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Posts Tagged ‘Yakima SunDome’

Best that ever was (and they’re not done)

Posted in Volleyball, tagged , , , , , , on November 13, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Wolf seniors (l to r) Madison McMillan, Katie Marti, and Mia Farris celebrate their excellence. (Ashley Menges photo)

They’re charting new territory with every spike.

Going where no Coupeville High School volleyball team has before, the 2024 edition stepped in to the spotlight at the 2B state tourney Wednesday and refused to step back out.

Keeping alive their undefeated campaign, the fifth-seeded Wolves toppled #12 Tonasket, then stunned #4 Mossyrock, snapping that school’s streak of seven straight top three finishes.

Now, Cory Whitmore’s squad, which sits at 18-0, advances to the state semifinals Thursday, where it will clash with #1 Adna (20-0) in a 10:00 AM royal rumble on court #2 at the Yakima SunDome.

Meanwhile, #2 Manson (19-2) and #3 Freeman (19-2) meet in the other semi, with the winners playing for a state title at 5:30 PM.

The losers clash at 2:00 in the 3rd/4th place game.

Which means, win or lose Thursday, a CHS team featuring seven seniors will bring home the program’s first-ever state trophy.

The 18 wins are a Coupeville single-season record (besting the previous mark of 14), while this is the first time the Wolf spikers have won two matches during one state tourney.

Prior to Wednesday, CHS had captured a single win in 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004.

How the landmark day played out:

 

Tonasket:

With a big-hit offense operating at full roar, the Wolves pasted the Tigers 25-19, 25-23, 25-12.

The Wolves claimed the lead for good early in the first set, then never relented.

Three straight points at the service stripe from Lyla Stuurmans pushed CHS in front at 5-2, while lil’ sis Tenley Stuurmans slammed the door shut with her own service run to make it 21-16.

Lyla Stuurmans brought the heat on opening day of the state tourney. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Lyla’s fan club filled the bleachers in Yakima. (Photo courtesy Kimberly Bepler)

Along the way, the Wolves got key kills off the fiery fingertips of Mia Farris and Lyla Stuurmans, and smooth passing keyed by slick senior setter Katie Marti.

Tonasket proved it wouldn’t go easily, however, jumping out to a lead in the second set.

The Tigers roared out to a 9-5 advantage, before weathering a Coupeville comeback sparked by Farris delivering pinpoint serves and Madison McMillan and Teagan Calkins firing off winners at the net.

CHS slid ahead at 10-9, Tonasket rebuilt its advantage at 16-13, then the Wolves made their move.

Marti got nuclear-hot at the line, and once she pushed her squad back in front at 18-17, Coupeville couldn’t be stopped.

Closing the middle frame on a 12-7 tear, the Wolves kept the good times hoppin’ as they rolled through the final set.

An ace from Tenley Stuurmans made it 10-5, before Lyla Stuurmans crushed all of Tonasket’s hopes and dreams with a five-point run at the line.

Popping off back-to-back aces (in your face), the senior slugger pushed the lead all the way out to 20-9 and Tonasket had no answers as its state championship dreams faded and burnt up for good.

Kill machine Teagan Calkins, always a fan favorite. (Jackie Saia photo)

 

Mossyrock:

Coupeville was ranked as high as #2 by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association during the regular season but found itself slotted behind the Vikings on Selection Sunday.

Which was understandable based on Mossyrock’s stellar history.

But these matches are decided on the floor, and the Wolves put everyone on notice with a 25-17, 23-25, 25-15, 25-17 victory.

Coupeville went out in front at 2-1 in the opening set and never gave the lead back.

Big service runs from Lyla Stuurmans and Marti pushed the lead out to a sizable advantage, while “Mia the Magnificent” was a ball-destroying assassin, spraying kills and making all her rivals run.

Mossyrock made its big stand in the second frame, building a 16-6 lead, before Coupeville almost made it all the way back.

