Wolf spikers (l to r) Emma Smith, Ashley Menges and Maya Toomey-Stout are headed to the state tourney. (Kimberly Bepler photo)
Early in the day, Coupeville volleyball moms were laid-back and carefree. Things would get nerve-wracking later. (Konni Smith photo)
Wolf fans dominated the stands in Tacoma. (Bepler photo)
JV players showed up to support their varsity counterparts, and get a first-hand view of what they one day want to accomplish. (Smith photo)
Wolf senior Payton Aparicio celebrates with mom Tami and big sis Sydney. (Bepler photo)
State bound for the first time since 2004. (Photo courtesy Cory Whitmore)
Revenge is a dish best served cold.
Two years ago, playing for a different coach, the Coupeville High School volleyball team had its season end early in the district playoffs at the spike-happy hands of Cascade Christian.
Saturday, on the biggest stage they have faced, the six Wolves remaining from that 2015 squad got the big payback.
Knocking off the Cougars in four sets while playing on a neutral court in Tacoma, CHS claimed third-place at the West Central District 3 tourney and punched their ticket to state.
Coming on the heels of a hard-fought four-set loss earlier in the day to Bellevue Christian, the split lifts Coupeville to 13-3, tying the program single-season record for wins.
It also sends the Wolves to Yakima for the first time since 2004.
When Hope Lodell, Payton Aparicio, Kyla Briscoe, Lauren Rose, Katrina McGranahan and Emma Smith — the last of the ’15 team — arrive at the SunDome for the 1A state tourney Nov. 10-11, they will find Castle Rock waiting for them.
Win or lose that first match, they are guaranteed a second match against either King’s or defending state champ Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls).
But that’s a week away, and Saturday night all second-year Coupeville coach Cory Whitmore could do was smile, smile and smile some more.
The body and brain were exhausted, but the buzz was still pinging a mad path across his nerve endings.
“I’m so proud of this team’s fight and heart throughout the day and especially down the stretch to meet the goal, going to state,” Whitmore said. “I can’t say enough about how hard they have worked, and worked together, to accomplish this milestone.
“So proud of these girls and so happy that they get to see their hard work pay off – such an incredible experience for them and to share that is indescribable.”
Four teams entered the gym at Charles Wright Academy Saturday, with three state slots in play.
The host Tarriers claimed the district title, edging Cascade Christian in five titanic sets before knocking off Bellevue Christian in four.
BC is still the only 1A team Coupeville has lost to this season, but, after being swept in straight sets in a non-conference match early in the year, Saturday’s tourney opener was much more of a pitched battle.
The Vikings slipped away with a 25-19, 23-25, 25-19, 25-23 win, but had to scrap for every point.
“I thought that we fought incredibly hard and showed a lot of heart when playing them,” Whitmore said. “They have two very strong hitters in the middle and our plan was to keep their attacks low and we did that for the most part.
“We served tough and at time too tough, sending the ball out more often than usual, but when our serving would get consistent, we would go on mini-scoring runs by staying aggressive with our swings and scrambling on defense.”
Sophomore sensation Maya Toomey-Stout and seasoned senior Aparicio paced Coupeville at the service line, each ripping four aces.
McGranahan and Ashley Menges backed them up, lacing three straight-up winners apiece.
When the ball was in play, big-hitting Mikayla Elfrank was the final word, cranking out seven kills to lead a balanced attack.
McGranahan (6), Aparicio (6), Briscoe (4) and Smith (4) all chipped in, as Menges and Rose combined to set up their teammates while sharing time at setter.
When the ball hit the floor, Lodell and Aparicio went low to scrape it back up, each wracking up 12 digs apiece.
While taking a second loss to Bellevue could have been a crippler, the Wolves shrugged it off impressively, returning to the same court fired-up two hours later.
“I was very impressed with this group’s ability to mentally recover from a loss to be in a loser-out situation game,” Whitmore said. “It’s a testament to our experience with a large group having been in that very situation a year before to turn around and come ready to fight for that last spot to state.”
Knowing Cascade Christian was aggressive, the Wolves matched their attack, taking chances and swinging for big play after big play.
While its service game dipped a bit in the second match, Coupeville made up for it with strong play at the net and a refusal to bend to a private school playing much closer to home.
With a large contingent of Cow Town fans making a considerable amount of noise, the Wolves took the opening set 27-25, then slipped a bit, dropping set two 25-20.
Not ruffled in the least, CHS — maybe channeling a need for revenge, maybe not — closed things out 25-19, 25-22.
Lodell was “all over the court,” racking up 15 of her team’s 55 digs, while Rose had four aces and eight digs and McGranahan (10 kills) and Smith (8) were a one-two hitting machine.
Aparicio gave her team a bit of everything, collecting 11 digs, two aces and seven kills, including the one that sent Coupeville to state.
The Wolves suited up 12 players Saturday, with Scout Smith, Chelsea Prescott and Emma Mathusek also in uniform. Senior Allison Wenzel was at a prestigious music performance, but will return for state.
Whether they were the six getting a bit of revenge for themselves and 2015 coaches Breanne Smedley and Heidi Wyman, or part of the new wave of players prospering under Whitmore, Chris Smith and Ashley Herndon, every Wolf shares one trait today.
They’re scrappers, they’re winners, and they’re Yakima bound.
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