Wolf seniors (l to r) Cael Wilson, Preston Epp, and Ayden Wyman have their team in the thick of the playoff hunt. (Danica Strong photo)
Madness! Mayhem!! Panic on the pitch!!!
And we’re not done yet.
With the Northwest 2B/1B League boys’ soccer season coming to a furious finale, with four games Friday and four more Saturday, things are bonkers.
But looking good for Coupeville, to a point.
The Wolves, who are a co-ed team for the second straight season, pulled out a major 2-1 gut-check win at La Conner Friday to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The victory, which came in a shootout after two overtime periods, lifts CHS to 4-3 in league play, 6-7-1 overall.
Coupeville enters the last day of the regular season Saturday tied with Mount Vernon Christian (4-3) for the fourth and final NWL playoff berth, a game up on Friday Harbor (3-4).
Now, the Wolves just have to go slay the big, bad beast known as Orcas Island, which arrives on Whidbey Saturday for a 12:30 PM game.
The Vikings, ranked #1 in the state among 2B/1B teams, are 7-0 in conference action, 14-1 overall, and have reeled off 14 straight wins since losing their opener to St. Georges of Spokane.
Lopez Island (5-2), which fell 1-0 to MVC Friday, and Providence Classical Christian (5-2) are playoff-bound, while Cedar Park Christian-Lynnwood (2-5), La Conner (2-6), and Grace Academy (0-7) are not.
Which leaves three teams scrapping for the last playoff berth.
MVC and Friday Harbor play Saturday at 3:00, so they’ll both know Coupeville’s fate before kickoff.
League guidelines use head-to-head results to break ties, so here’s the likely scenario for the #4 playoff berth:
Coupeville beats Orcas = Coupeville is in at 5-3 since they beat MVC, while Friday Harbor can’t finish better than 4-4.
Coupeville loses, MVC wins = MVC is in at 5-3.
Coupeville loses, Friday Harbor wins = All three teams finish 4-4, and Friday Harbor is in, since they would have beaten both MVC and the Wolves.
Sage Arends (left), Sam Richards and company play their biggest game of the season Saturday afternoon. (Photo by Coupeville High School yearbook staff)
While everything comes down to Saturday’s finale, Coupeville’s scrappy booters deserve plenty of props for how they got to this point.
Trailing 1-0 at the half against La Conner, the Wolves rallied to knot things on a goal from Cael Wilson.
The fifth-year varsity player beat the Braves goalkeeper for his team-leading seventh score of the season, and the 13th of his prep career.
That ties him with big brother Aidan for #7 on the all-time CHS boys’ soccer scoring chart.
After battling through two scoreless five-minute overtime periods, the teams finally settled their rumble in a penalty kick shootout.
Even that went to the extreme, as it took eight shooters, and not the normal five, for Coupeville to pull out a 3-2 advantage.
“This season has been one wild game after another,” said CHS coach Kimberly Kisch.
“We went shot for shot with them for eight shooters. Some were blocked by both keepers; some went wide and some hit crossbars.”
Cael Wilson, Matthew Ward, and Sage Arends found the back of the net for the Wolves, with Arends popping in the game-winner after CHS goalie Hurlee Bronec blocked what would prove to be La Conner’s final shot.
JV scraps:
Coupeville and La Conner fought to a 3-3 tie to open the night.
Wolf 8th grade ace Tamsin Ward netted all three scores for the Wolves, notching her first high school goals.
Coupeville Sports 