoreless over the next five innings.

CHS tacked on a run in the third, with Camden Glover streaking home to score on a wild pitch, before Yohannon Sandles plated Landon Roberts in the fourth with an RBI single to right field.

The Wolves almost busted things wide open in the fifth, loading the bases with one out.

Unfortunately, North Mason escaped thanks to a double play on a line drive.

Not that it ultimately mattered, as Wolf hurlers Caveness and Glover combined to keep the Bulldogs largely at bay the rest of the way.

Peyton Caveness moved to the mound against North Mason and was largely lights out. (Morgan White photo)

The visitors pushed one run across in the top of the seventh, before Glover ended the game with a bang, blowing a third strike past a hapless hitter to seal the deal.

The Wolves racked up five hits in the game, while showcasing eagle eyes as they garnered nine free passes.

Johnny Porter’s double was the big blow, with Roberts, Sandles, Glover, and White recording singles.

Cooper led the way with three walks, while Caveness twice was waved down to first after the North Mason pitcher couldn’t find the plate.

Gilbert, Roberts, Glover, and Jack Porter also got aboard thanks to showing patience at the plate, while Aiden O’Neill rounded out the Wolf lineup with some stellar defense.

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Quiet bats hurt Wolf diamond men

Posted in Baseball, tagged baseball, CHS Wolves, Island rivalry, Peyton Caveness, SWHS Falcons on March 15, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Tom Fallon and South Whidbey won round one Friday, but Coupeville baseball gets a rematch in Cow Town Mar. 30. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

First batter, great.

After that, not so great.

Coupeville High School senior catcher Peyton Caveness led off his team’s road game at South Whidbey Friday with a double to center field.

But then the Wolves lost their groove offensively, and couldn’t find it defensively either, falling 11-1 to the Falcons in a game mercy-ruled after five innings.

The non-conference loss drops CHS to 0-2 on the still-young season, with another tilt in less than 24 hours.

Coupeville returns home Saturday to face North Mason (1-2) in a game set to begin at 1:00 P.M.

Friday’s Island rumble with their next-door neighbors was a fairly rough one for the scrappy Wolves, who were outhit 11-2. Overall CHS only put four runners aboard.

The mitts weren’t cooperating either for Coupeville, which committed six errors, allowing the Falcons to keep rallies alive.

One positive was the Wolves only walked three South Whidbey hitters, after surrendering 20+ free passes in their season opener.

Lanky lefty Landon Roberts got the start on the mound for Coupeville, and almost got out of the first relatively unscathed.

Unfortunately, a dropped third strike on what would have been the third out kept the frame alive, and the hometown mashers promptly responded with back-to-back RBI singles to make it 3-0.

South Whidbey tacked on a run in the second, helped by two Wolf errors, then pushed the lead out to 6-0 through three innings.

CHS, which had nine straight hitters go down after Caveness’s two-bagger, finally cracked the seal in the top of the fourth with Yohannon Sandles reaching on an error.

But then it was right back to it, as the Falcons erased the next three hitters to make it 12 of 13.

Roberts kept South Whidbey at bay in the bottom of the fourth, stranding a runner at second, and Coupeville notched its lone run of the day in the fifth.

Cole White eked out his squad’s only walk, then came around to tap home plate on a pinch-hit RBI single from Wolf sophomore Steven Gonzalez.

That would be it for the Coupeville offense, however, and South Whidbey ended the game early with a five-run surge in the bottom half of the inning.

Roberts struck out four across four frames, with Camden Glover coming on in relief for the Wolves.

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Navy nabs a proven winner

Posted in Navy pride, tagged baseball, CHS Wolves, firefighter, football, Peyton Caveness, US Navy on December 14, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville High School senior Peyton Caveness announces his career choice. (Photo property Richard De Castro)

Peyton Caveness doesn’t play basketball for Coupeville High School, so he needed something to fill his winter hours.

The Wolf senior, who is a captain, team leader, and key player for both CHS football and baseball, is spending his “down” time preparing for his future.

Caveness recently signed on the dotted line with the United State Navy, with plans of becoming a Naval Firefighter.

Coral’s lil’ brother has followed in his sister’s big athletic footsteps and done so impressively.

With a diamond season left to play, Peyton has already made it to state twice.

A heavy hitter on the gridiron, where he terrorized any rivals foolish enough to enter his part of the field, he was part of a Wolf football team which won its first league title in three decades plus.

As a baseball jack-of-all-trades, he carries a big bat while manning multiple positions.

When Coupeville upset Toledo 3-0 last spring, earning its first win at the state baseball championships since 1987, it was Caveness who delivered the game-busting hit, blasting a two-run shot to center in the top of the seventh.

