It’s over.The Coupeville High School boys basketball team defeated host Mount Vernon Christian 51-41 Saturday, Jan. 12, to erase a 33-game losing steak. The last game of the streak came a night earlier when the Wolves lost to Cedarcrest 71-28 in Duvall.
Coupeville last won in 2011 when it stopped Meridian in the subdistrict.The win was the first for second-year coach Anthony Smith.
Smith said, “It was a long time coming. I am so happy for the kids; they work so hard.”Coupeville won the game with an aggressive defense that beat down the Hurricanes (4-11) as the game went on. It also overcame two long-time problems, turnovers and third-quarter collapses.
Entering the game Smith said his team would have a chance if it kept the miscues to under 20. The Wolves did, and committed only five after halftime.Instead of fading in the third quarter, Coupeville outscored Mount Vernon Christian 17-7.
Spurred by five points by Ben Etzell and four from Aaron Trumbull, Coupeville jumped to a 13-7 first-quarter lead.Etzell hit the first hoop of the second quarter, then the Hurricanes went on a 13-2 run and finished ahead at the break 25-19.Nick Streubel, who sat much of the first half in foul trouble, scored the first two baskets of the third quarter to get the Wolves rolling.
By the end of the period, Coupeville led 36-32.With the game tied at 38, Aaron Curtin and Etzell scored to make it 42-38 with 4:06 left. From that point, the Wolves would not score another field goal but hit nine of 14 free throws to secure the big win.At one point during the hectic finish, the Coupeville defense forced MVC into five consecutive turnovers.The Wolves also overcame foul trouble.
Curtin and Caleb Valko fouled out and Streubel had four.Etzell finished with 24 points, Trumbull nine, Streubel six, Carson Risner four, Curtin three, Valko three and Morgan Payne two.Smith said, “I hope this can be the start of something.”
In describing the Cedarcrest game, Smith said, “19-0.”That’s how things started for the Wolves who trailed 21-2 at the quarter. The second period wasn’t much better as the Wolves went into the locker room down 34-4.Smith said his team played better in the second half, and entered the fourth quarter behind 56-17.
Streubel collected eight points, Risner five, Curtin five, Trumbull four, Etzell four and Valko two. Coupeville (0-8, 1-13) goes to Lakewood (2-6, 4-10) at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15.
