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Posts Tagged ‘state tournament’

CHS baseball season in jeopardy?

Posted in Baseball, tagged baseball, CHS Wolves, information meeting, state tournament, Steve Hilborn on January 15, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Steve Hilborn has guided Coupeville High School baseball to state in both seasons he’s been at the helm of the program. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Time to put the rally hats on.

A combination of injuries and family moves is forcing Coupeville High School baseball coaches to scramble even before the season arrives.

The Wolves have advanced to the state tourney in back-to-back seasons but are “in danger of not having enough kids for a team this year,” said head man Steve Hilborn.

A team meeting has been set for 1:30 PM Wednesday to give coaches a better idea of how many players may be available.

It will be held in the health room inside the entrance to the CHS gym.

For Hilborn and his staff, the push to save the campaign is underway.

“Two straight years to state and then we can’t even make a team?” he said. “Doesn’t seem possible.”

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Mia the Magnificent earns big props

Posted in Volleyball, tagged All-State, CHS Wolves, Mia Farris, state tournament, volleyball on November 21, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Mia Farris and her mama shine in the spotlight. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

They noticed her.

Playing some of her best volleyball of the season over a 24-hour period last week, Coupeville High School spike sensation Mia Farris soared at the 2B state tourney.

The Wolf senior racked up 35 kills, 41 digs, eight service aces, a block assist, and a regular assist as CHS split four matches in Yakima and claimed a program-best 4th place trophy.

Now, “Mia the Magnificent” has been honored by being named to the Washington State Volleyball Coaches Association All-State Tournament Team.

She’s one of nine players selected at the 2B level, joining rivals from Manson, Freeman, Adna, Liberty (Spangle), and Colfax.

Stella Petersen, an outside hitter who led Manson to a second-straight state title, toppling unbeaten Adna in the final, was the MVP.

Coupeville went 18-2 this season, was undefeated until the final day of the season, and captured league and bi-district titles while being led by a stellar pack of seniors including Farris.

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“I will treasure this season for a long time”

Posted in Volleyball, tagged CHS Wolves, Cory Whitmore, state tournament, Stats, volleyball on November 18, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Madison McMillan rises up to deliver a winner. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Cory Whitmore took the advice of Letterkenney.

“I suggest you let that one marinate.”

Now, whether the Coupeville High School volleyball coach has ever seen the cult Canadian comedy about small town folks with unbelievably intricate vocabularies is not known.

But the Wolf spiker guru has smartly taken a few moments to let the state tournament experience wash over him.

Even several days after the bright lights of the Yakima SunDome have faded into the rear-view mirror, the buzz remains.

“I have struggled to find the right words to describe just how proud I am of this team, these families, community and coaching staff, for what we accomplished this past Wednesday/Thursday,” Whitmore said.

“Bringing home a 4th place trophy is very special and something the girls should be so incredibly proud of forever.

“But I know it will be the memories of how we did that, how together the group remained through all the challenges throughout, the fight they showed against very tough teams that will mean the most to me and this group for a long time to come.”

Jada Heaton mashes the volleyball.

The 2024 edition of the Wolves were undefeated until the final day of the season, went a program-best 18-2, won league and bi-district titles, and shone brightly in the spotlight of the big dance.

Capturing two wins for the first time in a single state tourney, the Wolves outplayed their #5 seed while toppling #12 Tonasket and #4 Mossyrock.

It was the first victory for a CHS volleyball team at state since 2004.

Looking back, Whitmore reflects on how it all played out from his perspective.

Day One:

The experience of being in the Dome last year was crucial to our success this year – it was an immediate and noticeable difference from last year to this year in our program’s comfortability in being in the environment, navigating the schedule, travel, hotels, all the details that go into tournament play and it felt significantly more smooth.

It was great to be on the exact same court to start as last year (Court 5) but this time the five seed against a #12, instead of the other way around.

Tonasket did not back down but our experience and senior-led group really took over to take care of business.

Against Mossyrock, it was this group’s ability to adjust that made the difference.

We were very strong from the service line, keeping us ahead on defense, but we had to find our way on offense and really adapt where we typically would run routes.

We had practiced this some, but the group really had to do this on the fly, taking quick and effective instructions from the bench.

