Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Posts Tagged ‘SWISH’

Sweet redemption, sweeter win

Posted in Girls Basketball, Middle School, tagged , , , , , on November 16, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Wolf hoop stars (l to r) Madison McMillan, Katie Marti, and Jada Heaton are ready to rumble. (Jennifer Marzocca photo)

Savina Wells (5) calls for the ball during a recent game, while Brionna Blouin backs her up. (Corinn Parker photos)

Lyla Stuurmans doesn’t crack under pressure.

Call it the big bounce-back.

Two weeks after falling to the Mount Bakery Mariners by 17 points, the Coupeville 7th grade SWISH girls basketball team got some thrilling revenge.

Storming from behind to force overtime Saturday, the Wolves won 22-20 on a pressure-packed bucket in extra time from Savina Wells.

The win lifts Coupeville to 1-4 on the season headed into their bye week.

The Wolves have three league games remaining on the schedule — a single clash Nov. 30, followed by a doubleheader Dec. 7.

Coupeville, which is playing in the silver division in a league run by Skagit County Parks and Recreation, competes Dec. 14 in the seven-team postseason tourney.

Saturday’s thriller was a back-and-forth affair, with the Wolves taking an 11-7 lead to the halftime break, before the Mariners rallied.

Mt. Bakery pulled ahead 14-11 thanks to a hot streak, but Coupeville battled back, with every girl on the floor bringing their best.

“It was fun to watch,” said Wolf coach Fred Farris. “Everyone contributed and brought energy on every possession.

“These ladies are growing so much everyday.”

Wanting to keep Lauren Marrs free to shoot, while giving Savina Wells a chance to dominate in the post, Fred Farris handed the ball to Lyla Stuurmans, and let the scrappy guard dictate play.

“Lyla is a born leader!,” Fred Farris said. “She was so strong handling the ball for us against their full-court pressure.”

She wasn’t the only Wolf to step up, either.

“Savina played amazing, making some great passes to teammates after breaking down the defense,” Fred Farris said. “Madison (McMillan) was a force on the boards, and Mia (Farris) was a spark plug off the bench on defense.

“Chloe (Marzocca) made a very big bucket near the end of the first half,” he added. “It was great to have Lauren back; we needed every one of her points.”

Wells paced the Wolves with a team-high 10 points, including her winner in overtime, while also putting together “another 2,000-rebound game.”

Marrs chipped in with seven points, while McMillan (3), and Marzocca (2) tickled the twine.

Coupeville’s hard-charging roster also includes Taylor Brotemarkle, Katie Marti, Jada Heaton, Brionna Blouin, Reese Wilkinson, and Skylar Parker.

Read Full Post »

“Couldn’t be prouder of their effort”

Posted in Girls Basketball, Middle School, tagged , , , , on November 10, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Skylar Parker, seen last spring, is part of a hard-playing Coupeville SWISH basketball squad. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Weather the storm, build for the future.

Playing without its starting point guard, the Coupeville 7th/8th grade SWISH girls basketball team faced tough competition Saturday, but held up well.

The Wolves dropped a close one to “a very good Monroe team,” falling 30-25, before tiredness became a factor in a 22-10 loss to Mount Vernon.

While the losses leave Coupeville at 0-4 on the season, coach Fred Farris remains impressed by how his young, very-inexperienced team continues to show growth.

“The girls played their tails off,” he said. “It’s remarkable how far these girls have come in such a short time, especially considering all but four of the girls have essentially no experience.

“Couldn’t be prouder of their effort.”

The Wolves were without Lauren Marrs, their primary ball handler and a potent scorer, who is battling through a back injury.

Even without her talent as a distributor, Coupeville battled back from 10 down against Monroe to pull within 26-25.

Savina Wells, who paced the Wolves in scoring in both contests Saturday, had “a good look rim out” with two minutes to play, while a follow up put-back from Jada Heaton refused to stay in the bucket, going in, then popping back out.

Without Marrs in the lineup, “Mia (Farris) and Lyla (Stuurmans) were thrust into ball-handling duties and did an admirable job.”

