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Posts Tagged ‘win streak’

Big bats, big gloves, big win

Posted in Softball, tagged , , , , on March 27, 2025| Leave a Comment »

Sydney Van Dyke (right) racked up four RBI’s Thursday, sparking Coupeville softball to another win. (Photo courtesy Colleen Henderson-Van Dyke)

The Wolves are rolling into Spring Break on a high note.

Crushing the game in every way, the Coupeville High School softball squad ripped off its fourth straight mercy-rule win Thursday, stiff-arming host Friday Harbor 10-0 in five innings.

The victory lifts CHS to 2-0 in Northwest 2B/1B League play, 5-1 overall, and the diamond queens head to the break having outscored their foes 61-9.

While practice will account for some of their time in the near future, the Wolves don’t play a game again until April 8, when they travel to Darrington.

That will give them some time to put out the flames erupting from their bats, rest fab frosh Adeline Mayne’s pitching arm, and allow stellar shortstop Taylor Brotemarkle to heal up from any bruises.

The standout senior was a defensive dynamo Thursday, with one play in particular standing out.

Chasing a bloop fly behind her, Brotemarkle collided with Wolf outfielder Haylee Armstrong and took a knee to the thigh, but still made the play, snagging the rapidly dropping ball for a crucial out.

Consider CHS coach Aaron Lucero impressed.

“Taylor had an absolutely great game defensively,” he said. “Particularly (with the) bloop fly. Tough play, web gem of a catch. She was all over today.”

With Brotemarkle sparkling on defense, and Maynes making it very hard for Friday Harbor to catch up with her wicked pitches, the Wolves were in control from start to finish.

“Another great performance from Addy,” Lucero said. “She’s been absolutely fantastic this year.

“Great mix of pitches and great framing by (catcher) Teagan (Calkins).”

At the plate, the Wolves were locked and loaded, erupting for 13 hits, with every starter getting at least one base-knock.

Coupeville jumped on Friday Harbor for three quick runs in the top of the first to set the tone, with Sydney Van Dyke cracking a two-run single and Armstrong blasting a run-scoring double.

From there, the Wolves added two in the third, again with Van Dyke and Armstrong picking up RBIs, before going off in the fourth to put the game away.

The game-clinching frame featured five straight hits to open the inning, then an RBI sacrifice from Calkins, before two more hits completed a torrid run.

Brotemarkle bashed a two-run double to prove she’s a killer on both sides of the ball, before Mia Farris lofted “a great triple.”

But it was Van Dyke, enjoying her best offensive day of the season, who delivered the mercy-rule run, picking up yet another RBI to make it a sweet 10-0.

While the hits were jumping off the bats, Coupeville also excelled by getting maximum value out of each base knock.

“Heads up baserunning by the team and we really took advantage of every opportunity,” Lucero said.

The Wolves got contributions from all 13 girls to hit the field, with Chloe Marzocca, Chelsi Stevens, and Danica Strong coming off the bench to join the fun in the latter going.

Whether starting or coming off the bench, freshman Chelsi Stevens always gives the Wolves a burst of energy. (Photo courtesy Kristi Stevens)

 

Thursday stats:

Capri Anter — One single
Haylee Armstrong — One single, one double
Taylor Brotemarkle — One double
Teagan Calkins — One single, one double
Mia Farris — One triple, one walk
Jada Heaton — One single
Ava Lucero — One single
Madison McMillan — Two singles
Danica Strong — One walk
Sydney Van Dyke — Two singles

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Burn the nets to the final bucket!

Posted in Boys Basketball, tagged , , , , on February 10, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Hurlee Bronec sticks a jumper. (Morgan White photo)

They would not be denied.

Fighting from behind in the fourth quarter Friday, the Coupeville High School JV boys’ basketball team ended its season with a stirring 56-51 win at Friday Harbor.

The victory was the 10th straight for the high-flying Wolves, who finish 11-3 on the season.

It was a wild ‘n woolly campaign, with Craig Anderson and Jon Roberts taking the coaching reigns for the final three games after head coach Hunter Smith left to start fire school.

Along the way, swing player Chase Anderson moved up full-time to varsity, and big man Mikey Robinett moved out of state with his family.

But no matter who was on the floor, this pack of Wolves was a ferocious one, attacking on defense and spreading the love on offense.

Three different JV players topped 100 points, while a fourth one missed by just a three-ball.

That willingness to share the ball was on full display Friday, as seven different Wolves hit the bottom of the net with at least one shot.

Freshman Camden Glover led the way, torching Friday Harbor for 23 points, while Jack Porter knocked down 13.

Aiden O’Neill (8), Hunter Bronec (4), Johnny Porter (4), Hurlee Bronec (2), and Landon Roberts (2) also scored, with Malachi Somes putting the fear of God into his rivals while scrambling on defense.

