The Wolves have scored 17 goals across four games. (Julie Wheat photos)
The first road trip was a rousing success.
Attacking with wild abandon, the Coupeville High School boys’ soccer squad ran host Grace Academy off the turf Wednesday, romping to a 5-0 win in a “non-conference” game against a Northwest 2B/1B League rival.
Playing under mostly sunny skies in Marysville, the Wolves got balanced scoring and superb defense to get to 3-1 on the season.
Sam Richards, Sage Arends, Wyatt Fitch-Marron, Chayse Van Velkinburgh, and Edmund Wilson tallied goals for Coupeville, benefitting from strong ball movement.
“Our coaches made some adjustments this week to strengthen some areas,” said CHS coach Jim Kunz. “I saw much improvement in our passing.”
Wilson leads the Wolves with five goals through the first four games, with Arends having notched three and Van Velkinburgh and Fitch-Marron netting their second of the campaign.
Chayse Van Velkinburgh unleashes a laser.
It’s the 13th career goal for both Arends and Edmund Wilson, with the latter moving into a tie for family scoring honors with older brothers Aidan and Cael.
Wednesday’s score was the first at the high school level for Sam Richards, normally the team’s starting goaltender.
Younger brother Josh Richards manned the net in the first half at Grace, with his older sibling returning to the position after halftime.
While the Wolves peppered the goal on offense, rattling home three scores before the game was 10 minutes old, the Coupeville defense was equally on point.
“The defense, led by Shiloh (Sandlin), was solid in slowing the momentum and maneuvering the ball forward,” Kunz said. “Grace had pushes toward our goal but couldn’t get the net.”
Wednesday’s game was the first of three straight on the road for the Wolves, who head back to Marysville Friday to face Evangel Classical before traveling to La Conner September 29.
That bout with the Braves will be the first to count in the league standings this season.