With McMillan spinning nasty serves and Jada Heaton raining pain at the net, the Wolves used a 15-4 surge to reclaim the lead at 21-20.

Unfortunately, the Vikings had just enough magic left to recover, becoming just the fourth team to take a set from Coupeville this season.

While that might have seemingly boded well for Mossyrock, the Wolves snapped right back into hunt and destroy mode.

Standing tall on the big stage. (Jennifer Marzocca photo)

The third set was close for a bit, all the way up to 12-12, when Calkins unleashed the full “Red Dragon” experience, peeling the paint off the floor for a kill.

Tenley Stuurmans, just a freshman and already playing in her second high school state tourney after making it to the big dance in tennis as an 8th grader, followed Calkins’ smash with a service ace.

From there, the Wolves steadily pulled away, then kept up the blistering pace in the night’s final set.

Farris went on a rampage at the line to put CHS up 9-4, before the Slammin’ Stuurmans Sisters peppered Mossyrock with unhittable balls.

Cue the celebration, as the Wolves joy ride continues for another day.

They head into Thursday having won 54 of 59 sets this season, ready to make new history shortly after breakfast.

But first, a snack. (Jennifer Heaton photo)

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Spikers rock the floor in Yakima

Posted in Volleyball, tagged , , , , on September 15, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Coupeville seniors led the charge in Yakima. (Jennifer Heaton photo)

Katie Marti was virtually unstoppable.

Peppering her rivals with laser-like serves which tore holes in the floor, the Coupeville High School senior ripped off 14 consecutive points on her serve at one point Friday in Yakima.

She was operating with such precision and speed, mom Christi Messner, who had briefly stepped out of the gym to get lunch for everyone, almost missed an entire set.

But she got back in time to witness the celebration, food in hand, so things worked out just fine.

It was that kind of day for the CHS varsity volleyball squad, which went a fiery 10-3 at the 32-team SunDome Volleyball Festival, playing superb ball on the same floor where the state tourney will be waged later this fall.

Even getting back to Coupeville in the wee hours of Saturday morning, the Wolves garnered much from their trek East.

“It was a great trip, and we gained a lot of really great experience from it,” said CHS coach Cory Whitmore.

The Slammin’ Stuurmans Sisters — Tenley (left) and Lyla — are ready to bring some serious heat to the floor. (Sarah Stuurmans photo)

Coupeville kicked things off with their toughest match of the day, splitting two sets with Stevenson, before sweeping Connell and White Swan 2-0 with everyone in uniform seeing action.

That left the Wolves in second place in their pool, and the hot play continued over into bracket play, where they opened with 2-0 wins over University Place and DeSales.

Tiredness caught up just a bit to Coupeville in the championship match in the silver bracket, where they were edged in three torrid sets by Northwest Christian (Colbert) and claimed second place.

Facing down six opponents and largely dominating, while playing match after match in an environment recreating the state tourney experience? All huge positives.

“The entire point in attending the SunDome Volleyball Festival was to gain experience against tough competition, build upon our strength, identify and expose our weaknesses, and play in the exact environment we are hoping to play in at state,” Whitmore said.

“And we finished the day having checked all those boxes.

“I’m really proud of how the girls remained unified throughout a challenging day – it’s no easy task to play that much with such short breaks and still keep mentally strong enough to stick together.

“They do this exceptionally well and it makes a long day a lot of fun.”

Whitmore praised the play of his entire roster, while offering up flowers to a handful of spikers who really shined on the big stage.

“It is challenging to point out any one player that stood out, because throughout the day we had each player really contribute big-time in a variety of ways,” he said.

“Leading the way with their mental strength would be Mia (Farris), Lyla (Stuurmans), and Madison (McMillan). All three barely left the court all day and took the vast majority of swings.

“I’m so proud of how they shouldered so much of the load from the back and front row and still remained very effective in their roles.”

Marti, who kick-starts the team from her setter position, was a fireball all tourney, whether she was fresh in set one, or tired in set #13.

