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Posts Tagged ‘road win’

Wolf diamond dogs chomp Vikings

Posted in Baseball, tagged , , , , on April 22, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Scott Hilborn drops the hammer. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

All in all, a pretty dang good week.

Sparked by another stellar pitching performance from senior Scott Hilborn, the Coupeville High School varsity baseball squad toppled host Orcas Island Saturday, heading back to the ferry with a 4-2 win.

That gives the Wolves three Northwest 2B/1B League wins over the last five days and keeps them a half-game out of first place.

CHS sits at 9-1 in conference action, with four NWL games left to play, while Mount Vernon Christian is 10-1 with three left on the schedule.

The Wolves, now 11-4 overall and winner of seven of their last eight games, face the league’s bottom three teams next week.

They travel to Concrete (0-9) Tuesday, trek to Darrington (4-6) Thursday, then host La Conner (1-9) Saturday on Senior Night.

After that comes a non-conference rumble with Sultan and the regular-season finale against league rival Friday Harbor, before Coupeville heads to the district playoffs as a #1 seed.

Facing a solid Orcas Island team Saturday, Hilborn was in control from start to finish, scattering three hits while whiffing nine Vikings.

Coupeville jumped in front 2-0 in the top of the second inning, putting together three straight hits from Jack Porter, Peyton Caveness, and Cole White.

Caveness slammed a double, while the second Wolf run came zipping home on a fielder’s choice groundout off the bat of Johnny Porter.

For quite a bit, that two-run lead was all Hilborn needed, as he retired the first seven hitters he faced, and got out of a teeny-tiny jam in the fourth thanks to a double play started by Jonathan Valenzuela.

Even on the coldest of days, Jonathan Valenzuela’s defense is red-hot. (Morgan White photo)

But Coupeville’s own bats went cold for a couple of innings, and Orcas finally cracked the code in the bottom of the fifth.

Two Viking hitters embraced the pain and let themselves be drilled by wayward pitches to get things started, with Calvin Saxe whacking a two-run single to left to knot things up at 2-2.

The Wolves have been resilient all season, however, and they quickly responded, pushing two runners of their own across in the top of the sixth to retake the lead.

Chase Anderson and Valenzuela connected on back-to-back singles to lead off the inning, while Jack Porter came up with a mammoth two-out hit.

Orcas committed an error on Porter’s RBI single, allowing a second Wolf to race home, and the deed was done.

Hilborn retired six of the final seven hitters, setting the Vikings down 1-2-3 in the seventh to send local fans back to their cars with tear-stained faces.

Or at least I’d like to think so.

 

Saturday stats:

Chase Anderson — One single
Peyton Caveness — One double
Jack Porter — Two singles
Landon Roberts — One single
Jonathan Valenzuela — One single, one walk
Cole White — One single

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Wolves chomp Bulldogs

Posted in Baseball, tagged , , , , on March 18, 2023| Leave a Comment »

“It’s a good day for a win!” (Morgan White photo)

It was a statement win for the small school.

Hitting the road Saturday, the Coupeville High School varsity baseball squad smacked host North Mason 8-3, winning a battle of 2B vs. 2A institutions.

The non-conference victory lifts the Wolves to 2-1 on the season, with two home games on the schedule for next week.

First up is their Northwest 2B/1B League opener Tuesday, with La Conner making the trip to Whidbey Island.

Saturday it was Coupeville’s turn to listen to the wheels on the bus go round and round (and round some more) as it traveled 70+ miles one way down the backroads of America.

Once they were in North Mason, the Wolves took a couple of innings to get the bats warmed up, then seized control of the game.

Trailing 1-0 entering the top of the third inning, with just a handful of walks to its credit, CHS had also had two different baserunners thrown out while trying to steal a bag.

No worries, however.

Freshman Aiden O’Neill kicked things off with a one-out walk, before Scott Hilborn and Chase Anderson smacked back-to-back singles to juice the bags.

Presented with their best scoring opportunity up to that point, the Wolves responded, pushing three runners across the plate.

A sac fly off the bat of Peyton Caveness and an RBI single from Jonathan Valenzuela were the big blows, and Coupeville had a lead it would never relinquish.

The Wolves and Bulldogs each scored a run in their half of the fifth inning, keeping things close at 4-2, with Caveness whipping an RBI single to left field for CHS.

Not content to creep along, Coupeville exploded for four more runs in the top of the sixth, making life easier on starting pitcher Scott Hilborn.

Camden Glover eked out a leadoff walk while pinch-hitting, followed by an O’Neill single, then the Wolves got some help from the umps, who advanced both runners on a defensive interference ruling.

Hilborn immediately followed up by smashing a ball off the shortstop’s glove, plating both of his younger teammates, and the fun was underway.

A walk to Valenzuela put two runners aboard, with Cole White driving a two-run single to straightaway center to make it 8-2.

That smash pushed the Wolves out far enough in front that coach Steve Hilborn experimented with his lineup after that, giving Jaje Drake and Yohannon Sandles their first at-bats of the season.

