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Let all the PR’s rain down

Posted in Track, tagged , , , , , on March 17, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Aidan Wilson, seen on the soccer pitch, won three events in a season-opening track meet. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Aidan Wilson was in fine form.

The Coupeville High School junior kicked off a new track and field season Wednesday in La Conner by claiming victory in three different events.

Competing in a nine-team meet at Jack Whitaker Field, Wilson captured titles in the 800 and long jump, while joining Reiley Araceley, Caleb Meyer, and Dominic Coffman on a victorious 4 x 100 relay squad.

Carolyn Lhamon (shot put) and Logan Martin (discus) also earned titles in the season opener, with both Wolf teams finishing second in the team standings.

The La Conner girls edged Coupeville 137.5-109.5, while the Mount Vernon Christian boys held off the Wolves 163.5-132.5.

Friday Harbor, Grace Academy, Lopez Island, Shoreline Christian, Lummi Nation, and Cedar Park Christian-Mountlake Terrace also competed.

Coupeville was strong across the board, recording 62 PR’s on the day.

“It was an amazing (long) day!,” said CHS girls coach Elizabeth Bitting. “These athletes now know where they stand and where they want to be.

“So much determination in them. So proud of them all!!!! SO PROUD!”

 

Complete Wednesday results:

GIRLS:

100 — Taygin Jump (10th) 15.61 *PR*; Ava Mitten (11th) 15.65; Issabel Johnson (15th) 16.16 *PR*; Mercedes Kalwies-Anderson (24th) 17.23 *PR*

200 — Ja’Kenya Hoskins (3rd) 29.04; Lyla Stuurmans (4th) 29.19 *PR*; Mitten (7th) 32.39; Ayden Wyman (9th) 33.18 *PR*; Johnson (12th) 33.37 *PR*; Jump (14th) 33.82 *PR*

400 — Stuurmans (3rd) 1:08.24 *PR*

800 — Cristina McGrath (11th) 3:29.86 *PR*

1600 — Wyman (4th) 6:53.38 *PR*

100 Hurdles — Claire Mayne (7th) 25.54 *PR*

300 Hurdles — Mayne (9th) 1:08.09 *PR*; C. McGrath (11th) 1:12.16

4 x 100 Relay — Mayne, Jump, Mitten, Johnson (5th) 59.40

4 x 200 Relay — Stuurmans, Wyman, Ryanne Knoblich, Hoskins (2nd) 2:01.20

Shot Put — Carolyn Lhamon (1st) 29-08.50; Reese Wilkinson (7th) 20-10.75 *PR*; Erica McGrath (9th) 18-11.25 *PR*

Discus — E. McGrath (5th) 59-04.25 *PR*; Lhamon (6th) 59-03.25 *PR*; Wilkinson (7th) 54-11 *PR*; Aby Wood (8th) 47-02.75 *PR*

Javelin — Jump (4th) 66-06 *PR*; Wilkinson (6th) 58-08 *PR*; E. McGrath (8th) 52-04; Wood (10th) 51-07 *PR*; Mayne (13th) 42-08 *PR*

High Jump — Knoblich (3rd) 4-04; Kalwies-Anderson (6th) 4-02 *PR*

Long Jump — Hoskins (2nd) 13-05.50; Knoblich (3rd) 13-01 *PR*; Wyman (5th) 12-04 *PR*; C. McGrath (8th) 11-10

Triple Jump — Stuurmans (2nd) 29-01.50 *PR*; C. McGrath (6th) 25-09 *PR*

 

BOYS:

100 — Dominic Coffman (4th) 12.67; Preston Epp (26th) 14.21 *PR*

200 — Caleb Meyer (4th) 24.76 *PR*; Nick Guay (7th) 25.87 *PR*; Nehemiah Myles (10th) 26.48 *PR*; Mikey Robinett (24th) 29.48; Alex Bowder (29th) 33.75 *PR*

400 — Meyer (2nd) 54.81 *PR*; Reiley Araceley (8th) 1:04.01 *PR*

800 — Aidan Wilson (1st) 2:17.17; Hank Milnes (8th) 2:48.40

1600 — Carson Field (3rd) 5:09.11 *PR*; Mitchell Hall (6th) 5:23.30; Alex Merino-Martinez (10th) 5:59.01 *PR*; Tate Wyman (15th) 6:58.37

3200 — Hall (2nd) 12:19.98 *PR*

110 Hurdles — Araceley (3rd) 20.85 *PR*; Cael Wilson (6th) 46.96 *PR*

4 x 100 Relay — Araceley, Meyer, A. Wilson, Coffman (1st) 48.46

4 x 400 Relay — Field, Cameron Epp, Hall, A. Wilson (3rd) 4:08.63

Shot Put — Logan Martin (2nd) 39-04.25; Zac Tackett (5th) 31-07 *PR*; Josh Guay (18th) 18-06 *PR*

