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Posts Tagged ‘Yakima’

Survive and thrive!!

Posted in Volleyball, tagged , , , , , on November 6, 2017| 1 Comment »

   Hot-serving Katrina McGranahan is one of seven seniors on this year’s state-bound Coupeville High School volleyball squad. (Photos by JohnsPhotos.net)

   After missing her junior year with a leg injury, Kyla Briscoe returned to play a key role in the Wolves success.

Welcome to the Group of Death.

Coupeville’s first trip to the state volleyball tournament in 13 years comes with one small caveat — spikes are about to fly.

But, survive the beginning, and the finale could be sweet.

The 16-team, double-elimination tourney opens Friday with two matches for each team, and the Wolves companions are the deadliest to be found.

Coupeville’s block of four teams includes both remaining undefeated schools, including the defending state champs, who HAVEN’T LOST A SET THIS SEASON … and some rich, private school you all might remember named King’s.

The Wolves won at least one match in all four of their previous trips to the big dance, between 2001-2004.

To keep that going, though, they will have to play their best volleyball of the season.

The opening foe (3:15 PM Friday) is Castle Rock, which arrives bearing a 16-0 mark.

The Rockets were the regular-season champs of the six-team 1A Trico League, which also sends La Center to state.

Castle Rock captured the title at the District 4 tourney, with wins over King’s Way Christian and the aforementioned La Center, earning its 25th trip to state.

In their previous visits, the Rockets have emerged as state champs three times — 1987, 1993 and 2012. They were runner-ups in 1983, 2008 and 2011, as well.

Win or lose, Coupeville is guaranteed a second match Friday night, and that foe will either be former Cascade Conference rival King’s, or the hottest team in 1A currently, Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls).

The Knights, a longtime thorn in the side of the Wolves until CHS jumped to the Olympic League in 2014, are 15-2.

King’s only losses came to 2A Archbishop Thomas Murphy, a defeat it avenged late in the season, and fellow 1A power Lynden Christian.

That loss to the Lyncs kept the Knights from claiming a bi-district title, but they rebounded to drill Meridian to earn their 16th trip to the big dance.

Back-to-back state titles in 2008 and 2009 are the benchmark for King’s spiker program.

But while the Knights are undoubtedly top-drawer, they have a huge obstacle in front of them in Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls), which hails from Spokane.

After winning three straight state titles from 1999-2001, the Eagles captured their fourth championship in 2016, and are now back to take their 13th crack at the big dance.

Last year’s title win came against Lynden Christian, preventing the Lyncs from winning a third-straight championship.

While plowing through the eight-team 1A Northeast League, which also sends Freeman to state, Lakeside has been absolutely, positively perfect, winning all 48 sets it has played this season.

With Coupeville a tidy 13-3 itself, its four-team bracket carries a combined record of 60-5, a .923 winning percentage which far outweighs the other three groups.

Whidbey Island’s other state-bound team, South Whidbey, is joined by Charles Wright Academy, Chelan and Naches Valley, and their combined .761 winning percentage (54-17) is the lowest of any group of four.

The other two pods are 58-9 (.866) — La Center, Cascade, Kiona-Benton and Overlake — and 53-15 (.779) — Freeman, Lynden Christian, Bellevue Christian and Goldendale.

A breakdown of what’s coming this weekend:

What: 1A state volleyball tourney.

When: Friday and Saturday, Nov. 10-11

Where: Yakima Valley SunDome (1301 S Fair Ave)

Admission (all day/all tournament):

Adult — $11/$19
Student — $9/$15
Senior Citizen (62+) — $9/$15
Child (under 5) — Free

 

Team capsules:

 

Coupeville:

Season record: 13-3

League finish: #1 in 1A Olympic League

Sets W/L: 40-10

Coach: Cory Whitmore

Mascot: Wolves

 

Bellevue Christian:

Season record: 12-5

League finish: #2 in 1A Nisqually League

Sets W/L: 37-18

Coach: Jenna Bronson

Mascot: Vikings

 

Cascade:

Season record: 14-1

League finish: #1 in 1A Caribou Trail League

Sets W/L: 42-5

Coach: Marni McMahon

Mascot: Kodiaks

 

