Chad Gale scored 225 points during the ’87-’88 basketball season. The biggest four came in overtime against La Conner. (Photo courtesy Carmen McFadyen)
There’s been a bit of a dry spell.
It’s been 10,726 days since the last time a Coupeville High School boys basketball squad stepped on the court at the state tournament.
That day — March 3, 1988 — the Wolves were rocked 77-46 by Bridgeport, ending a very strong 19-6 season.
It was the fifth time a CHS boys hoops squad made it to the big dance, a figure which still stands as third-most in school history, trailing just baseball (nine trips) and girls basketball (seven).
But, as we look towards this winter, and the 30th anniversary of the ’87-’88 squad, the question has deepened — when will someone join them?
The 29+ year gap between state tourney trips is the longest for any Wolf program, edging out football, which last went in 1990.
With the exception of girls soccer, which has never made the trek in its short history as a team sport at CHS, every other active sport at the school has advanced to state at least once in the 2000’s.
Heck, cross country, which currently sends a handful of runners to train and travel with South Whidbey (with hopes of restarting its own program soon), saw Tyler King win a state title in a Wolf uniform in 2010.
The last time each active program tasted state glory:
Track – 2017
Girls basketball – 2016
Baseball – 2014
Boys Tennis – 2014
Softball – 2014
Boys Soccer – 2010
Girls Tennis – 2010
Volleyball – 2004
Football – 1990
Boys basketball – 1988
This winter, Brad Sherman, a star player in the early 2000’s, returns to take the reigns of the boys basketball program at his alma mater.
While preparing to bust the state tourney drought, he uncovered a stash of score-books jammed into a filing cabinet deep in the bowels of the CHS athletic complex.
One of those books is from the ’87-’88 season, giving us a chance to wander back through history and shine a spotlight on the last great run.
So, here we go, from someone who was still living in Tumwater when this season played out.
First observation — no one knew how to spell Timm Orsborn’s name (either part of it) as Coupeville’s leading scorer fluctuated all season from one M to two M’s and often had an E slapped on the end of his last name.
Future CHS baseball coach Marc Aparicio had a similar fate, becoming Marcus in the book for two games, then quickly reverting back to Marc.
But what about the games?
Regular season:
Coupeville 59, Granite Falls 48 — Orsborn opens the season with 27 on the road, and does it with perfect symmetry, nailing nine field goals and nine free throws.
La Conner 61, Coupeville 46 — The Braves, who go on to finish 5th at state, crack the game open with a 17-10 surge in the second quarter and steadily pull away.
Coupeville 69, Darrington 60 — The first home game of the season for the Wolves, and this time it’s Dan Nieder with the hot hand, as he banks in a game-high 26.
Things stay close all the way, but CHS swishes 9 of 11 free throws in the final quarter to seal the deal.
Coupeville 68, Snohomish County Christian 25 — Best defense of the season, as the Wolves hold their hosts to five or less points in three of four quarters. Meanwhile, Orsborn and Joe Tessaro each drop 10 in a single quarter on their own.
Coupeville 66, Concrete 38 — The game’s over after eight minutes, as CHS romps to a 22-5 lead. This edition of the Wolves was not a huge fan of the three-ball, hitting just 39 all season, but Neider nets three treys to fuel the attack.
Coupeville 81, Orcas Island 56 — Again with the quick start, this time to a 21-9 tune, and again with Neider on fire, as he hits for a season-high 29.
The teams combine for 48 points (28-20 CHS edge) in a wild fourth.
Coupeville 89, Quilcene 34 — The Wolves blow out fast (again), turning a 20-6 first quarter run into their most points of the year. Nine CHS players score, with four in double figures, yet not a single three-ball all day.
Friday Harbor 61, Coupeville 53 — Free throws send CHS to its second loss. Despite playing at home, the Wolves get only nine shots at the charity stripe (netting seven), while the visitors swish 18 of 25.
Coupeville 72, Crescent 71 — Wolves survive a 34-point barrage from Greg Halberg to pull out a thriller.
Tessaro knocks down 27, and this time, CHS gets to the line 23 times, including hitting 6 of 8 in the game’s final moments.
Coupeville 74, Lopez 59 — Five Wolves get into doubles figures, topped by Tessaro with 16, as CHS once against survives a 30+ point outburst from a rival. This time it’s Jason Kreul, who ripples the twines for six treys on his way to 34.
Future Central Whidbey Little League coach Fred Farris adds nine for Lopez. He averaged 19 per game for the season, but ran into a buzz-saw on defense in Wolf defender Brad Brown, who “was like glue on me.”