Fred Farris also praised Madison McMillan, who “was everywhere, on the boards and on defense, and scored two big baskets during the comeback.”

“Savina was her usual reliable self,” he added. “It felt like she had 2000 rebounds in the two games and really took charge when we needed her to.”

Coupeville had to bounce right back after its narrow opening loss, playing Mount Vernon less than 10 minutes after the first game ended.

“The girls were clearly gassed and Mount Vernon’s “packed in” 2-3 zone made it tough for us to get to the basket and we struggled to hit outside shots,” Fred Farris said.

“The refs let the game get too physical on both sides, and that, with a very slippery La Venture Middle School gym floor made for a very chippy second half.”

Wells paced the Wolves, dropping 12 points in the opener and another seven in the nightcap, while Brionna Blouin went for five and three.

McMillan (4), Stuurmans (3), and Mia Farris (1) also scored against Monroe.

Read Full Post »

“Very proud of these ladies!”

Posted in Girls Basketball, Middle School, tagged , , , , on November 3, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Reese Wilkinson (with ball) and Brionna Blouin are part of the new Coupeville 7th/8th grade SWISH girls basketball team. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Savina Wells can fill up a stat sheet.

The middle school hoops star threw down 22 points and snatched 24 rebounds across two games Saturday, as the Coupeville 7th/8th grade SWISH girls basketball squad played its first regular season games.

While the young Wolves — seven players, including Wells, are 7th graders — fell just short in both contests, they showed great promise.

“The games were very competitive, and all 11 girls got significant playing time,” said Coupeville coach Fred Farris. “Savina played her tail off in both games and really kept us in it.”

The Wolves stayed close, before falling 34-21 to Lynden United and 30-17 to the Mt. “Bakery” Mariners.

In the opener, Coupeville opened up a 12-4 lead, but couldn’t hold on against a withering full-court press and Lynden’s six-foot girl in the middle, who scored mainly off of offensive rebounds.

The Wolves were still within five points with two minutes to play, but a late 8-0 run by Lynden stretched the final margin out.

In the nightcap, the other team’s veterans ran Coupeville’s first-timers a bit ragged, but Farris was pleased with how his newcomers responded.

“Mt. Bakery just really outworked us,” he said. “But we got some real strong efforts from Taylor (Brotemarkle), Katie (Marti), Mia (Farris), and Jada (Heaton), who all had significant floor time for the first time in their “new sport.”

“Very proud of the fight these ladies showed today!,” Fred Farris added. “We learned a lot and have lots to work on this week.”

Lauren Marrs tossed in 13 points across the two games, including hitting a three-ball against Lynden, while Lyla Stuurmans netted Coupeville’s other three points on the weekend.

Wells had four steals and a blocked shot, Mia Farris dealt out two assists and eight Wolves had at least two rebounds.

Marrs (6), Brionna Blouin (5), Madison McMillan (3), Brotemarkle (2), Mia Farris (2), Skylar Parker (2), and Stuurmans (2), all chipped in to support Wells in cleaning the glass.

Coupeville gets right back at it next weekend, when it travels to Mount Vernon to play another double-header.

Read Full Post »

Their gym, their time

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , on October 27, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville’s 7/8 SWISH girls basketball team hits the floor for the first time. (Photos courtesy Fred Farris)

Avery Parker, the undisputed champ of the local art scene, shows support for big sis Skylar.

The gym is open for business.

Coupeville’s 7th/8th grade SWISH girls basketball squad hit the floor for the first time this weekend, playing a seeding game against “a tenacious and seasoned Nooksack team.”

The Wolves, who boast an 11-player roster, forced the game to overtime before falling 17-14.

Lauren Marrs and Brionna Blouin paced Coupeville with six points apiece, both hitting a pair of three-balls, while Savina Wells dropped in a bucket to round out the scoring.

With the start of the regular season coming next Saturday, Nov. 2, the seeding game was a good way for Wolf coach Fred Farris to see the hand he’s been dealt.

A noted hoops star back in his own day, the Coupeville round-ball sage likes the promise his young players are already showing.