Castle Rock:

Season record: 16-0

League finish: #1 in 1A Trico League

Sets W/L: 48-9

Coach: Jeana Bayes

Mascot: Rockets

 

Charles Wright Academy:

Season record: 13-4

League finish: #1 in 1A Nisqually League

Sets W/L: 42-18

Coach: Mindy McGrath

Mascot: Tarriers

 

Chelan:

Season record: 12-4

League finish: #2 in 1A Caribou Trail League

Sets W/L: 39-13

Coach: Jenifer Rainville

Mascot: Mountain Goats

 

Freeman:

Season record: 14-3

League finish: #2 in 1A Northeast League

Sets W/L: 42-10

Coach: Eva Windlin-Jansen

Mascot: Scotties

 

Goldendale:

Season record: 12-5

League finish: #3 in 1A SCAC West

Sets W/L: 42-24

Coach: Jodi Bellamy

Mascot: Timberwolves

 

King’s:

Season record: 15-2

League finish: #1 (tie) in 1A/2A Cascade Conference

Sets W/L: 46-10

Coach: Jeff Fransen

Mascot: Knights

 

Kiona-Benton:

Season record: 15-2

League finish: #1 (tie) in 1A SCAC East

Sets W/L: 44-10

Coach: Jolene Calzadillas

Mascot: Bears

 

La Center:

Season record: 14-5

League finish: #2 in 1A Trico League

Sets W/L: 47-21

Coach: Cymany OBrien

Mascot: Wildcats

 

Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls):

Season record: 16-0

League finish: #1 in 1A Northeast League

Sets W/L: 48-0

Coach: Kara Moffatt

Mascot: Eagles

 

Lynden Christian:

Season record: 15-2

League finish: #3 in 1A/2A/3A Northwest Conference

Sets W/L: 49-12

Coach: Kim Grycel

Mascot: Lyncs

 

Naches Valley:

Season record: 14-4

League finish: #1 in 1A SCAC West

Sets W/L: 46-20

Coach: Sherri Partlow

Mascot: Rangers

 

Overlake:

Season record: 15-2

League finish: #1 in 1A Emerald City League

Sets W/L: 46-11

Coach: Justice Magraw

Mascot: Owls

 

South Whidbey:

Season record: 15-5

League finish: #3 in 1A/2A Cascade Conference

Sets W/L: 50-15

Coach: Mandy Jones

Mascot: Falcons

 

Bracket:

http://www.olympicleague.com/tournament.php?tournament_id=2451&sport=10

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Epic trip, epic results!!

Posted in Volleyball, tagged , , , , on September 17, 2017| Leave a Comment »

   Emma Smith (13) has a brief moment of rest in between the six matches she and her Wolf volleyball teammates played Friday. (Photo courtesy Konni Smith)

   The Wolves hit the floor at the 32-team SunDome Volleyball Festival. (Cory Whitmore photo)

Now they know.

Getting a first-hand look at what a trip to the state tourney would look and feel like, the Coupeville High School volleyball squad invaded Yakima and came away rich with victories and valuable experience.

The Wolves left the Island Thursday afternoon and returned to their home gym at 2:30 AM Saturday, having won four of six matches in between at the SunDome Volleyball Festival.

The event, played on the very same courts which host the 1A state tourney, attracted 32 teams from four classifications (2B, 1B, 1A, 2A) for Friday’s battle royale.

Coupeville finished second in its four-team pool, then jumped into bracket play and claimed second again, this time after facing off with the other #2 seeds.

And they did that all in the middle of a madhouse.

“The team (myself included) has been very excited about this tournament for a long time,” said CHS coach Cory Whitmore. “I’m very happy with the challenges that we faced and worked through.

“I was impressed with our ability to settle into our game in a very large and distracting environment,” he added. “There were eight courts playing at once, loud fans, bright lights up in high ceilings, but this did not seem to effect the girls to a great degree.

“Down the stretch, it will be very valuable to have this experience under our belts.”

