The Coupeville High School girls basketball team handled both adversity and Klahowya in winning the conference opener 47-38 over the visiting Eagles Friday, Dec. 11.

With its top two scorers sitting chunks of time because of foul trouble, Coupeville kept its composure and didn’t lose ground in a tight game.

Midway through the third quarter, Kailey Kellner went to the bench with three fouls with the Wolves clinging to a 28-23 lead. Less than two minutes later, Makana Stone recorded her fourth foul and joined Kellner on the sidelines.

Coupeville, however, did not struggle and led 34-28 heading into the fourth quarter.

Things got dicey when Stone fouled out with 2:56 left in the game and the Wolves holding a 41-34 lead.

“It was gut-check time,” coach David King said, and Mia Littlejohn “took over.”

The sophomore controlled the tempo, helped hold the Wolves together and anchored a defense that kept Klahowya from coming back.

The Wolves also received a boast from reserve Kyla Briscoe, who pulled down four rebounds in a quarter and a half of play and limited the Eagles’ second-chance opportunities.

The game was close the entire first half, partly because Coupeville was unable to take advantage of a bundle of Eagle turnovers in the first quarter and led only 13-11.

The Wolves also made only three of nine free throws in the opening period and finished the game 8-for-23 at the line.

Late in the second quarter, the teams were tied at 19, then Kellner drained a three-pointer to give the Wolves a 22-19 halftime lead.

Stone finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds, five steals and three blocks.

Littlejohn scored nine points, all in the second half, and had four assists.

Kellner registered six points, seven rebounds and four assists.

Lauren Grove added six points, two on a coast-to-coast drive that sparked the Wolves moments after Stone fouled out.

Tiffany Briscoe pulled down 10 rebounds and hit a free throw, and Lindsey Roberts scored one fourth-quarter hoop.

The game finished a string of six games in 11 days for the Wolves.

Now Coupeville (4-2) doesn’t play until 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 22, at Vashon Island (1-5).

(Laura Grove scores on the opening tip Friday. Photo by John Fisken.)