By DAVID SVIEN

Big fight, no quit.

Friday night’s JV girls’ basketball game between Coupeville and visiting Sultan featured twists, turns, and a lot of rock-em-sock-em action.

Which is no surprise, since the Turks are traditionally one of the scrappier foes the Wolves face, while Scout Smith’s CHS players are no pushovers.

When the game ended, Sultan had a 50-36 win in hand but had faced a ton of resistance.

“We showed a lot of heart and played hard till the final buzzer,” Smith said.

The non-conference loss drops Coupeville to 2-4 heading into the winter break, with the JV not returning to action until Jan. 7.

In their final game of 2024, the Wolves put up a strong fight.

Led by the hot shooting hand of Adeline Maynes, Coupeville kept things knotted at 12-12 at the first break.

Sultan had a much-deeper bench on this night, however, and used the extra bodies to put together a game-busting 24-3 run in the second frame.

But even trailing 36-15, the Wolves were far from done.

Some words from their coach at halftime, and the third quarter was an entirely different affair, as CHS put together a 12-0 tear across an eight-minute span.

“We came out with a renewed fighting spirit,” Smith said. “I am extremely proud of how our team performed and the fight they showed throughout the game.

“It is a testament to the culture we are building as a program to play hard, play smart, and play together.

“I could not have asked more from my team.”

While Sultan closed the game on a 14-9 surge to hold off the Wolves, Smith saw a lot of things she liked.

“Haylee (Armstrong) played a vital role for us as an offensive and defensive threat,” she said.

“She has been a consistently key player for us throughout the season. Her vision, read of the game, and speed make her a valuable asset.”

Smith also praised Maynes and fellow freshman Marin Winger for holding up well against an opponent not afraid to throw some elbows their way.

“Addy and Marin both did an excellent job fighting through a rough and tumble game,” Smith said.

“Both worked through tough contact and continued to fight for the team.”

That spirit was evident from all eight Wolves in uniform.

“Overall, I am extremely happy with what I saw from our team,” Smith said. “We showed grit, fight, and an undying will to play hard till the end of the game.”

Armstrong paced CHS with a team-high 14 points, with Maynes (9) Lexis Drake (6), Winger (4), Sydney Van Dyke (2), and Capri Anter (1) also scoring.

Chelsi Stevens and Amelia Crowder rounded out the rotation, bringing fire to their time on the floor.