Coupeville took 10 of its 11 varsity players (Allison Wenzel was auditioning for a symphony) and six top JV spikers on the trip, giving a large group of Wolves a chance to enjoy the big time.

“The whole experience was meant to be used as a team-bonding experience, a competitive challenge and a test of our ability to travel and perform,” Whitmore said.

The Wolves opened pool play with a hard-fought loss to powerful La Salle, falling 25-19, 25-10, then immediately found their groove.

After thrashing Lyle-Wishram 25-8, 25-8, Coupeville belted Kittitas — which had split sets with La Salle — 25-23, 25-18 to clinch second place.

“I was very pleased to see us get back to an aggressive and consistent play,” Whitmore said. “Our servers were very strong and aggressive and then our hitting approaches were bigger, resulting in more dynamic attacks.”

Three matches in and just at the halfway point of their day, the Wolves grabbed a quick bite before jumping into bracket play, this time with longer matches.

While pool play featured two-set matches, bracket play was a best two-of-three format.

Rolling at that point, Coupeville clouted 2A Selah’s JV team 25-22, 18-25, 15-8, then whomped on Overlake (“a very tough team with very strong hitters”) 25-22, 25-18 to advance to the championship match in its bracket.

In the title tilt they faced off with Brewster, which has advanced to state five of the past seven years, and tired bodies finally betrayed the Wolves as they lost in straight sets.

“We played well, but were always chasing a very good Bears team,” Whitmore said. “We ran out of attacking steam.

“I was happy to see our passing and defense remain consistent, but, without a tough serve, Brewster was able to run their offense very effectively.”

As he reflected on the tourney and his team’s success, Coupeville’s volleyball guru exuded a satisfied glow.

He hailed Payton Aparicio, Katrina McGranahan, Lauren Rose, Ashley Menges, Hope Lodell and Maya Toomey-Stout for doing “a phenomenal job from the service line” all tourney.

“They served tough and to specific spots, taking out hitters and their effectiveness.”

Once the ball was in play, fellow Wolves like Mikayla Elfrank, Scout Smith, Kyla Briscoe and Emma Smith “were able to put up a solid block, slowing their attack and allowing our back row to turn defense into offense.”

Being able to bring top-level play even when it was on its sixth match of the day, is a huge positive for a Coupeville squad which will take its 2-0 regular season record back into play Tuesday at Bellevue Christian.

“I was very happy to see how we performed at the end of a long day, in a new environment and deep on the road,” Whitmore said. “It is a testament to this team’s tenacity and resilience.”

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Bayne Train rumbles all over Yakima!!

Posted in Football, tagged , , , , , , , on June 20, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Josh Bayne stares down the state. (John Fisken photo)

Josh Bayne stares down the state. (John Fisken photo)

Josh Bayne only played one-way this time, but it was more than enough.

The recent Coupeville High School grad, who was an All-State player on both sides of the ball during his senior season, sparkled on defense Saturday at the 21st Earl Barden East-West All-Star Classic.

Sparked by Bayne’s hard-hitting play from the corner-back position, the West held on for a 20-14 win in the game, played at East Valley High School in Yakima.

The game brings together the best players in 1A, 2B and 1B.

Bayne, who was the 1A Olympic League MVP, was one of the state’s leading rushers in 2014.

While he didn’t get any carries Saturday, he brought the heat in much the same way that also made him one of the best defenders in his class.

He recovered a fumble, made several tackles and swatted a pass down.

With all the offense coming in the game’s first half, Bayne and his West teammates clamped down at the end of the first half to seal the win.

With their backs to the wall, they refused to break and pulled off a goal line stop heading into the break.

The score would have been more lopsided, but the West had a pick six called back because of a personal foul behind the play.

Bayne, who was also a First-Team All-League player in baseball, will now take his skills to the college level, where he plans to play football at Simon Fraser.

He’ll be one of two speedy Wolves making the trip North of the border, as former Wolf rushing sensation Jake Tumblin is also slated to join the school’s gridiron squad, known as The Clan.

Simon Fraser is scheduled to play Central Washington twice this coming season.

Former CHS lineman Nick Streubel, who blocked for both Tumblin and Bayne, is on scholarship at CWU, having red-shirted his freshman year.