We made a great push in the second set and almost made the comeback, but I believe that late-push was huge for our confidence to then take the next two sets and get the 3-1 win.

Although we did not see ourselves as the “underdogs”, it was fun to be the first lower-ranked team to beat a higher-ranked team in the tournament.

Day Two:

If things aren’t tight by the quarterfinals, they certainly are in the semis, and although we faced the #1 ranked team in the state (Adna), I was so proud of how this group never once showed fear or hesitation.

We took a bit to adjust to their faster style offense and locate their points of weakness; the girls should be so proud of how we fought and really pushed them, an experienced group of seniors as well.

Freeman had just lost a tough match to the eventual state champs (Manson), and we could feel their frustration – they came out swinging and again, we were a bit out-matched offense-for-offense.

But as with Adna, I am so incredibly proud of how we continued to fight and find our way.

As a coach, I was especially proud of how much the girls trusted our gameplan and just stuck with it.

They believed in where we were telling them to serve, they believed in where we were telling them to hit and how to defend against, and we had our strongest set to close out the match but came up a bit short.

We played to the very last day they would allow. This team did something our program has not done.

And through the wins, stats, accolades, records, success, this group (above all) was a pleasure to be around day-in and day-out.

It really is all about who you spend your time with and this team (and their families) made the ride so incredibly fulfilling.

This team may not be aware of how they have inspired future generations of Wolves to pick up the torch.

I’m very grateful to be able to coach in this community and will treasure this season for a long time to come.

Hear the Wolves roar.

State stats:

Taylor Brotemarkle — 13 digs
Teagan Calkins — 24 kills, 5 digs, 4 aces, 5 block assists
Mia Farris — 35 kills, 41 digs, 1 assist, 8 aces, 1 block assist
Jada Heaton — 2 kills, 1 dig, 1 assist, 1 solo block, 3 block assists
Katie Marti — 5 kills, 31 digs, 96 assists, 8 aces, 1 block assist
Madison McMillan — 9 kills, 35 digs, 5 assists, 4 aces
Lyla Stuurmans — 35 kills, 24 digs, 3 assists, 4 aces, 4 solo blocks, 4 block assists
Tenley Stuurmans — 15 digs, 1 assist, 11 aces

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Season like no other, team like no other

Posted in Volleyball, tagged Adna, CHS Wolves, Freeman, state tournament, trophy case, volleyball on November 14, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Seniors (l to r) Jada Heaton, Lyla Stuurmans, and Mia Farris helped lead Coupeville volleyball to its best season in program history. (Jennifer Heaton photo)

They outplayed their seeding and sent a message across the state.

Listen up and hear it well — the young women in red and black have some serious bite.

Capping a season for the ages, a Coupeville High School volleyball squad led by seven seniors is returning from Yakima carrying the first state tournament trophy in program history.

Thursday didn’t go quite as well as Wednesday, with two hard-fought losses against highly ranked foes following two dynamic wins.

But you can’t dim the glow on the 2024 campaign, when the Wolves romped to an 18-2 record, a Northwest 2B/1B League crown, a Bi-District title, and a 4th place finish at the 2B state championships.

One team, one dream, start to finish. (Jennifer Marzocca photo)

And while seniors Taylor Brotemarkle, Katie Marti, Jada Heaton, Chloe Marzocca, Mia Farris, Madison McMillan, and Lyla Stuurmans depart, their legacies will live large through the coming years.

Meanwhile, when CHS coach Cory Whitmore returns next year for his tenth season at the helm of the program, he’ll have plenty of firepower to build around.

Junior Teagan Calkins led CHS in kills this season, while freshman Tenley Stuurmans emerged in the second half of the year as a player on the cusp of potential stardom.

Toss in a band of other Wolf spikers who led the JV team to a 12-1 mark — many of whom were at the SunDome, either in uniform or cheering in street clothes — and the future is as bright as the present.

Making its seventh trip to state, and third under Whitmore, the Coupeville volleyball program exceeded all expectations.

How Day #2 played out for the fifth-seeded Wolves:

Madison McMillan drops the hammer. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Adna:

Coupeville held off five set points, including four in one frame, but couldn’t topple the top-ranked team in 2B, falling 25-14, 26-24, 25-17.