Scott Hilborn, who whiffed four Bulldogs on the afternoon, got nicked for a run in the bottom half of the sixth and departed with two outs, turning things over to Anderson.

“The Magic Man” came in and slammed the door on North Mason, ending the inning with a strikeout, before sailing through the seventh.

Anderson retired four of the six batters he faced, with two going down on strikes and two meekly chopping balls to Hilborn at short.

Scott Hilborn is a vacuum on defense. (Morgan White photo)

Coupeville finished with seven hits and 11 walks, with Scott Hilborn collecting two of each, including a resounding double.

Anderson, Caveness, Valenzuela, White, and O’Neill also had base knocks, with Valenzuela walking three times, and Glover and Coop Cooper getting aboard twice thanks to free passes.

Jack Porter, Landon Roberts, and Johnny Porter all played strong defensive games for the Wolves, who got game time for 13 players in the win.

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If they’re travelin’, they’re winnin’

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , on December 16, 2022| Leave a Comment »

CHS coach Megan Richter has her team playing strongly on the road. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

They like life on the bus.

After whacking host Sedro-Woolley 41-29 Thursday, the Coupeville High School varsity girls’ basketball squad remains flawless away from home.

The non-conference win, coming against a 2A school, lifts the 2B Wolves to 3-2 overall, and a pristine 2-0 in road clashes.

So, it’s probably a good thing Coupeville’s next three games involve a trip off-Island.

The Wolves visit bat country Saturday for a showdown with Forks, before heading to Ellensburg after Christmas for a two-day tourney which will also involve Chelan, Kittitas, and Sultan.

Thursday night’s clash took a major turn for the positive in the second quarter.

Trailing 11-7 at the first break, Coupeville completely took all the air out of the opposing fans with an 11-0 surge across the game’s second eight-minute span.

Gwen Gustafson accounted for six of those points, and the fuse was lit.

The Wolves finally surrendered a few points in the third quarter, but just a few, using a 15-6 run to put the game solidly on ice.

While Sedro rallied a bit down the stretch, the Cubs were never able to get their deficit back down under double digits, allowing Coupeville to enjoy its stroll back to the bus.

When she’s not hanging out with the parents, Alita Blouin is a dagger-dropping hoops assassin.

Alita Blouin, droppin’ bombs and takin’ names, led the Wolves with a team-high 11 points, while running mate Maddie Georges added nine.

Both of the Wolf sharpshooters knocked down a three-ball over the Sedro defense.

Gustafson (7), Lyla Stuurmans (6), Ryanne Knoblich (4), Carolyn Lhamon (3), and Katie Marti (1) rounded out the well-balanced attack, with Mia Farris terrorizing the Cubs on defense.

With her nine points, Georges continues to move upwards into ever-rarer air on the CHS girls’ basketball career scoring chart.

The Wolf senior is eight points away from cracking the 300-point club and passed program legends Bessie Walstad (288) and Scout Smith (290) Thursday, while moving from #39 all-time to #37 on a list which began back in 1974.

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“Awesome performance today!”

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , , on June 5, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Carolyn Lhamon returned from an injury Saturday, helping Coupeville roll to a big road win on Orcas Island. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Quite the turn around.

A game after posting its fewest points of the season, the Coupeville High School varsity girls basketball squad bounced back with a vengeance Saturday afternoon.

Led by Izzy Wells, who knocked down eight of her game-high 14 points in the final quarter, the Wolves held off Orcas Island 45-36 for a huge road win which doubles as sweet revenge.

The first time the teams met in Coupeville, the Vikings escaped with a three-point win.

This time out, with nine Wolves scoring and the team tying its season-high for points, it all ended in a much-happier way.

“We had a great practice yesterday and that led to an awesome performance today!,” said Coupeville coach Scott Fox. “I can’t tell you how proud I am of these girls.

“We could have folded, but we came out with a vengeance for a great road win.”

CHS was coming off back-to-back losses to undefeated La Conner and one-loss Mount Vernon Christian, but the Orcas win sends the Wolves in the right direction as the season nears its end.

The Wolves, now 4-5 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, have games left against Friday Harbor, Concrete, and Darrington — all teams they have previously beaten this season by double-digits.

Coupeville only scored six points total in its loss to MVC, but put up 15 Saturday in the first quarter alone.

Yet still trailed 20-15 at the first break, as the squads swapped buckets and pushed the pace.

A pair of Orcas three-balls to end the quarter was the difference, but the Wolves didn’t seem flustered a bit.

They were moving the ball crisply, and getting points from everyone on the floor, with six different players tallying a bucket in the opening frame.

Audrianna Shaw started things, going up and around a backpedaling defender for the game’s first bucket, then turned around and fired a crisp outlet pass to set up Maddie Georges for a layup on the very next possession.

Wolf 8th grader Savina Wells netted a three-ball of her own, flipping the net high, and the game looked like it might end with both teams gunning for 70-75 points.

Instead, the combined point totals came down the rest of the way, falling from 35 in the first, to 20 in the second, then 16 and 10 after the half.