The bright future of Wolf basketball. (Photo courtesy Morgan White)

Friday Harbor opened the game strongly, jumping out to a 20-12 lead after one quarter, but Coupeville took control after that, moment by moment, quarter by quarter.

A 17-13 surge in the second frame, fueled by eight points from Glover and a big three-ball off the electric fingertips of O’Neill, cut the deficit to 33-29.

From there, the Wolves narrowed things to 42-41 heading into the fourth, before closing the night on a 15-9 tear.

Jack Porter poured in nine of his 13 points in the final frame, while Coupeville, which was 0-4 at the free-throw line previously, went 5-8 in the waning moments.

 

Final season scoring stats:

Aiden O’Neill – 108
Jack Porter – 105
Hunter Bronec – 102
Camden Glover – 97
Chase Anderson – 71
Johnny Porter – 59
Hurlee Bronec – 46
Malachi Somes – 43
Landon Roberts – 38
Mikey Robinett – 6
Carson Field – 4
Yohannon Sandles – 2

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Bash queens beat the softball black ‘n blue

Posted in Little League, Softball, tagged , , , , on May 26, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Taylor Brotemarkle drove in five runs Wednesday, part of a 14-hit, 18-run explosion for the red-hot Hammerheads. (Jackie Saia photo)

Pull the whistle, cause the freight train is running folks over.

Slamming out 14 hits Wednesday night, the Central Whidbey Little League Juniors softball squad roared from behind to claim an 18-12 road win over arch-rival North Whidbey.

With the victory, the Hammerheads push their winning streak to seven games and counting, and carry a 7-2 record into an extended break.

Central Whidbey is off until June 6, when it hosts South Skagit for a doubleheader.

Wednesday night they jumped on North Whidbey early, fell behind, then unleashed the full might of their bats to reclaim control of the game.

“Girls gutted it out,” said CWLL coach Fred Farris. “(Pitcher) Savina (Wells) battled hard against their really good lineup.

“My hat’s off to her for finding the physical and mental fortitude to play seven games in seven days between softball and basketball.”

Five runs in the top of the first got things off to a festive start for Central Whidbey.

Mia Farris started the mini-explosion with a one-out walk, followed by a single off the bat of Wells, then the Hammerheads really started painting using every part of the field.

Madison McMillan bashed an RBI double to center, with Taylor Brotemarkle smacking an RBI single to right, and Chloe Marzocca scorching an RBI single to left.

North Whidbey scraped their way back, however, putting up two runs in the bottom half of the first, before tacking on five in the second to surge ahead 7-5.

The Hammerheads got one run back, but should have had more.

Teagan Calkins led off the top of the second with a triple, but never made it home as North Whidbey’s defense clamped down.

Things went a little better with the same situation in the third, with McMillan blasting a leadoff triple, then sauntering home to score on an RBI single from Katie Marti.

With North Whidbey pushing two runs across in the third, the Hammerheads came to bat in the top of the fourth trailing 9-6, but showing no panic.

Instead, Central Whidbey’s bash queens blistered the ball to the tune of nine runs in the frame, turning a thriller into a rout.

The Hammerheads mixed five hits and five walks (including Mayleen Weatherford being plunked) to create the extravaganza of runs, with nearly everyone in the lineup chipping in.

Candace Meek led off with a single, with Marti, Calkins, and Mia Farris all whomping two-baggers in support.

Up 15-9, Central cruised in from there for the win, with Wells holding North Whidbey down with precision pitching, while her defense played lights-out behind her.

The Hammerheads spread their offense around, with eight of 11 batters getting a base-knock, and nine of 11 scoring.

With seven of the 14 hits being of the extra-base variety, Central’s coaching staff came away suitably impressed with their ferocious lineup.

Marzocca and Calkins both had liners which were ripped out of a cannon, but it was McMillan who truly wowed the gathered crowd.

She lashed a double and two triples, walked twice, and came around to score all five times.

Better yet, her big blows put the absolute fear of God into rival pitchers in three states.

“Madison’s triples would have both been over our fence (at Rhododendron Park),” Fred Farris said. “The second one hit half way up their “gray monster,” which is 220 feet (away) and 12 feet high.”

When McMillan wasn’t penning her epic tale, her teammates ably helped her cause.

Wells (three singles), Calkins (2B, 3B), Marti (1B, 2B), Farris (2B), Meek (1B), Marzocca (1B), and Brotemarkle (1B) all put the ball where the defense wasn’t.

Meanwhile Jada Heaton walked twice and scored both times, Weatherford and Anna Steckman made solid contributions, and Brotemarkle was raking, picking up a team-high five RBI.