Discus — Martin (1st) 143-06; Tackett (7th) 74-11.75 *PR*; C. Epp (13th) 55-01.50 *PR*; Robinett (14th) 54-00.50; J. Guay (16th) 52-01 *PR*

Javelin — Hall (5th) 102-02 *PR*; Tackett (9th) 89-095 *PR*; C. Epp (10th) 89-00 *PR*; Field (11th) 87-05 *PR*; J. Guay (23rd) 32-02 *PR*

High Jump — Coffman (2nd) 5-06; Meyer (4th) 5-02 *PR*; N. Guay (5th) 5-00 *PR*; C. Wilson (9th) 4-06 *PR*

Long Jump — A. Wilson (1st) 18-00.50; N. Guay (6th) 16-05.00 *PR*; Araceley (10th) 15-10 *PR*; Myles (12th) 15-08 *PR*; Coffman (13th) 15-05; Robinett (13th) 15-05 *PR*; Milnes (15th) 15-04 *PR*; Field (16th) 15-03 *PR*; Bowder (22nd) 13-04 *PR*; J. Guay (24th) 12-01 *PR*; Merino-Martinez (26th) 11-07 *PR*

Triple Jump — Milnes (8th) 28-02 *PR*

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CHS spring sports schedules bloom

Posted in Baseball, Girls Tennis, Softball, Track, tagged , , , , , on March 2, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Izzy Wells is back to fire lasers. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

One season runs into another.

Basketball is still going, with the Coupeville High School boys at the state tourney in Spokane, but the first days of spring sports are also upon us.

Practice began Monday for Wolf softball, girls tennis, track, and baseball, and games are less than two weeks away.

After back-to-back disrupted campaigns thanks to the pandemic, the plan is for an almost normal spring this time around.

Baseball and softball have full 20-game seasons scheduled, track returns to participating in big invitationals, and playoffs loom at the end of the season.

Plus, with everyone heading outdoors, and many restrictions being eased, Covid testing for prep athletes is out, along with mask mandates.

Below you’ll find schedules for the four CHS spring sports, with one caveat.

Girls tennis, a sport played by only two of the seven Northwest 2B/1B League schools — Friday Harbor and Coupeville — does not have a complete schedule yet.

Friday Harbor’s courts are being worked on, meaning the Wolves and Wolverines will only play on Whidbey Island this season.

Meanwhile CHS Athletic Director Willie Smith is busy tracking down more non-conference tilts for the Wolf netters, with Oak Harbor among those expected to say yes.

To keep up to date on schedules which can (and will) change, likely due to weather shenanigans and not the pandemic, check out:

 

League site:

http://www.nw1a2bathletics.com/index.php?pid=0.5.0.0.200

 

School calendar:

http://coupeville.tandem.co/index.php?type=view&action=month

 

The schedules, with (*) indicating a league contest:

 

BASEBALL:

Sat-Mar. 12 — Mount Baker — (1:00)
Tue-Mar. 15 — South Whidbey — (4:00)
Wed-Mar. 16 — @ Lynden Christian — (4:30)
Sat-Mar. 19 — North Mason — (1:00)
Tues-Mar. 22 — La Conner (*) — (4:00)
Fri-Mar. 25 — @ Concrete (*) — (4:00)
Sat-Mar. 26 — @ South Whidbey — (1:00)
Tue-Mar. 29 — Mount Vernon Christian (*) — (4:00)
Wed-Mar. 30 — Darrington (*) — (4:00)
Fri-Apr. 1 — @ Friday Harbor (*) — (DH) — (4:00/5:30)
Tues-Apr. 5 — @ Orcas Island (*) — (3:00)
Mon-Apr. 11 — @ Sultan — (4:00)
Fri-Apr. 15 — @ La Conner (*) — (DH) — (4:00/5:30)
Tue-Apr. 19 — Concrete (*) — (4:00)
Fri-Apr. 22 — @ Mount Vernon Christian (*) — (4:00)
Tue-Apr. 26 — Friday Harbor (*) — (4:00)
Fri-Apr. 29 — Orcas Island (*) — (4:00)
Tue-May 3 — @ Darrington (*) — (4:00)

 

GIRLS TENNIS:

Thur-Mar. 17 — South Whidbey — (3:30)
Thur-Mar. 24 — Friday Harbor (*) — (3:30)
Mon-Apr. 18 — @ South Whidbey — (3:30)
Mon-Apr. 25 — Friday Harbor (*) — (3:30)