It was a throwdown between the last two undefeated teams in the field, with Adna in the semifinals for the first time since 2011, and the Wolves exploring completely new territory.

In the end, the precision-hitting, powerful Pirates were just a little too much, and they advanced to the title bout for the first time in their program’s history.

Things started 45 minutes late, thanks to a slow-moving five-set thriller occupying their court, before the Wolves bolted out to a quick 2-1 lead.

Things turned sharply after that, with Adna seizing control and pushing its lead out to seven points.

Big-time kills from Calkins and Lyla Stuurmans provided hope, and the Wolves staved off a set point, but ultimately couldn’t get all the way back.

The second frame featured strong work from Heaton at the net and Tenley Stuurmans at the service line, but Coupeville once again was forced to play from behind.

Down 24-20, the Wolves caught fire behind Calkins, forcing a 24-24 tie after dodging one bullet after another.

While the effort was valiant, Adna had an answer, ending the set with back-to-back points to push CHS into a 2-0 deficit for only the second time this season.

The first time that happened, the Wolves rallied for the 3-2 reverse sweep in a non-conference win at Okanogan during a mid-season Eastern Washington road trip.

This time, there was no comeback.

Farris uncorked a series of potent kills to keep the Pirates jumpy, but Adna held on for the win, setting off a floor-storming celebration.

Katie Marti directs traffic. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Freeman:

After a lunch break, the Wolves returned to the floor to face a team which features three front-line players who stand between six-foot and six-three.

The Scotties, seeded #3, lost only to #2 Manson — once during the regular season and again Thursday in the state semifinals — and to undefeated 1A powerhouse Chelan.

Controlling the match from start to finish, Freeman jumped out to a 9-1 lead in the first set and made life tough for the Wolves.

While the opening frame vanished in a puff of smoke, Coupeville put up a strong fight in the latter two sets, eventually holding off a set point and two match points before things reached an end.

Farris did her best to blunt the power of Freeman’s tree toppers and racked up a few more kills in her final moments on the court.

Trailing 24-17, CHS held fast, earning its final two points of the season on a side out and a service point from Marzocca.

Coupeville’s seniors with their trophy. (Jennifer Marzocca photo)

League rivals go different routes:

Two of Coupeville’s Northwest 2B/1B League mates also advanced to state, but one had a better trip to Yakima.

Darrington, while coming up just short of a trophy, survived through three matches in the 1B tourney.

The Loggers opened their two-day odyssey by waxing Willapa Valley 25-10, 25-15, 25-10, before being edged by Walla Walla Valley Academy in the final match (very late) Wednesday night.

Darrington came up just short in that one, falling 27-25, 25-14, 16-25, 28-30, 15-13 to narrowly miss a trip to the semifinals.

Returning to the floor early Thursday, the Loggers pushed Northwest Christian (Lacey) to four sets, before dropping an elimination bout 25-22, 25-21, 19-25, 25-14.

Meanwhile, six-time state champ La Conner went two and out on Day #1 of the 2B tourney.

The Braves fell 25-19, 25-15, 25-18 to Adna in their opener, before being eliminated 25-8, 25-12, 25-23 by Tri-Cities Prep.

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Best that ever was (and they’re not done)

Posted in Volleyball, tagged CHS Wolves, Mossyrock, state tournament, Tonasket, undefeated, volleyball, Yakima SunDome on November 13, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Wolf seniors (l to r) Madison McMillan, Katie Marti, and Mia Farris celebrate their excellence. (Ashley Menges photo)

They’re charting new territory with every spike.

Going where no Coupeville High School volleyball team has before, the 2024 edition stepped in to the spotlight at the 2B state tourney Wednesday and refused to step back out.

Keeping alive their undefeated campaign, the fifth-seeded Wolves toppled #12 Tonasket, then stunned #4 Mossyrock, snapping that school’s streak of seven straight top three finishes.

Now, Cory Whitmore’s squad, which sits at 18-0, advances to the state semifinals Thursday, where it will clash with #1 Adna (20-0) in a 10:00 AM royal rumble on court #2 at the Yakima SunDome.