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Stone, Blues clinch playoff berth

Posted in Basketball, Wolves in college, tagged , , , , on February 8, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Makana Stone and Whitman clinched a playoff berth with a win Saturday. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Mission accomplished.

Sparked by a 12-point, 12-rebound performance from Coupeville’s Makana Stone, the Whitman College women’s basketball team swatted host Lewis & Clark College Saturday, setting up the biggest weekend of the season.

Rolling to a 73-58 victory in Portland, the Blues held on to first-place in the Northwest Conference at 11-1, while improving to 19-2 overall.

With the win, their seventh-straight, they clinch a playoff berth and can finish no lower than third in the nine-team league.

The top four teams square off in the conference postseason tourney, with #1 hosting #4 and #2 hosting #3, then the winners meeting in a game which decides the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

Stone and Whitman have made it to the Northwest Conference tourney all four seasons she’s been on campus, but never as the #1 seed.

With their hearts set on a league title, the Blues control their own fate going forward, however.

Two games up on George Fox University (9-3, 17-4) and three ahead of freefalling Pacific University (8-4, 14-7), with four to play, Whitman faces those exact teams next weekend.

Both games will be at home in Walla Walla, where the Blues are 7-0, and go down Friday and Saturday, Feb. 14-15.

The second of those matchups is also Senior Night, where Stone, Mady Burdett, Lily Gustafson, Katie Stahl, and Natalie Whitesel will be honored.

Saturday could have been a trap game, with Lewis & Clark (now 1-11, 2-18) sitting in dead last-place in the Northwest Conference.

And it was for a half at least, as the Pioneers took advantage of a Whitman team that was unexpectedly ice-cold from the field.

Normally one of the best-shooting squads in the country, the Blues hit just 9-34 from the floor in the first half.

While Whitman still managed to scrape out a 14-12 lead after one quarter of play, the shooting woes intensified in the second frame, allowing Lewis & Clark to seize its first lead at 17-16.

From there, the Pioneers stretched the margin out to five, though the Blues cut it back to 27-24 on a nice play right before the end of the half.

Stone, directing traffic from the top of the arc, whipped a note-perfect pass over the top, finding teammate Kaylie McCracken for a layup and a brief burst of happiness for the visitors.

Things took a huge change after the break, as Whitman started to nail all of its shots, especially from the outside.

Tickling the twines for five three-balls in the third quarter — with Taylor Chambers and Kaelan Shamseldin nailing two apiece — the Blues erupted on a game-busting 27-10 run.

Stone gave Whitman a lead it wouldn’t lose with a pair of buckets in the paint, then made off with a steal that triggered a fast-break which ended with a Shamseldin trey.

Lewis & Clark, scrappy but painfully young, never got closer than 12 after that, with the Blues stretching the lead out as far as 20 near the end of the game.

McCracken came off the bench to score a team-high 15 points, while Stone added two assists, a steal, and a blocked shot to her 12 and 12 double-double.

On the season, the former Wolf has 332 points, 175 rebounds, 30 assists, 23 steals, and 18 blocks.

Stone is shooting 136-253 (53.8%) from the floor and 57-74 (77%) at the free throw line.

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High, hard cheese to the end!!

Posted in Baseball, Wolves in college, tagged , , , , , on May 5, 2018| Leave a Comment »

   Coupeville grad Ben Etzell (sportin’ the goatee) tossed three no-hit innings Saturday to nab his 10th win as a college pitcher. (Libby Auger photo)

Double digits, baby.

Coupeville grad Ben Etzell tossed three innings of scoreless, no-hit relief Saturday, picking up his 10th win as a college pitcher.

With the former Wolf keeping his squad afloat in a scoreless game, Saint John’s University rallied to win its 13th straight baseball game, knocking off St. Olaf 3-0 on a walk-off home run from center-fielder Max Jackson.

And while the Johnnies had their streak snapped in the nightcap to a doubleheader (they fell 10-3), SJU sits at 29-6 heading into the final day of the regular season.

Saint John’s, which is 14-4 in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, plays another doubleheader Sunday, this one against St. Thomas.

Win one of the two games and the Johnnies clinch a share of their first regular-season title since 1998 and earn a bye in next week’s league tourney.

Etzell, who will be honored during Senior Day Sunday, came on in relief of starter Joey Stock with the game scoreless after six.

He whiffed a pair of batters while refusing to give up a hit, and the win evened his season mark at 2-2, while dropping his ERA to a sizzlin’ 1.88.

For his career, Etzell, who began college as a starter before morphing into a relief ace, is 10-4 with eight saves in 49 games.

During his time in Coupeville, he was a three-sport star, going to state as a tennis player and being named the 1A/2A Cascade Conference MVP in baseball after his senior campaign.

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