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“We want to be the team of details”

Posted in Baseball, tagged baseball, CHS Wolves, Peyton Caveness, Scott Hilborn, Spring Sports Preview on February 28, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Wolf junior Peyton Caveness is a key returning player for CHS baseball. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

They’re chasing that state tourney dream.

The Coupeville High School baseball team came within a play here, a play there of earning the 10th trip to the big dance in program history last spring.

But it wasn’t to be, as the Wolves, coming off of a regular-season Northwest 2B/1B League title, fell 3-2 to Friday Harbor in a winner-to-state, loser-out playoff game.

Jump forward a year, flip out coaches, with former assistant Steve Hilborn taking the reins after Will Thayer’s move to Vegas, and Coupeville is back on the chase.

The Wolves lost five players to graduation, including league MVP Hawthorne Wolfe and All-League picks Xavier Murdy and Cody Roberts.

But Steve Hilborn can still put together a rock-solid lineup which is anchored by All-League players Scott Hilborn and Jonathan Valenzuela and features a wealth of talented young stars.

Some of the names may be different, but the job remains the same.

“Simple, sweep Friday Harbor, win league, go to state,” was Steve Hilborn’s reply when asked about goals.

The schools, which split two regular-season games last spring, are set to play three times this year.

Game #1, on Friday Harbor, is Mar. 28, while the Wolverines travel to Coupeville Apr. 18. Things wrap up May 4 back on Friday Harbor for the regular-season finale.

While that three-game series will likely dictate who wins the league title, Steve Hilborn is not looking past anyone in the seven-team NWL.

“Friday Harbor is the obvious one – I don’t believe they lost too many seniors from last year,” he said.

“But also Mount Vernon Christian, and Orcas had some good young talent and might surprise some teams this year.”

Steve Hilborn expects pitching to be his team’s biggest strength, with seniors Scott Hilborn and Valenzuela teaming up with freshman Chase Anderson to form the core of the staff.

While Anderson is only a fab frosh, he already has extensive varsity experience, having been a starting infielder and pitching for the Wolves as an 8th grader.

“The Magic Man” was the backup QB for the Wolf varsity football team as a freshman, leading the team in the second half of its state playoff game, and was a key member of the CHS varsity boys’ basketball squad.

“I think our pitching will be solid with our three main starters,” Steve Hilborn said. “I don’t think it’s just nepotism, but Scott was a huge part of all aspects of our game last year and we’ll need him to anchor the pitching staff this year.

“I expect Jon and Chase to be our other two main starters, with a few other players carrying the remaining load.”

First-Team All-Conference player Scott Hilborn is back for his senior season.

The team’s biggest question mark is likely behind the plate, with the team having lost the always-steady Murdy.

“Catcher is going to be a huge void to fill with Xavier gone,” Steve Hilborn said.

“We are looking at Peyton (Caveness) and Jon for that spot with Johnny (Porter) in there as well.”

The Wolves would love to see their offense kick things into gear, taking some of the pressure off of their pitching staff. Not every game has to be a low-run thriller.

“When it comes to offense you never know who might surprise you,” Steve Hilborn said. “Cole (White) and Peyton came through with some clutch hits last year and we expect more of that this year.

“Little too early to tell, but historically we haven’t hit that consistently and we want to change that,” he added. “We want every at-bat to have a plan and an approach.

“We might still strike out in a good battle, but, if we follow our approach and don’t flail away at three bad pitches, it can still be a win.”

The first day of practice attracted a solid group of young players, though the Wolves are still interested in adding bodies. At the 2B level, that can include 8th graders.

“We have quite a few freshmen, several of which played as 8th graders last year,” Steve Hilborn said. “At the first practice we had three new faces — Jayme Carranza, Parker Fuller-Hewitt, and David Dominici.

“We would like a few more players to fill out two teams, and we would love some 8th graders if any are interested.”

However the roster breaks down, the Wolves and their new head coach aim to bring a smile to the faces of old-school fans.

“We want to be the team of details,” Steve Hilborn said. “To do the little things right that add up to runs at the plate, outs on defense, and eventually wins.”

Steve Hilborn plots strategy.

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Swing away, click away

Posted in Baseball, tagged baseball, CHS Wolves, Cody Roberts, John Fisken photos, Peyton Caveness on March 31, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Chase Anderson mashes. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

It’s nippy, windy, and a little wet.

So, just like every other spring baseball season on the prairie.

Overcoming the weather comes with the game for the Coupeville High School baseball squad, as does the knowledge a photographer may be snapping your photo at any given moment.

The pics above and below, which hail from a win Wednesday over visiting Darrington, come from the camera of John Fisken.

To see everything he shot, and ponder the possibility of buying some glossies for the grandparents in Gladstone, pop over to:

https://www.johnsphotos.net/Sports/Coupeville-Baseball-2021-2022/BB-2022-03-30-vs-Darrington/