Freshman Cole White lofted a pretty, pretty goal Monday night, catching league champ Orcas Island flat-footed. (Morgan White photo)
Sam Wynn (19) and Owen Barenburg (7) were honored on Senior Night. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Forget about Bend it Like Beckham. We’re more about Curl it Like Cole.
On the afternoon the Coupeville High School boys soccer program honored seniors Sam Wynn and Owen Barenburg, it was freshman Cole White who stole the show.
While the Wolf booters weren’t able to upend the Northwest 2B/1B League Champs, with visiting Orcas Island rampaging to a 10-1 win, that one Coupeville goal was a peach.
Not only was it the best scoring play of the season, but arguably one of the prettiest ever seen on Mickey Clark Field.
With an injury-riddled Coupeville squad battling the undefeated Vikings every step of the way, and Wolf goalie Logan Martin making one sweet save after another, CHS trailed just 1-0 at the mid-point of the first half.
That’s when White, heir to a legacy of prep athletic excellence crafted back in the day by dad Greg, lost his dang mind.
Blasting a shot from deep on the left side of the field, Cole was trying to set up teammates scrambling for position in front of the net.
Instead, the ball, showing a mind of its own, kept rising, kept curling, and kept increasing in speed and velocity, until it hooked right into the top right corner of the net.
The Orcas goaltender, who was otherwise lights-out, flung himself skyward, trying to track the incoming swerve missile, but had no chance as the orb came dangerously close to tearing a hole through the netting.
The play drew a low whistle and a reverent “That was sweet!” from CHS Athletic Director Willie Smith, who then crafted the Curl it Like Cole movie title out of thin air, before gifting it to the media assembled in his press box.
That set off pandemonium in the stands, and on the pitch, with White mobbed by his teammates, a crush of joy hailing the young star’s first high school goal, though very likely not his last.
As fast as the euphoria washed over the gathered masses, it was dampened a bit, however.
The Vikings seemed to take the score personally, and clicked into destruction mode after that.
Sending 10 of 11 players on many attacks, Orcas rattled home four scores in an eight-minute tear, breaking up a 1-1 stalemate and carrying a daunting 5-1 lead into the halftime break.
Intent on keeping their unbeaten streak intact, the very-efficient Vikings seized every opportunity, no matter how small, and rained home another five goals in the second half to make the final score much more lopsided than probably necessary.
With the loss, Coupeville drops to 1-3 during this pandemic-shortened season, with the regular-season finale set for Wednesday in La Conner.
After that, there may be another game, however.
NWL officials are working on a plan for “playoff” games to cap the season, with contests played Friday or Saturday.
The league’s #1 and #2 teams would face-off, with #3 vs. #4 and #5 vs. #6 also on the schedule.
Coupeville is currently in fifth-place in the seven-team league, ahead of La Conner (1-4-1) and Grace Academy (0-4-1).
While Monday’s tilt with Orcas was about the soccer, it was also about paying tribute to Wynn and Barenburg, the heart and soul of the Wolf backline.
They were hailed before the game, with velvet-voiced CHS announcer Ja’Kenya Hoskins reading off their senior thank-you’s, and family giving the duo a gift certificate for dinner.
Wynn, who will be attending the University of Calgary, summed up his run as a Wolf booter thusly:
“I really got into soccer and had more fun with it because of the programs at Coupeville,” he said. “I just want to thank all the coaches and everybody who’s volunteered and fed me throughout the years.”
Barenburg, who began his soccer career at age six in South Korea, and later had a stint playing in Italy, plans to attend Western Washington University.
“I like soccer to be fun for everyone and enjoyed playing Central Whidbey Rec soccer with my friend Sam in elementary school,” he said.
“Going forward I plan to study computer science and hopefully continue playing this wonderful sport wherever I can.”
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