Lopez, which loved the three-ball, was the highest-scoring team in the state that year, but Coupeville was the one team which haunted them.
“They had me so frustrated I pulled up from half court (to shoot) with over two minutes to go,” Farris said. “Coupeville had a great squad that year.”
Coupeville 59, Watson-Groen 58 — One of those games that by virtue of its score was probably a nail-biter. The book only reveals so much, though.
Nieder tosses in 19, the lead is never more than four at the end of any quarter and CHS survives being out-shot at the line (13-17 to 6-15).
Coupeville 56, La Conner 55 (OT) — Revenge for the earlier loss, but it doesn’t come easy. Wolves storm out to a 10-point lead at the half, go cold in the second half (just 16 points), then slip away for the win in extra time.
With Nieder fouling out in the fourth, Gale steps up and hits four of his six points in overtime.
Coupeville 57, Darrington 47 — Up by nine at the half, the Wolves fall apart in the third, then rally in the fourth behind Nieder to keep win streak alive.
Coupeville 72, Snohomish County Christian 58 — 10 different CHS players put points in the scoring column in a romp which features one of the odder stats I’ve seen.
SNC shoots 40 free throws (including 29 in the second half), while the Wolves get just seven attempts.
Coupeville 62, Concrete 33 — Must have been different refs, as only 15 fouls are called all game. Concrete’s offense stalls out, failing to hit double digits in any quarter.
Coupeville 72, Orcas 59 — Rival gunner Rob Rancourt goes off, hitting 21 of his 29 in the fourth. But, even with a 29-14 Orcas rally over the final eight minutes, Wolves cruise to another win.
Coupeville 71, Friday Harbor 61 — Rally time, as Wolves use a 29-15 fourth quarter to storm from behind. Brown and Neider, who both score 21, tally 11 apiece in the final period.
Key to the rally? Free throw shooting, as CHS, which is 5-13 through three quarters, goes 11-12 in the fourth, including an 8-8 performance from Nieder.
Coupeville 84, Lopez 55 — Five players in double figures, led by Orsborn’s 19.
Coupeville 76, Watson-Groen 60 — CHS closes regular season by getting six guys into double digits. Gale drops 18 and Tony Ford goes off for 10 of his 14 in the fourth.
Districts:
Coupeville 65, Watson-Groen 59 — Wolves open district play with an immediate rematch, and this time it’s closer.
Take away the third quarter (a 21-14 edge for CHS) and the game is a one-point affair, with the advantage to W-G, which only has four players score.
Tacoma Baptist 73, Coupeville 55 — The 12-game winning streak hits a wall.
The game is tied at the half, and Wolves trail just 46-45 heading into the fourth. Then, disaster. Tacoma rolls 27-10 over the final eight minutes, with Chris Kovacs scoring 13 of his game-high 36.
Free throw disparity (22-25 including 17-19 in the fourth for Tacoma vs. 7-15 for the Wolves) is a killer.
Coupeville 65, Crescent 54 — A quick bounce-back, keyed by an 18-9 second-quarter run in which six Wolves tally points.
La Conner 62, Coupeville 53 — The rubber match in the three-game season series goes to the Braves. Keys: an 18-8 second quarter and, once again, CHS gets clobbered at the free throw line (22-35 vs. 13-24).
State:
NW Christian 55, Coupeville 35 — Down by one after one, Wolves hang around, trailing 23-18 at the break. They go cold in the third, though, and NWC, which claims 3rd in the tourney, puts the hammer down.
CHS hits a season-low at the charity stripe, with just one made free throw out of seven attempts.
Bridgeport 77, Coupeville 46 — Again, a close game for two quarters. Trailing 32-27 at the half, CHS gets waxed 24-6 in the third quarter.
Surprisingly, Bridgeport, which gets points from 11 different players, doesn’t place at the tourney, winning only this game.
So, in the end, a great run with a bit of a disappointing finish.
The ’87-’88 squad finished 19-6 overall (a win shy of the ’69-’70 team), 10-2 in league, a game from tying La Conner for the title. 12 straight wins, and 17 of 18 at one point.
Most importantly, those Wolves (and coaches Ron Bagby, Sandy Roberts and Cec Stuurmans) stand as the last CHS boys hoops team to reach the promised land.
Time for a new team to join them in making the trek.
Final ’87-’88 scoring stats:
Timm Orsborn 345
Dan Nieder 313
Joe Tessaro 260
Brad Brown 253
Chad Gale 225
Tony Ford 80
Tom Conard 64
Marc Aparicio 49
Brandy Ambrose 4
Andrew Bird 4
Morgan Roehl 4
Jason Legat 2
Chad Nixon 2
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