Jada Heaton (left) and Katie Marti, briefly at rest. (Jennifer Heaton photo)

“It was also a lot to ask of Katie, tracking down passes and digs and running the offense, but I thought that she remained consistent throughout the day,” Whitmore said.

“Her serve was brutal to the other teams’ offenses and again, she was very reliable from the line.”

Whitmore also heaped appreciation on the support crew, which came out in full force, even on the other side of the state.

“Another shoutout has to go to our parent group – we had so much help from the parents that were able to attend, and it really allowed for us as coaches to focus on preparing the team to be at their best,” Whitmore said.

“I thought we managed the flow of the tournament really well and that part of the competition can’t go overlooked or underappreciated,” he added.

“I’m very lucky to work so closely with a supportive and genuinely fun group to work with!”

Having returned home, Coupeville begins league play this coming week, with clashes against Friday Harbor and Mount Vernon Christian on the schedule.

Having had the chance to pick up some key tourney experience can only benefit the Wolves as they chase their goals the rest of the season.

“There was a lot to take away from this tournament,” Whitmore said.

“And even though I’m really excited about having gone 10 and 3 on the day, it’s the lessons and experience we gained that will be of tremendous benefit to the team as we move forward.”

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Long trip, big results

Posted in Volleyball, tagged , , , , on September 18, 2022| Leave a Comment »

CHS spikers (l to r) Mia Farris, Jada Heaton, and Taylor Brotemarkle enjoy their trip to Eastern Washington. (Photos courtesy Jennifer Heaton)

It’s the promised land.

The Yakima SunDome is where the 2B state volleyball tournament goes down Nov. 10-11.

The Coupeville High School spikers, like every team in their classification, are aiming for a trip to the big dance.

If the Wolves get there, they’ll be familiar with their surroundings, having spent Friday busy on the same courts which will host the state tourney.

Coupeville made the long trip to Yakima to take part in the SunDome Volleyball Festival, and made a positive impression on folks, winning seven of 10 sets.

“Yakima was a great experience for the girls and this team,” said Wolf coach Cory Whitmore.

“We went hoping to experience the area in which state volleyball is played, to feel what it is like to play on sport-court, the lights, the sounds, the space, etc.

“We definitely got that experience from 8 AM when we played first until we finally left the SunDome at 6 PM. I am so proud of how the girls remained consistent throughout the day, and how they did it together.”

The Wolves won five of six sets in pool play, sweeping two sets from Selah and Sunnyside Christian, before splitting sets with Tri-Cities Prep.

That third match was a gut-check special, with Coupeville rallying to claim the second set 25-19 after dropping the opener 25-18.

Happy team, state tourney dreams.

Jumping out of pool play, the Wolves faced their toughest competition of the day with a showdown against Connell, and they lost a nailbiter 25-18, 26-24.

Coupeville closed a very long day with a final match against Northwest 2B/1B League rival Darrington — who they play for real this Tuesday, Sept. 20.

After a close first set, which went to the Wolves by the score of 25-20, CHS rolled in set two to the tune of 25-9.

“Fatigue had begun to set in as we made some uncharacteristic errors but pulled together a string of points at the end that allowed us to overtake them,” Whitmore said.

“Having to dig deep, despite some serious fatigue and compete for the win was exactly what we hoped to accomplish as far as post-season experience to rely on later.”

While Coupeville winning seven of ten sets in a day was a strong mark, it’s the intangibles which might loom larger as the season plays out.

“It was the bonding and playing experience that will have made the trip well worth it,” Whitmore said.

“Everyone had moments of brilliance throughout the day and it was fun to watch them work through the tournament challenges together.”

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Senior spikers cap stellar run!!