 

SOFTBALL:

Tue-Mar. 15 — South Whidbey — (4:00)
Wed-Mar. 16 — @ Lynden Christian — (4:30)
Tue-Mar. 22 — La Conner (*) — (4:00)
Fri-Mar. 25 — @ Concrete (*) — (DH) — (3:00/4:30)
Sat-Mar. 26 — @ South Whidbey — (1:00)
Wed-Mar. 30 — Darrington (*) — (4:00)
Fri-Apr. 1 — @ Friday Harbor (*) — (DH) — (4:00/5:30)
Tue-Apr. 5 — @ Orcas Island (*) — (3:00)
Mon-Apr. 11 — @ Sultan — (4:00)
Wed-Apr. 13 — Cedar Park Christian — (4:00)
Fri-Apr. 15 — @ La Conner (*) — (DH) — (4:00/5:30)
Tue-Apr. 19 — Concrete (*) — (4:00)
Sat-Apr. 23 — Lakewood — (1:00)
Tue-Apr. 26 — Friday Harbor (*) — (4:00)
Fri-Apr. 29 — Orcas Island (*) — (DH) — (3:00/4:30)
Tues-May 3 — @ Darrington (*) — (4:00)

 

TRACK:

Thur-Mar. 17 — @ La Conner (*) — (3:30)
Sat-Mar. 19 — @ Port Angeles — (10:00)
Wed-Mar. 23 — HOME meet (*) — (3:30)
Thur-Mar. 31 — @ Mount Vernon Christian (*) — (3:30)
Sat-Apr. 16 — @ Lil Norway Invite (North Kitsap) — (11:00)
Wed-Apr. 20 — @ Concrete (*) — (3:30)
Sat-Apr. 23 — @ Eason Invite (Snohomish) — (TBD)
Sat-Apr. 30 — @ Sunny & 70’s Invite (Stanwood) — (TBD)
Thur-May 5 — @ NWL Championships (La Conner) — (3:30)
Thur-May 12 — Districts (HOME) — (3:30)
Thur/Sat-May 26-28 — @ State (Cheney) — (TBD)

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Daring duo replace The King

Posted in Track, tagged , , , , on February 14, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Bob Martin will coach Coupeville High School’s male track and field athletes. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Elizabeth Bitting will join him, working with the Wolf girls. (Morgan White photo)

How do you replace a living legend?

By staying in-house and handing the reigns to two coaches who have worked closely with the departing guru over the years.

Randy King’s retirement means this spring’s track and field season will be the first one without him at the helm of the Coupeville High School program in almost two decades.

His replacements?

Elizabeth Bitting, who will lead the Wolf girls, and Bob Martin, who will guide the CHS boys.

Their hires, confirmed by Coupeville Athletic Director Willie Smith, will be official after approval from the school board at its next meeting.

Both coaches are putting together their own stellar runs in Cow Town, having led multiple teams.

Bitting has been a Coupeville Middle School track coach, as well as leading both middle school and high school cross country programs.

Martin, whose youngest son Logan is a senior on this year’s CHS team, has coached track, football, and basketball in Coupeville.

Spring sports practice kicks off Monday, Feb. 28, with the first track meet set to go down in La Conner Mar. 17.

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Bitting a true “fountain of joy”

Posted in Cross Country, Hall o' Fame, Track, tagged , , , , on December 26, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Elizabeth Bitting, the newest inductee into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame. (Jackie Saia photo)

There are many different types of coaches.

The screamer. The silent leader. Captain gung-ho. The passive-aggressive prodder.

It goes on and on, but the rarest of the bunch may be the fountain of joy.

That’s a coach who really, truly loves their athletes, one who seeks out superstars and marginal role players alike, making each and every one feel important and treasured.

With no disrespect meant to other Coupeville coaches, past or present, one woman stands alone in best exemplifying those traits for Wolf Nation.

Whether working with middle school athletes, or high school competitors, whether guiding track teams or cross country squads, Elizabeth Bitting is our fountain of joy.

Having worked with her for several years now, I can attest to the level of her commitment, which is extraordinary.

Bitting has helped guide champions to their destiny, and exulted in her athlete’s achievement.

But she is also always there when the last runner crawls across the finish line — genuinely thrilled in a two-second improvement for that young girl or boy.

A stellar athlete in high school and college, Bitting continues to compete in running events, from 5K’s to endurance-level tests of the human soul.

She loves running, and it shows in her words and action.

