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Posts Tagged ‘tennis’

Big goals, big celebrations for Sebastian Davis. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

He could seemingly do it all.

Athletics, academics, or activities — if Sebastian Davis put his mind to it, he could accomplish great things.

All while making it look easy-peasy from the outside, and without making others around him feel like they were accomplishing less.

That’s a rare talent, to be overwhelmingly successful while never coming across as a glory hound.

Sebastian cycled through just about every sport at some time during his run through Coupeville schools, but there are two where he made a truly enduring impact.

On the soccer pitch, he burst onto the scene as a fully-formed, goal-scoring beast, an electrifying complement to established stars such as Abraham Leyva and Zane Bundy.

His standout season, at least in terms of stats, came during his junior campaign, when he punched in six goals for the Wolves, second-best on the squad.

Most of Sebastian’s pitch tallies were of the impressive type, as evidenced in the photo above.

He had a knack for flying in from the side, plucking the ball away from a rival player, then using a lil’ razzle-dazzle to baffle the goaltender.

The ball would go one way, the netminder the other, and, up in the CHS press box, close friend Sebastian Wurzrainer would get to softly bellow, “GOOOOOOAAAAALLLLLL.”

It was a good set-up.

But as much as he turbo-charged things on the soccer field, Sebastian had his best run on the tennis court.

Davis and Loren Nelson enjoy the fruits of their labors at a tennis banquet. (Wendy McCormick photo)

He made the postseason every year, for four years running, captured a league singles titles, and sits on Wolf coach Ken Stange’s list of the best-ever players he’s coached in Coupeville.

Sebastian, despite almost always having a lead role in the fall theater production, always found a way to be the star on both the court and the stage,” Stange said.

“What’s more, his did it while maintaining a ridiculously high academic standard.”

The long-time coach was most impressed with how Sebastian collected his wins.

“He didn’t have the big serve and forehand that most singles players desired,” Stange said. “But he did have amazing drive and passion for the game.

“He kept focus, ran every ball down, and played every shot like it was the shot that could win the match. That kind of attitude inspired others to reach similar heights.”

Davis and teammates (left to right) Connor McCormick, Joey Lippo, and William Nelson bagged many a tennis award. (Ken Stange photo)

As Stange noted, sports were far from the only stage on which Sebastian excelled.

He was a scholar of great note, won a ton of medals in Science Olympiad competitions, and was the leading man of choice for the CHS theater troupe.

Sebastian was the Cary Grant of Coupeville, bringing a puckish charm to his many roles on the stage, all while balancing learning his lines with his many other activities.

After high school, he went on to another well-lit stage, studying Earth and Space Sciences and Aeronautics and Astronautics at the University of Washington, where he graduated in 2020.

Today, in an event which should have happened a long time ago, we welcome Sebastian to the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame, inducting him into our hallowed digital shrine for his excellence as an athlete and student.

After this, you’ll find him hanging out under the Legends tab at the top of the blog.

He is proof that small towns can produce big superstars, and that those same superstars can achieve epic heights while remaining down to Earth.

Sebastian Davis — a winner in every way.

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Jazmine Franklin

End the year with a bang, start the next one even bigger.

One of Coupeville’s best and brightest, the uber-talented Jazmine Franklin, continues to kill it in the art world and you could be helping to support her fast-rising career.

When she’s not crafting eye-popping paintings, the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Famer can be found putting her designs to work on a wide variety of clothes, as well as mugs, masks, keychains, and more.

Franklin recently debuted three new designs with her “Heart and Head Collection,” devoted to highlighting positive mental health.

During her days at CHS, Jazmine showcased a variety of talents, from being a student leader to teaming up with McKenzie Bailey to form an award-winning tennis doubles duo.

A truly lovely human being, she is proof positive that you can come from a small town, and yet be a big success through hard work, talent, and being a genuinely kind, caring person.

As 2020 transforms into 2021, maybe take a few moments to bask in her awesomeness and give something back.

 

To see (and buy) Jazmine’s artwork:

JZMN Originals (myshopify.com)

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Zoe Trujillo, the newest member of the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

She made it look effortless.

Even if I know it wasn’t.

I know she worked hard behind the scenes, just like her sister. Her family has always embraced hard work, sacrifice, and commitment.

But when Zoe Trujillo played, she made it look effortless.

Sporting killer socks, a young Zoe eyeballs her rivals on the basketball court.

It’s not always easy to be the younger sister, to follow the path laid down by an older sibling, especially if that person was a one-of-a-kind athlete and human being.

But Zoe Trujillo, like big sis Valen, always rose to the moment.

Put her next to a volleyball net, place her on a tennis court, or drop her into the world of track and field, and the little sister crafted her own highlight reel, made her own memories.

Zoe was lethal when unleashed, gracefully twirling into the air, pausing for a second or two in mid-flight to survey the scene on the other side of the net, then ripping off a laser of a spike.

She was a big hitter and a big part of the success of a Coupeville High School volleyball program which never finished lower than second-place in league during her four years on campus.

Her senior season in the fall of 2019 was a particular highlight, for the Wolves and for Zoe.

Led by an eight-pack of seniors, including the younger of the Trujillo sisters, CHS opened 7-0, went 13-2 in the regular season (losing only to state power King’s) and finished 14-5.

Narrowly missing out on a trip to state, those Wolves tied the program’s record for wins.

Some of the biggest moments, the ones which provided the most bang for the ticket buyer’s buck, came when Zoe elevated and smashed.