Meanwhile, #2 Manson (19-2) and #3 Freeman (19-2) meet in the other semi, with the winners playing for a state title at 5:30 PM.

The losers clash at 2:00 in the 3rd/4th place game.

Which means, win or lose Thursday, a CHS team featuring seven seniors will bring home the program’s first-ever state trophy.

The 18 wins are a Coupeville single-season record (besting the previous mark of 14), while this is the first time the Wolf spikers have won two matches during one state tourney.

Prior to Wednesday, CHS had captured a single win in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004.

How the landmark day played out:

Tonasket:

With a big-hit offense operating at full roar, the Wolves pasted the Tigers 25-19, 25-23, 25-12.

The Wolves claimed the lead for good early in the first set, then never relented.

Three straight points at the service stripe from Lyla Stuurmans pushed CHS in front at 5-2, while lil’ sis Tenley Stuurmans slammed the door shut with her own service run to make it 21-16.

Lyla Stuurmans brought the heat on opening day of the state tourney. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Lyla’s fan club filled the bleachers in Yakima. (Photo courtesy Kimberly Bepler)

Along the way, the Wolves got key kills off the fiery fingertips of Mia Farris and Lyla Stuurmans, and smooth passing keyed by slick senior setter Katie Marti.

Tonasket proved it wouldn’t go easily, however, jumping out to a lead in the second set.

The Tigers roared out to a 9-5 advantage, before weathering a Coupeville comeback sparked by Farris delivering pinpoint serves and Madison McMillan and Teagan Calkins firing off winners at the net.

CHS slid ahead at 10-9, Tonasket rebuilt its advantage at 16-13, then the Wolves made their move.

Marti got nuclear-hot at the line, and once she pushed her squad back in front at 18-17, Coupeville couldn’t be stopped.

Closing the middle frame on a 12-7 tear, the Wolves kept the good times hoppin’ as they rolled through the final set.

An ace from Tenley Stuurmans made it 10-5, before Lyla Stuurmans crushed all of Tonasket’s hopes and dreams with a five-point run at the line.

Popping off back-to-back aces (in your face), the senior slugger pushed the lead all the way out to 20-9 and Tonasket had no answers as its state championship dreams faded and burnt up for good.

Kill machine Teagan Calkins, always a fan favorite. (Jackie Saia photo)

Mossyrock:

Coupeville was ranked as high as #2 by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association during the regular season but found itself slotted behind the Vikings on Selection Sunday.

Which was understandable based on Mossyrock’s stellar history.

But these matches are decided on the floor, and the Wolves put everyone on notice with a 25-17, 23-25, 25-15, 25-17 victory.

Coupeville went out in front at 2-1 in the opening set and never gave the lead back.

Big service runs from Lyla Stuurmans and Marti pushed the lead out to a sizable advantage, while “Mia the Magnificent” was a ball-destroying assassin, spraying kills and making all her rivals run.

Mossyrock made its big stand in the second frame, building a 16-6 lead, before Coupeville almost made it all the way back.

With McMillan spinning nasty serves and Jada Heaton raining pain at the net, the Wolves used a 15-4 surge to reclaim the lead at 21-20.

Unfortunately, the Vikings had just enough magic left to recover, becoming just the fourth team to take a set from Coupeville this season.

While that might have seemingly boded well for Mossyrock, the Wolves snapped right back into hunt and destroy mode.

Standing tall on the big stage. (Jennifer Marzocca photo)

The third set was close for a bit, all the way up to 12-12, when Calkins unleashed the full “Red Dragon” experience, peeling the paint off the floor for a kill.

Tenley Stuurmans, just a freshman and already playing in her second high school state tourney after making it to the big dance in tennis as an 8th grader, followed Calkins’ smash with a service ace.

From there, the Wolves steadily pulled away, then kept up the blistering pace in the night’s final set.

Farris went on a rampage at the line to put CHS up 9-4, before the Slammin’ Stuurmans Sisters peppered Mossyrock with unhittable balls.

Cue the celebration, as the Wolves joy ride continues for another day.

They head into Thursday having won 54 of 59 sets this season, ready to make new history shortly after breakfast.