Middle school volleyball and club soccer have been vying for his girls time, but, once together on the hardwood, they immediately begin clicking.

“The girls made up for expected lack of execution with effort and heart!,” Farris said.

“Savina, Lauren, and Lyla (Stuurman’s) previous experience with SWISH was very obvious on the court,” he added. “They really took charge on the floor.”

Farris has a young roster, with seven of 11 players being 7th graders, and several of his young stars being newbies to the increased pace and pressure.

“This was many of the girls first experience with high level competitive basketball,” he said. “They went from not sure about wanting to go in the game to being excited about our next game and getting more floor time.

“Savina was very strong on the defensive end and the boards,” Farris added. “Lauren was a force on both ends.

“Lyla was an absolute beast on defense and the boards. Skylar (Parker) rounded out our starters and was sure on both ends.

Coupeville’s roster also includes Reese Wilkinson, Madison McMillan, Katie Marti, Mia Farris, Jada Heaton, and Taylor Brotemarkle.

Whether seasoned pros or relative newcomers, they all showed considerable promise.

“Everyone contributed and gave everything they had,” Fred Farris said. “It will be so exciting to see this group grow together on the court!”

Read Full Post »

A final win, a final grin!!

Posted in Girls Basketball, tagged , , , , on December 15, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Though only a 6th grader, Savina Wells played a major role for a Coupeville 8th grade SWISH team which finished 7-3 this season. (Katy Wells photo)

Wolf hoops coach Lark Gustafson poses with his favorite player, daughter Gwen. (Irene Gustafson photos)

Back (l to r) Brionna Blouin, Ryan Georges, Ryanne Knoblich, Savina Wells, Carolyn Lhamon, Lauren Marrs, Lark Gustafson. Front: Nezi Keiper, Gwen Gustafson, Hayley Fiedler, Alita Blouin, Maddie Georges.

They walked in the gym door as winners, and walked out as winners.

The Coupeville 8th grade SWISH girls basketball team opened its season Nov. 3 with a big victory, and officially closed its season Saturday with another huge triumph.

Bouncing back from a one-play loss to Mount Vernon in the morning, the Wolves shredded Orcas Island in the afternoon finale, earning a split and 4th place at their league tourney.

That capped a 7-3 season for Coupeville, which will now send most of its players on to the middle school hoops season which begins in late Jan.

The team’s leading rebounder, Savina Wells, is the lone Wolf among a roster of 10 who can’t play for CMS this season.

That’s because, unlike her teammates, she’s still in 6th grade, and has a year before she’s eligible for middle school sports.

 

Saturday’s results:

 

Tough loss:

Coupeville led Mount Vernon Judd and Black for much of the game, but watched things slip away in the 4th and fell 24-22.

The Wolves jumped out to a 6-4 lead after one quarter, fueled by four points from Maddie Georges, then (slightly) stretched things out to 10-7 at the half.

Mount Vernon hung tough, though, carving off a point in the third, then closing things with a game-busting 9-5 surge in the final frame.

Georges paced Coupeville with seven points, while Alita Blouin and Gwen Gustafson banked home six apiece, and Wells knocked down three.

 

Strong swan song:

The Wolves bounced back in their second game, swatting Orcas 23-12, with seven of 10 Wolves scoring.

The first half was a defensive struggle, with Coupeville clinging to a 6-3 lead.

After the break, things got much spicier, as the Wolves went on a game-ending 17-9 surge across the third and fourth quarters.

Georges continued to have the hottest of hot hands, topping Coupeville with six points, while Wells (5), Gustafson (4), Brionna Blouin (3), Ryanne Knoblich (2), Carolyn Lhamon (2), and Alita Blouin (1) also scored.

Lauren Marrs, Nezi Keiper, and Hayley Fielder all saw floor time, and all made contributions.

That continued a season-long trend, as a hallmark of the team coached by Lark Gustafson was its balance.

Every one of the 10 Wolf girls brought their own special talents to the floor, and they meshed well as a group, putting a positive glow on the future of Coupeville girls basketball.

Read Full Post »

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »