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Posts Tagged ‘three-balls’

Untouchable? Maybe. Astounding? Absolutely.

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , on December 1, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Jeff Stone, torching the nets old-school style.

It’s stood the test of time.

Set in an era long before the three-point shot went from novelty to staple of the game, Coupeville High School’s single-game basketball scoring record has remained untouched for almost 52 years.

Jeff Stone, who also owns the school’s single-season scoring mark (644), and is tied with Mike Bagby for the CHS boys career record (1,137), pumped in 48 points in the biggest game of his life.

The explosion came in the 1970 district championship game against Darrington, a game played in front of a reported 2,200 fans.

By the time Stone exited the game, with a full 90 seconds left to play, he had hit 17 of 28 field goal attempts, while netting 14 of 16 free throws.

More importantly, his performance lifted the Wolves to the district hoops title, the first of its kind won by any of Whidbey Island’s three schools.

That sent Coupeville to state — the first trip in any sport for a CHS sports program — and kicked off the most-successful decade in Wolf boys basketball history.

Stone went on to a brilliant college hoops career, then came back around to teach, coach, and be an administrator at Oak Harbor High School.

The game has changed over the past five decades, and yet not a single Wolf player has toppled the 48-point record yet.

Bagby had a run at the mark, as did Allen Black, who once torched Concrete for 39.

Current gunner Hawthorne Wolfe, who kicks off his senior season tonight at home against Oak Harbor, has had several 30+ point games, but is still chasing the king as well.

Actually, both of Coupeville’s single-game records have remained in place for quite some time, with Judy Marti’s 32 in 1983 having never been topped by another Wolf girl.

But, while 38 years (and counting) is truly impressive, 51 years (and counting) is astounding.

Some day the record may fall.

Until then, the hunt goes on, one basket at a time.

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Wolves chomp Loggers

Posted in Boys Basketball, tagged , , , , , on May 29, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Hawthorne Wolfe scorched Darrington for 32 points Friday, netting eight shots from behind the three-point arc. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Hawthorne Wolfe fears no gym.

Ignoring all the urban legends about Darrington’s old-school facility, which looks like it could have been used in Hoosiers, the Coupeville High School junior lit the joint up Friday night.

Odd backboards or not, Wolfe outdueled the Loggers, dropping in a game-high 32 points, including netting eight three-balls, pacing CHS to a 64-51 win.

Coming 24 hours after the Wolves fell on a last-second bucket to La Conner, the victory lifts Coupeville to 3-3 at the halfway point of a pandemic-altered season.

Channeling coaches who have mentored him — hardwood gurus like Willie Smith and David King — current Wolf head man Brad Sherman was reflective in his postgame comments.

While he is still somewhat haunted by trying to shoot at Darrington during his own otherwise stellar playing days, Sherman was pleased with how the current generation responded.

“Obviously games like last night can take a lot out of you emotionally,” he said. “So today’s test was really to see how quickly we could bounce back on the road.

“And our guys came out, played hard, and did what was needed to get the W today. Have to be proud of that!”

It was a solid team effort, with all nine Coupeville players who hit the floor scoring.

But it was the Wolf named Wolfe, the bobbin’ and weavin’, smooth-talkin’ and sweet-shootin’ Hawk who captured the spotlight.

Dueling with Darrington’s Caleb Rivera, who went off for 27 points and five treys of his own, Wolfe was electric from long range.

He netted a trio of three-balls in the first quarter, tossed in two more in the second frame, then popped for yet another three in the third.

Is that a single-game record for CHS shooters?

Likely, but I’m not 100% sure.

Sherman netted six treys in a game while playing for the Wolves in the early 2000’s, and Gabe Wynn and Mason Grove both swished seven in 2017 games.

Grove once hit 10 three-balls against Port Townsend, but that came in a JV game, so Wolfe’s eight may very well be a CHS varsity record.

Either way, Wolfe’s big bombs were huge, with Xavier Murdy and Logan Downes each adding a single three-ball as Coupeville picked up 30 of its 64 points while shooting from the parking lot.

The game itself was close, especially in the early going, as Coupeville led just 13-12 at the end of the first quarter.

Wolfe already had 11 at that point, and he and his teammates stretched the lead out to 34-26 at the half, then 52-39 after three quarters.

The fourth quarter played out to a 12-12 stalemate, clinching the win for CHS, with six different Wolves scoring in the final frame.

Wolfe’s 32 was his second-best work of the season, trailing just the 38 he dropped on Mount Vernon Christian in the season opener.

Continuing his torrid tour through the 104-year history of CHS boys basketball, the floppy-haired Dairy Queen employee jumped Friday from a tie for #43 on the program’s all-time scoring list to #37.

With 558 points and counting, Wolfe leap-frogs Brad Miller (526), Jerry Zylstra (527), Denny Zylstra (538), Marc Bissett (549), Jim Syreen (550), Roy Marti (551), and Randy Duggan (552).

Xavier Murdy, a force on both ends of the floor, chipped in with nine points Friday, and is now just a bucket off of 150 career points.

Freshman Logan Downes (7), TJ Rickner (4), Sage Downes (3), Alex Murdy (3), Logan Martin (2), Daniel Olson (2), and Grady Rickner (2) scored as Sherman’s crew all contributed.

In this compressed season, next week will be huge for Coupeville, as it plays three games in four days.

The Wolves get a rematch with La Conner, this time on the road, next Wednesday, June 2.

Then they host MVC June 3, before traveling to Orcas Island June 5.

 

JV stays home:

There was no second game for the Wolf boys Friday, though Darrington is currently scheduled to play a JV game the second time these schools meet.

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Grove shot his shot, always

Posted in Basketball, Hall o' Fame, Tennis, tagged , , , , , on July 19, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Mason Grove, here to entertain. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Mason Grove would make Alexander Hamilton proud, cause the former Wolf never, ever threw away his shot.

Instead, the 2020 CHS grad spent most of his days in the red and black making the net jump, three-ball after three-ball falling from the skies.

Grove feared no rival on the hardwood, and played basketball in the style of a Damian Lillard, letting fly from any angle, any spot on the floor, at any point in the game.

From a scrappy, undersized youngster to a confident elder statesmen and team leader, his journey on the basketball court was a thrilling one to watch for hoops fans.

Not that Grove was a one-sport guy, as he also excelled on the tennis courts and baseball diamond.

Grove always seemed to enjoy his time as an athlete, even after a collision with teammate Matt Hilborn left him with a smashed-up nose. (Chris Smith photo)

He made an especially-strong case for himself with a racket in hand, where he meshed often dynamic shot-making skills with a nice bit of attitude.

Paired up with James Wood, Grove was a top doubles ace for Ken Stange’s Wolf tennis squads, and the duo thrived in the spotlight of being Coupeville’s #1 team.

But, while he was a jack of all trades on the baseball diamond, and a throwback to a better, grittier time on the tennis court — unlike most modern players, Grove wasn’t afraid to drill a rival player with the ball, something which makes ’80s tennis players such as myself nod in approval — it’s basketball which dominates his resume.

“You will not score! I will … a lot … but you won’t!!” (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

Grove loved to shoot, and, while he developed as an attacker as he matured, getting to the free throw line more often, the three-ball was his prime weapon.

His shot was always a little bit different than a lot of other players, as he would rear back and fling the ball from over his shoulder.

And it worked, big time.

Since he snapped off his shots, Grove almost always got the ball up before defenders could adjust, and the resulting heaves were rainbows caressing the roof of the gym.

When he got hot, it seemed like he would never miss, shot after shot rippling the net, while Grove, slight smirk hiding behind his mouth guard, ambled away like a gunfighter after another successful shoot-out at high noon.

Early in his CHS hoops career, he was on pace to be the highest-scoring JV player the Wolf boys program had ever seen.

In one game against Port Townsend, Grove rained down 10 three-balls on his way to 34 points, and the only reason he didn’t catch Allen Black for the single-season JV scoring mark was because his JV playing time became limited as varsity coach Brad Sherman started using him as a go-to gunner.

Once he made his mark at the varsity level, immediately stroking long-range shots and opening space for older teammate Hunter Smith to rumble, Grove never looked back.

He was the #6 scorer on the varsity team as a sophomore, despite playing in just a handful of minutes, then jumped to #3 as a junior and #1 during his senior season.

When he walked off the court for the final time at CHS, after a season and prep career-ending playoff loss, Grove had rung up 414 points in varsity games, which puts him #54 all-time for a program which has played for 103 seasons.

And the numbers are nice, definitely.

But it’s how he played which fans will remember.

In all of his sports, Grove was just flat-out entertaining, capable and willing of putting on a show.

He always got the most out of his talent, and seemed to enjoy every moment he had on a court or field.

So, for the numbers, and for the style, and for the way he would stand off to the side, talking and smiling with a rival player, while free throws were being shot, and then, bam, two seconds later, drill a three-ball right in that guy’s face, he joins big sis Lauren in the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame.

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

Right where they belong.

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Kellner’s a killer

Posted in Basketball, Wolves in college, tagged , , , , , on February 11, 2019| Leave a Comment »

Kailey Kellner rains death from above. (Photo courtesy Jennifer Kellner)

Shake up the lineup, shake up the results.

The D’Youville College women’s basketball team has seven players who have appeared in every game this season, but two of those hadn’t made a start.

That changed Monday, as the Spartans plugged Hanna Wozniak and Coupeville’s Kailey Kellner into the starting lineup, and suddenly got a different result.

Sparked by a huge fourth-quarter three-ball off the fingertips of the former Wolf gunner, D’Youville pulled away late to stuff visiting Medialle 84-71 and keep alive its playoff hopes.

The win, which lifts the Spartans to 6-10 in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference play, 9-14 overall, snaps a three-game losing skid. D’Youville had dropped seven of its last nine.

With the victory, Kellner and Co. stay a game back of the final postseason berth, with two regular season games to go.

D’Youville hits the road Wednesday to face league leader Hilbert (13-3, 18-5) in Hamburg, NY, before closing at home in Buffalo Saturday on Senior Night against cellar-dweller Franciscan (2-14, 2-20).

The decision to switch up the starting lineup paid big dividends for the Spartans coaching staff, especially when it came to Kellner.

She scored in three of four quarters, finishing with 10 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal in 23 minutes of action.

Kellner struck early and late, and the #30 scorer in CHS girls basketball history used her trademark long bombs to do much of the damage.

D’Youville fell behind early, but got back in the game when Kellner kicked off an 8-0 run midway through the first quarter.

Splashing home a three-ball, the former Wolf pulled the Spartans to within 8-6, and that set off a tense back-and-forth affair through much of the game.

Trailing 21-19 at the first break, D’Youville forced a 39-39 tie at the half, before closing the third with the slimmest of leads at 56-55.

The Spartans had busted out to a 10-point lead in the third, only to give it all back, and Medialle actually surged ahead briefly in the fourth quarter.

Enter Kellner, who was sitting with five points after adding a third-quarter layup to her tally.

Operating behind the arc, where she lives to drop daggers, she rippled the net with her second trey of the night, staking the Spartans to a 61-58 lead they wouldn’t surrender over the game’s final six minutes.

Kellner slapped home a layup to stretch the lead out to six points with 3:32 on the clock.

After that, D’Youville, which finished with five players with double-digit scoring, closed the win by hitting its free throws down the stretch.

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Nicked at Nooksack!!

Posted in Basketball, tagged , , , , , on December 22, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Gavin Knoblich netted six points Saturday as Coupeville clashed with Nooksack Valley. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

JV players (l to r) Cody Roberts, Miles Davidson, Chris Ruck and Tucker Hall watch the action in an earlier game.

And now they rest.

A long week came to an end Saturday for the Coupeville High School boys basketball players, a week full of wind and rain and no power and cancelled games and, finally, a trip to Nooksack Valley.

While none of the three Wolf squads came away with a win against the host Pioneers, there were bright spots for all.

Plus, there’s now a two-week rest period between games, time for any dings and bruises to heal, and, hopefully, for the power to come back on and stay on.

Coupeville doesn’t play again until Jan. 4, when it travels to Shoreline to face King’s and kick off the heart of the North Sound Conference season.

Here’s how Saturday’s action broke down:

 

Varsity:

It was a nail-biter for eight minutes, then a barrage of Nooksack shots went and ruined things.

Trailing by just two at the first break, CHS was outscored 28-9 in the second quarter, eventually falling 73-42.

The non-conference loss sends the Wolves into the break sitting at 1-7.

Coupeville came out strongly, with freshman Hawthorne Wolfe dropping five in the first quarter as Nooksack clung to a 12-10 lead.

Then, the Pioneers found their groove, and never missed a shot again. Like never, ever, ever again.

The second quarter was brutal, though the Wolves hung tough in the third and fourth quarters, but couldn’t chip away at the deficit.

Mason Grove paced Coupeville with a team-high 14 points, hitting a single three-ball in all four quarters.

Wolfe was hot on his heels with 12, included two treys, while Gavin Knoblich popped for six.

Rounding out the CHS attack were Jered Brown (4), Ulrik Wells (4) and Sean Toomey-Stout (2), while Jacobi Pilgrim, Jean Lund-Olsen, Dane Lucero and Koa Davison also saw floor time.

Nooksack sank eight three-balls, and dominated Coupeville at the free throw line, hitting 13-18 compared to 4-9 by the Wolves.

 

JV:

While the varsity was close for a quarter, Coupeville’s second unit stayed with Nooksack for an entire half.

Trailing by just a point at the break, the Wolves went cold in the third quarter, however, and fell 58-37.

The CHS young guns are 4-4 heading into winter break.

Nooksack surged to an early 14-9 lead, but the Wolves responded with their own 14-10 second-quarter run behind the play of a rampaging Xavier Murdy.

Making his high school debut, the fab frosh banged home eight of his team-high 17 points in the second frame.

The difference in the game came after the break, however, as Nooksack used a 17-4 explosion in the third to flip the game on its head.

Then, tacking on a 17-10 surge in the fourth, the Pioneers coasted in for the victory.

Grady Rickner tossed in seven points for Coupeville to back up Murdy’s 17, with Daniel Olson (4), Logan Martin (4), Sage Downes (3) and TJ Rickner (2) also scoring.

Cody Roberts, Tucker Hall, Chris Ruck and Miles Davidson rounded out the active Wolf roster.

 

C-Team:

With just six players in uniform, the Wolves couldn’t match Nooksack’s depth, or its high-powered scoring, falling 44-12.

Coupeville’s best output came in the third quarter, when it netted half its points, proving the resilience of Scott Fox’s young squad.

Chris Cernick led the offensive charge, dropping in five points, while Jaylen Nitta (3), Jonathan Partida (2) and Andrew Aparicio (2) also scored.

Ben Smith and Tony Garcia also saw floor time for CHS.

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