A big part of that was Coupeville’s defense, which limited Orcas to more no three-balls after the first quarter, and just 16 points across the final three quarters.

Ja’Kenya Hoskins, Carolyn Lhamon, and Savina Wells dominated the boards, while the Wolf guards attacked from all angles, causing frequent turnovers.

Once they had the ball in their hands, the Wolves continued to spread out their offense, with Kylie Van Velkinburgh and Ryanne Knoblich getting on the board with buckets to open the second quarter.

Both baskets were set up by crisp passes, as Savina Wells and Georges fired balls which zipped between defenders before landing softly in their teammate’s hands.

Coupeville took the lead for good at 23-22, with Hoskins dropping a pair of velvety-smooth free throws through the net, then continued to turn up the defensive heat.

Orcas, playing its season finale in this pandemic-altered season, didn’t go down easily, however.

The Vikings stayed within range at 37-34 through three quarters, and it could have been even tighter.

But, up by a single point, Shaw busted the defense, hauled in a long pass, and slapped home a layup right before the Orcas scorekeeper could hit the buzzer to signal the end of the quarter.

After exchanging buckets to open the fourth, the ever-serene Izzy Wells strolled across the court and drove a stake through the heart of Vikings fans everywhere.

Scoring on a combination of moves, Savina’s older sister iced things by collecting the game’s final three buckets, earning a nod of approval from her coach.

“Izzy’s offensive performance was spectacular to see,” Fox said. “Audri was our rock, as usual, and Ja’Kenya crashed the boards like no other.

“It makes the ferry ride home much nicer!”

With her 14-point performance, Izzy Wells cracks the 100-point club, becoming the 102nd girl in CHS hoops history to do so since 1974.

She actually has 102 points, and counting, and is (for the moment at least) the #101 scorer all-time.

Shaw, who is making her own run at the 100-point club, finished with 11 Saturday, while Hoskins and Georges tossed in four apiece.

Knoblich (3), Savina Wells (3), Gwen Gustafson (2), Van Velkinburgh (2), and Lhamon (2) rounded out the offense, while Lyla Stuurmans and Anya Leavell also saw floor time.

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Second-half surge seals sweet success

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , on May 22, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Sophomore sharpshooter Ryanne Knoblich scored her first varsity points Saturday, helping Coupeville storm to a big road win. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Savina Wells rifles a pass to Maddie Georges, who cracked an exclusive scoring club.

“They finally busted out as a team.”

Roaring out of the halftime locker room, the Coupeville High School varsity girls basketball squad obliterated host Friday Harbor in the second half Saturday.

Turning a one-point halftime deficit into a double-digits victory, the Wolves captured a 38-25 win, and put a smile on coach Scott Fox’s face.

“After coming out flat from an early morning reveille and long ferry ride, we turned it up and came out firing on all cylinders in the second half,” he said.

“They all contributed. This was a great road win for a young team.”

Coming hot on the heels of a narrow loss at home less than 48 hours before, the victory lifts Coupeville to 1-2 at the quarter mark of this pandemic-altered 12-game season.

The Wolves now head home for back-to-back home games, with Concrete coming to Whidbey Tuesday, May 25, before Northwest 2B/1B League powerhouse La Conner arrives two days later.

Those are challenges for other days, however. For the moment, let Coupeville bask in the glow of victory.

Saturday’s game tipped at 11:30 AM, which meant the Wolves left their own gym at 7:45.

Once on the floor, they stayed close, leading 7-5 after one quarter, before slipping behind 12-11 at the half.

The third quarter was all Coupeville, however, with junior guard Audrianna Shaw throwing down seven of her game-high 12 points to spur an 18-8 Wolf run.

She got plenty of help, with Kylie Van Velkinburgh adding five in the quarter, while Maddie Georges banked in three, Izzy Wells popped for two, and Carolyn Lhamon tickled the twines for a free throw.

The Wolves kept the defensive pressure on through the fourth quarter, coasting in for the win.

Georges, Coupeville’s sophomore point guard, made a little history in the final frame, swishing a three-ball to officially move into the 100-point club.

With six points Saturday, she sits with 102 points, and is the 101st Wolf girl to hit triple-digits since the CHS girls program began in 1974.

Passing Monica Vidoni (97), Lupine Wutzke (98), and Sue Wyatt (100), Georges is now #100 on the career scoring chart, a small burst away from shooting even higher.

It wasn’t the only history, as sophomore Ryanne Knoblich and 8th grader Lyla Stuurmans both knocked down buckets in the fourth, scoring their first varsity points, joining an exclusive club which now numbers 233 girls.

Stuurmans is in an even-more exclusive club, as she and Savina Wells are the only 8th grade girls to score in a CHS varsity hoops game.

On the day, Shaw led the books with 12 points, including a pair of long-range three-balls.

The always-efficient Izzy Wells (6), Georges (6), Van Velkinburgh (5), Lhamon (3), Stuurmans (2), Knoblich (2), and Savina Wells (2) also scored.

Anya Leavell, making her season debut, and Morgan Stevens both saw solid floor time for the Wolves.

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