Posted in Volleyball, tagged , , , , on November 11, 2017| Leave a Comment »

   Hope Lodell (1), here backed by junior Ashley Menges, is one of seven seniors who led CHS volleyball to its first state berth in 13 years. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

   Young fans sent the Wolves off to Yakima in style Thursday. (Susan Wenzel photo)

   Junior Emma Smith made it to state in her third season as a varsity player. (Wenzel photo)

   Sophomores (l to r) Emma Mathusek, Maya Toomey-Stout and Scout Smith are planning repeat trips to Eastern Washington. (Charlotte Young photo)

   Chelsea Prescott was the lone freshman to see varsity action this year. (Wenzel photo)

   Allison Wenzel, one of Coupeville’s seniors, the Magnificent Seven. (Susan Wenzel photo)

   Wenzel’s compatriots are (l to r), manager Kayla Rose, Lodell, Katrina McGranahan, Kyla Briscoe, Payton Aparicio, Lauren Rose and, in front, Mikayla Elfrank. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

From also-ran to powerhouse.

The seven Coupeville High School seniors who capped their volleyball careers Friday at the 1A state tourney in Yakima are responsible for an amazing turnaround.

While the Wolves couldn’t escape from an astonishingly-tough draw which pitted them against three of the state’s top six teams in the “Group of Death,” the spikers finished off their school’s best run in 13 years.

Coupeville took a set from undefeated, sixth-ranked Castle Rock in its opener, before falling 25-8, 22-25, 25-8, 25-9.

The Wolves then found themselves face-to-face with #1 Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls), the defending state champs, who hadn’t lost a set all year until being upended by #4 King’s.

The Eastern Washington juggernaut stayed alive with a 25-12, 25-10, 25-16 win, ending Coupeville’s season at 13-5.

Also headed home from Yakima is fellow Island squad South Whidbey, which lost to Charles Wright Academy and Naches Valley.

King’s plays Lynden Christian in one semifinal Saturday, while Cascade (Leavenworth) meets Chelan, which rallied from down two sets to one to CWA.

While the Wolves will not be hanging a state banner this year, their season stands with the best in program history.

The 13 wins ties the 2004 squad, the last to make it to state, for the most in a single season by a CHS spiker unit.

Along the way, Coupeville won a second-straight Olympic League crown, rolling to a 9-0 conference mark without dropping a set.

Contrast that against 2014, when three of the seven current seniors — Kyla Briscoe, Lauren Rose (and, in a late season cameo) Katrina McGranahan — played for a team which finished 1-11 under Breanne Smedley.

McGranahan, Allison Wenzel, Hope Lodell and Payton Aparicio were the core of a JV team that went 4-5 under Amy King that season during the first year of the then new four-team Olympic League.

As sophomores, Lodell, Aparicio and McGranahan made the full-time jump to varsity, and the Wolves improved to 6-10, including a district playoff win on their home floor against Seattle Christian.

The JV was the first to break through to a winning record, as Heidi Wyman guided the 2015 team to a 7-4 mark.

The big jump came in 2016, with Wenzel moving up to varsity and Mikayla Elfrank arriving from South Whidbey to make it a seven-pack.

Actually six, since a leg injury sidelined big-hitting Briscoe all season.

With Cory Whitmore sliding into the head coaching job after Smedley returned to her alma mater in Columbia River, the Wolves went 11-6, including an 8-1 run to capture a league title.

Kristin Bridges, making it three JV coaches in as many seasons, went 12-2 and the ascent continued.

For those who didn’t think there was much room left to improve, well, you were wrong.

This season Whitmore’s varsity, for the first time featuring all seven Class of 2018 spikers together on the same roster, zipped through a 12-2 regular season, then split two matches at districts.

A win over Cascade Christian, the school which knocked it out of the playoffs two years earlier, sent the Wolves back to Yakima.

And the JV?

Playing for new coach Chris Smith, with the help of now veteran assistant Ashley Herndon (the only coach to be on scene all four years), went 12-1.

That bodes well for the Wolves, who will have seven open roster spots when they return to chase a third-straight league crown and another trip to Yakima.

For the moment, though, the spotlight firmly remains on the splendid senior class, which includes five girls who came within a single strike of making it to state in softball last season.

This time, they broke through, and did it in style.

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