Zoe and Maddie Vondrak get down with their bad selves.

It was there, in those displays of crackling power and shimmering intensity, where she made the gym walls rock and mom Amy bounce happily in her seat.

Dad Craig spent a lot of his time toeing a line down on the floor, and, as a properly impartial linesman, had to pretend to be impassive when his younger daughter whistled a winner past his shoe.

It was only after the set or the match was complete, and he had returned to dad status up in the bleachers, that he beamed like a lightbulb powering up, glowing with the pride which his daughters brought out in him.

Zoe played a different position than Valen on the volleyball floor, the former an outside hitter, the latter a libero.

But both always carried themselves with a quiet grace, filled with a burning intensity, but always calm, composed, and attentive to the words of their coaches and the feelings of their teammates.

That carried over to the tennis court, where Zoe swatted her shots in a manner which, and stop me if you’ve heard this before — often looked effortless.

Zoe flicks a winner on a rainy spring afternoon.

She was a nimble player, mixing power with a nice touch, and advanced to districts as a young doubles player, before stepping away from the sport.

There was also a stint with the CHS track team as a sophomore, where she threw the javelin, competed in the long jump and triple jump, and ran in both the 200 and 4 x 100 relay.

While she never played basketball in high school, much like her older sister, Zoe showed promise on the hardwood during her middle school days.

But it was volleyball which lured her in, captivated her, and let her express herself best across six seasons in a Wolf uniform.

Through some of the biggest wins and toughest losses in program history, Zoe soared and delighted.

When she left the floor after her final prep match, she was taller, stronger, more confident, more polished than she had been when she first pulled on a Coupeville uniform.

But, from the earliest days as a middle school athlete to her senior swan song, one thing remained the same — Zoe was always, without fail, a class act.

Today, we’re revisiting her days as a Wolf, because we’re about to welcome her into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame.

After this, you’ll find her hanging out up at the top of the blog, under the Legends tab.

Inducted for her talent, her temperament, her grace, her humility, and for her heart, Zoe joins Valen in our digital shrine — two sisters who worked their own magic, in their own way.

Each chose a path, accomplished great things along the way, and are now off to top those school-day achievements with success in the adult world.

Zoe never coasted on the value of her last name or on the talent she was born with.

She worked for everything, and she earned everything.

Even if she did made it look effortless.

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Jazmine Franklin

It’s a win for everyone.

With the holiday season bearing down fast, now is the perfect time to pick up gifts for people in your life.

Thanks to the hard work and talents of a former Wolf supernova, you can obtain unique mementos, while supporting the work of one of Coupeville’s best and brightest.

During her time at CHS, Jazmine Franklin was a student leader, formed a potent doubles duo on the tennis court with McKenzie Bailey, and was one of the loudest ‘n proudest cheerleaders ever to wear the red and black.

Franklin was later inducted into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame, a true legend among legends.

In her post-high school days, the former Wolf has expanded her art empire as she continues to produce high-quality work.

So, take my advice, and pop over to her site to see for yourself.

The gift you buy today could be a double gift – if you buy it from the right source.

 

To see Jazmine’s work:

JZMN Originals (myshopify.com)

 

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Brazilian foreign exchange student Julia Borges built a substantial fan club during her time in Coupeville. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Gone, but never forgotten.

Julia Borges was only in Coupeville for a single school year, but she made a positive impression on everyone she met.

Facing culture shock, as the Brazilian native left São Paulo, the most populous city in the Western hemisphere, only to land smack-dab in the middle of Cow Town, USA, she responded by embracing every challenge.

During her year (2015-2016) as a foreign exchange student, Julia jumped headfirst into everything Coupeville offered.

A dancer, she joined the CHS cheer squad, taking advantage of an opportunity not generally offered in her own country.

“It is not common to have cheer-leading teams in Brazil, so that is a different experience that all the Brazilian girls would like to have,” she said back in the summer of 2015.

“I love dancing and I have been practicing it in Brazil since I was a child, so being a cheerleader is similar.”

Julia caught on so quickly, she cheered for her new classmates through both football and basketball season, and was selected as Most Improved by her coaches.

When the spring came around in 2016, she picked up a tennis racket and headed to the courts.

Along with two seasons as a cheerleader, Borges also played tennis for the Wolves.

There she proved to be a perfect doubles partner, teaming up with Julianne Sem to form a dangerous duo for a Wolf net squad which won a league title.

What always impressed me the most about Julia during her time in Coupeville was her quiet strength and how she showed kindness to all, whether they were teammates or foes.

Going from a home of 19 million people to a town of less than 1,900 had to be a huge transition.

Like all foreign exchange students, Julia would have been dealing with language barriers and perhaps some home sickness.

She responded by bringing out the best in those around her by simply being herself, a truly lovely young woman.

Julia might not have set any sports records while she wore the red and black of Coupeville, but she was a winner in every way.

She got the most out of her life-changing experience, and left behind a legion of fans.

While she might be a world away from Whidbey Island these days, Julia will always be a vital part of Wolf Nation – her serene spirit lighting up the universe.

So today we want to induct Miss Borges into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame, to insure she always knows how highly everyone here regards her.

After this, if you stroll past the Legends tab at the top of the blog, you’ll find her there, a true Wolf, now and forever.

Thank you, Julia, for visiting our lil’ chunk of the globe and making it a much-better place while you were here.

As you become a soaring success out there in the world, always know you have two hometowns – the one where you were born, and the one that has adopted you as one of our own.

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