Never more so than when she takes the lessons she’s learned while pounding away on backwoods trails, finds that 12-year-old kid who has never been an athlete, and lights a fire inside of them that they never expected to find.

When you look at Bitting during races, she is a tsunami of joy, and it touches her own athletes and rivals from other schools.

The running guru nimbly installs confidence and joy into each of her young athletes. (Elizabeth Bitting photo)

And that explosion of joy soon filters across the faces of virtually all of her young charges.

Trace the line of photos during a Coupeville Middle School track or cross country season, and you see the growth.

Athletes who looked shy and anxious in the early going have a new confidence as the season plays out.

Half-smiles widen into huge grins, and the interplay between the young Wolves and their exuberant coach becomes a two-way street.

Cross country is often a lonely sport, with runners navigating trails and underbrush off on their own, but it is also a perfect launching pad.

You don’t have to learn intricate team plays, or find your spot in a five or 11-player lineup. You just have to put one foot in front of the other, then celebrate each “win” against your personal clock.

It’s a beautiful entry sport for girls and boys of all sizes, shapes, and athletic backgrounds (or lack thereof).

And how blessed then are the young Wolves, who find the coach awaiting them to be a hardy mix of sunshine and love — a woman who makes their time on the trails a truly positive experience?

Bitting is a joy to work with as a writer, as well.

She’s quick to send info, goes into great detail, and often shoots photos of her young stars which provide a behind-the-scenes look rarely captured by those clicking away from the outside.

Toss in the fact she birthed what we now know as Race the Reserve, and her positive impact on our schools and our community just continues to grow.

Celebrating at Race the Reserve. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

So, while we could wait until retirement to induct her into the Coupeville Sports Hall o’ Fame, the answer to that would be a simple, why?

For one thing, we all hope Bitting keeps at it for years (decades?) to come.

And secondly, inducting her now gives us a chance to reflect a bit of that shine back on to her, to let her know how much we all respect her.

So, after this, when you look up at the top of the blog, under the Legends tab, that’s where you’ll find Bitting hanging out.

Over the years we’ve had a lot of good coaches in Coupeville, and we’ve had a few bad ones. It would be the same in any town.

But no other community has Elizabeth Bitting, which truly sets us apart from the pack.

She is joy unleashed, and we all benefit from being a part of her universe.

A freakin’ fountain of joy, I said. (Morgan White photo)

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The King has left the oval

Posted in Track, tagged , , , , on December 8, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Randy King celebrates as the Coupeville High School track team wins another title. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

This is the end, my friends.

For really real this time.

First he departed as a teacher, and now longtime Coupeville High School track and field guru Randy King is calling it a career as a coach.

The longest-tenured coach at the school retired as a teacher in April, 2020.

King spent 42 years in the classroom, the final 29 at CHS.

At the time, the school board agenda indicated he was also bringing his coaching career to an end, but, to the joy of many, he agreed to stick around the track oval for a bit longer.

This time his departure is official, however, as CHS Athletic Director Willie Smith confirmed King’s resignation.

King has been involved with the Wolf track program since the mid-2000’s.

His run as coach produced 11 of the 17 individual state meet titles in program history.

Wolf state champs he coached include:

2006 — Jon Chittim (200, 400); Kyle King (3200); boys 4 x 400 (Chris Hutchinson, Chittim, K. King, Steven McDonald)

2007 — K. King (1600, 3200)

2008 — K. King (3200)

2010 — Tyler King (1600, 3200)

2019 — Danny Conlisk (200, 400)

Under Randy King’s tutelage, Coupeville track regularly proved quality could beat quantity, with his teams piling up strong league, district, and state finishes despite often having far fewer athletes than many of its rivals.

The high-water mark for CHS track came in 2006 and 2008, when the Wolf boys finished 4th in the team standings at the state meet.

His girls teams were some of the strongest in school history, and 11 of 18 Wolf girls track school records came on his watch.

On the boys side, 12 of 17 current school records belong to King-coached athletes.

King also led the CHS varsity boys basketball program for 20 seasons, ruling the sidelines between 1991-2011.

He led both his 1998 and 2002 squads to Northwest League titles, coaching four of the top 10 scorers in program history.

Mike Bagby (tied for #1 with 1,137 points), Pete Petrov (#7 with 917), current Wolf boys hoops coach Brad Sherman (#8 with 874), and Arik Garthwaite (#10 with 867) all called King their coach.

King also pulled a stint as a CHS assistant football coach, and, later in his career, led middle school programs for both boys basketball and volleyball.

The spikers who he taught as young women went on to provide the core of the most-recent CHS volleyball squad to earn a trip to state.

“It’s good to be the king, baby!”

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