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The Rock just rocked you!!

Posted in Boys Tennis, Track, tagged , , , , , , , on May 30, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Makana Stone, collecting medals all year long. (John Fisken photos)

Makana Stone, collecting medals all year long. (John Fisken photos)

Aaron Curtin (left) poses with proud coach Ken Stange. (Judi Curtin photo)

Aaron Curtin (left) poses with proud coach Ken Stange. (Judi Curtin photo)

Three-quarters of the fastest 4 x 200 girls relay team in CHS history.

  Three-quarters of the fastest 4 x 200 girls relay team in CHS history — Lauren Grove (glasses), Marisa Etzell (top) and Sylvia Hurlburt. (Fisken photo)

Whidbey representing.

The final day of the spring high school sports season is awash in big-time performances from athletes who call The Rock home.

For Cow Town fans, the biggest news is Coupeville’s 4 x 200 girls’ relay team, which smashed the school record and claimed 3rd at the 1A state track meet in Cheney.

With sophomore Lauren Grove, senior Marisa Etzell and juniors Sylvia Hurlburt and Makana Stone running as one smoothly-oiled machine, the Wolves held off King’s at the end, coming in right on the heels of Meridian and Hoquiam.

Coupeville hit the tape at 1:46.64, while Meridian won in 1:45.95.

“It was so great!!!,” said a jubilant Hurlburt as she and teammates celebrated.

Stone then returned to solo action and finished fourth in the 400.

Her time of 59.01 trailed repeat champ Maya Jackson of Northwest (57.37) Janessa Murphy of Meridian (58.32) and Morgan Schepke of Cascade Christian (58.57).

Stone now has four state meet medals in three years, having finished 2nd in the 400 as a sophomore and 5th in the 4 x 200 as a freshman.

That unit included Hurlburt and then-seniors Madison Tisa McPhee and Jai’Lysa Hoskins.

Around the same time the relay squad went to its starting blocks, CHS netter Aaron Curtin took the court in Yakima for his fourth and final match at the 1A state boys’ tennis tourney.

After playing three intensive matches Friday, he fell 6-1, 6-3 to Mark Hay of St. George’s and claimed 8th place.

It was an impressive feat for a player from the smallest 1A school in the state who spent his spring playing baseball, then bounced back to tennis at the last second to face private school players who train year-round.

A look at the other medalists reveals school names like University Prep, Seattle Academy and Charles Wright Academy.

Then, boom, baby! Cow Town crashes the posh party.

Well played, Mr. Curtin, well played.

And, before we go, let’s take a moment to honor our brethren to the North.

Oak Harbor senior Dejon Devroe, a superb football player for the Wildcats, is also now the 3A state champ in the 800.

After finishing second in the prelims, he kicked it into gear in the main event, winning with a time of 1:52.61.

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Long day, huge triumph!!

Posted in Boys Tennis, tagged , , , , , on May 29, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Aaron Curtin is headed back to Yakima for the 1A state tourney.

Aaron Curtin, an ace every day. (John Fisken photo)

Iron Man is bringing home a medal.

Coupeville High School senior Aaron Curtin won two of three matches Friday in Yakima at the 1A boys’ tennis state tournament, with the final win coming after a two-hour war, assuring he will place.

Curtin will face Mark Hay of St. George’s at 10 AM Saturday, with the winner taking 5th and the loser claiming 8th.

To get there, the Wolf ace had to rebound after an opening round loss.

While he fell 6-2, 6-1 to Eli Jenkins of Chelan, Curtin never flinched.

And, while Jenkins promptly lost his next two matches and left without a medal, Coupeville’s finest came roaring back to knock off Jacob Martin of St. George’s 6-3, 6-1.

After a brief break, he capped a long day in the heat by topping Eduardo Ceballo of Cle Elum/Rosalyn 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.

The make-or-break match was a brutal war of attrition that mom Judi Curtin described as “So many deuces. Crazy!”

This is the second straight trip to state for Curtin.

As a junior, he qualified as a doubles player, but he and partner Ben Etzell did not place.

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