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Posts Tagged ‘Venom’

Reunited, and it feels so good!!

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , on January 5, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Kevin McGranahan, seen here coaching daughter Katrina in little league play, was tabbed as the new CHS head softball coach. (John Fisken photo)

   Kevin McGranahan, seen here coaching daughter Katrina in little league play, was tabbed as the new CHS head softball coach. (John Fisken photo)

They’re getting the old gang back together.

Highly successful juniors softball coach Kevin McGranahan is being reunited with his former Central Whidbey Little League players, after being tabbed as the new head coach for Coupeville High School.

The move was confirmed Tuesday by CHS Athletic Director Duane Baumann.

McGranahan replaces Deanna Rafferty, who resigned after one year at the helm of the Wolf program.

Rafferty went 7-12 and took her squad to the district playoffs last season.

She replaced David and Amy King, who stepped down in 2014, after taking Coupeville to its first trip to state in 12 years.

The duo have remained as CHS girls’ basketball coaches, but needed more time to focus on their real-life jobs.

McGranahan will inherit a squad which contains almost all of his players from his 2014 Venom squad, which went undefeated, ten-running every regular season foe en route to advancing to state.

That includes current sophomores like Katrina McGranahan, Hope Lodell and Lauren Rose, who all starred for the Wolves as freshmen, as well as big-hitting ninth graders Sarah Wright and Veronica Crownover.

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Little league? Closer than you think!!

Posted in Baseball, Little League, Softball, tagged , , , , on January 5, 2016| Leave a Comment »

softball

   A montage featuring Central Whidbey softball players who have gone to state the last two seasons. (Mimi Johnson and Katy Wells photos)

Coach Chris Tumblin (left) charges in to join the dog pile after Central Whidbey won the state title in 2010.

That moment when lil’ ol Coupeville beat the big city boys to win a state title.

What do you mean it doesn’t feel like baseball season?

Ignore the snow-infused rain and get crackin’, as it’s closer than you might think.

Central Whidbey Little League has kicked off registration for 2016 softball and baseball play (they have teams open to players from ages 4-14) and it runs through Feb. 29.

Practices starts in March (yes, it will still likely be cold, thank you, and get used to it), with games beginning in April.

To register or pick up more info (the league is also looking for sponsors and volunteers), pop over to the league’s sparkling new website at:

http://www.centralwhidbeylittleleague.com/

While there you can marinate in pics of past success stories such as the 2010 state champion Juniors baseball squad and the 2014 Venom, a Juniors softball squad which clobbered foes left and right on their way to state.

Then, after your kids sign up, they can go write their own success story for future generations to marvel at.

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Softball sluggers swing down South!!

Posted in Middle School, Softball, tagged , , , , on March 19, 2015| 2 Comments »

Veronica

Rising softball star Veronica Crownover. (Kelly Crownover photos)

Sarah Wright takes her cuts on the first day of practice. (Kell

Sarah Wright takes her cuts on the first day of practice.

The Venom live!

Sort of.

Last spring and summer, the Central Whidbey Little League Junior All-Star softball squad, AKA The Venom, drilled every regular-season foe by 10+ runs, advanced to the state tourney and finished 18-2.

This year, there’s no team.

With most of the Venom having jumped up to high school ball — three of them, Katrina McGranahan, Lauren Rose and Hope Lodell, are starting for Coupeville High School as freshmen — there wasn’t enough girls left to field a team.

So, the three remaining members of the championship team, eighth graders Veronica Crownover, Sarah Wright and Tamika Nastali picked up Yuma, Arizona refugee Ema Smith and headed south.

The four Wolves will play for a juniors team out of Langley this year that is coached by Brad and Karen Jaeger.

Adapt. Move on. Keep playing and then reunite with their former Venom teammates next year when they hit the high school.

That’s the plan and they’re sticking to it.

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Throwback Thursday: A new Hope!!

Posted in Softball, Throwback Thursday, tagged , , , , on August 7, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Hear me roar! A young Hope Lodell vents with aunt Teresa Terry.

Hear me roar! A young Hope Lodell vents with aunt Teresa Terry.

Modern-day hoops star.

Modern-day hoops star.

Flexin' the guns for the CWLL Venom, which crushed teams by 10+ runs all summer.

Flexin’ the guns for the Central Whidbey Little League Venom, who crushed foes by 10+ runs all summer long.

There can only be one!!

From an early age (I’ve known her since she was born) Coupeville High School freshman Hope Lodell has lived by the credo of “Highlander.”

A rampaging force of nature whether playing basketball, volleyball or softball (where she crushed it as a key member of a little league team that went to the state tourney this summer), Hopey is a beast.

Who just happens to be one of the nicest, sweetest, most endearing young women you’ll ever meet, a devoted sister to big bro Noah and a complete charmer.

But don’t buy the nice girl act, cause she’ll rip your heart out and show it to you if you line up opposite her.

While beaming a huge smile.

If you look at the top photo above, which captures her in the days when she was rockin’ the bangs look, you can see a warrior being born.

I am Hope. Hear me roar!!

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Heather Nastali a diamond dandy!!

Posted in Little League, Softball, tagged , , , on July 19, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Heather Nastali

Heather Nastali

Softball is a family tradition for the Nastali’s.

Jasmine, Heather and Tamika all have played the sport, with the latter two girls being key members of this year’s Central Whidbey Little League Juniors All-Star squad.

With their help, the Venom went 18-2, crushing teams left and right as they won 17 games by 10 or more runs.

For Heather, who will be a freshman at Coupeville High School in the fall, it was the example of one of her sisters that first drew her to the diamond.

“I have been playing softball for five years now,” Nastali said. “I started because I saw my sister Jasmine playing and thought it looked fun.

“I enjoy the feeling when I play my best and we all have a good game.”

Her ability to adapt to whatever position her coaches need her to play has been key to her development as a softball player.

“My strengths are being able to play most of the positions on the field,” Nastali said. “My coaches, Kevin McGranahan and Ron Wright, made a big impact. They helped me to improve my batting and they helped me learn how to play a lot of positions.

“They taught me pitching and to play most infield positions,” she added. “I would like to work on my batting speed.”

Nastali enjoyed the season, as the Venom went 15-0 in the regular season and then swept two games from North Whidbey to win a district title.

“Some highlights are having won all our games this season and winning in districts,” she said. “Also going to state and winning a game there.”

As she enters high school, she plans to diversify her athletic portfolio, possibly adding tennis, basketball and track to softball.

When she’s not competing, Nastali is an avid reader (“I love to read all kinds of books, from mystery and sci-fi, also manga”), listens to a mix of pop and country and enjoys watching criminal case shows.

Her love of reading should come in handy as she hits high school, since she’ll likely be reading about her own athletic exploits for years to come.

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