There are two state berths available to Issabel Johnson and CHS spikers this season, after years of chasing just a lone ticket to the big dance. (Bailey Thule photo)
It’s a split decision.
Looking ahead at the 2023-2024 school year, with the first game set for September 1, it’ll tentatively be easier for two Coupeville programs to make it to the big dance, but harder for a third.
That’s because state tournament allocations issued to District 1, where the Wolves play, shift slightly for those three sports.
Odds are better for CHS volleyball and girls’ basketball, but worse for boys’ soccer, while all other sports remain the same from 2022-2023 to 2023-2024.
If, and that’s always a big if, the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association honors what it currently has listed on its website.
To be fair, if the number of schools in a classification playing a given sport radically changes year to year, things may logically shift.
To be unfair, in the very recent past, Coupeville and District 1 were told one thing, only to have the WIAA pull a switcheroo after the fact thanks to administrators from a different district crying.
Volleyball has been brutal, with District 1 and 2 combining to net just one state berth, with four-time defending 2B state champ La Conner sitting right next door.
Things should be more open this fall, with D1/2 getting two tickets to Yakima right after Hall of Fame Braves coach Suzanne Marble retired.
That carries over to girls’ basketball in the winter, with D1/2 also surging from one state berth to two, in the wake of La Conner losing a pack of stellar seniors.
The competition in boys’ soccer gets even more brutal however, as District 1 — which has produced back-to-back state 2B/1B champs — dips from four tickets to three.
The Northwest 2B/1B League, which jumps from seven teams to nine in the sport by picking up four outside schools for boys’ soccer, while Concrete and Darrington don’t play, has actually provided BOTH teams in the championship game the past two seasons.
Friday Harbor knocked off Orcas Island 2-1 last fall to claim its first title, a year after the Vikings upended Providence Classical Christian by the same score.
Hunter Bronec and Co. are seeking a return trip to state. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)
Cross country, tennis, and track and field operate in their own specialized world, where individuals can advance to state on their own, regardless of how their team does.
With that in mind, here’s the projected outlook for sports where teams advance to state only as teams:
Baseball:
Coupeville was part of a 12-team 2B state tourney bracket this spring, based on 47 schools playing the sport.
District 1 and 2 combine for the postseason, with one state ticket at play.
Boys Basketball:
The Wolves narrowly missed out on a return trip to state last winter, falling just short of joining a 16-team tourney winnowed down from 55 schools.
District 1/2 had two tickets last time and has two tickets again in 2024.
Boys Soccer:
With 22 schools playing last fall, state had an ultra-exclusive eight-team bracket.
Half that tourney hailed from District 1, but this fall Coupeville’s league nets three tickets.
Football:
The Wolves made it to state for the first time since 1990 and are looking to head back.
With 45 teams playing last fall, it was a 12-team field.
One ticket last year, one ticket this year, so Coupeville has to defend its league title while battling Friday Harbor and La Conner.
Girls Basketball:
La Conner nabbed the lone District 1/2 berth in last winter’s 16-team field, which was drawn from 54 schools playing God’s chosen sport.
This time around, there’s two berths at play, putting an extra skip in third-year coach Megan Richter’s step.
Girls Soccer:
With 42 schools playing, the 2B/1B tourney was a 12-team affair last fall.
District 1 retains the one ticket it had last time, making everyone chase Mount Vernon Christian.
Softball:
A 12-team bracket, with 47 schools playing this past spring.
Win the conference crown and Coupeville gets to hit the road for a play-in game against a District 4 squad, making this perhaps the hardest route for a NWL team to earn a trip to state.
Volleyball:
There were 54 schools playing last fall, which translated to a 16-team state tourney.
One ticket in recent years, but finally D1/2 gets two invites this time around.
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