The Coupeville High School volleyball team is trending upward.
The Wolves, winners of only one match two years ago, went 3-3 in the Olympic League in 2015, good enough for second place. They went on to take fifth in the district tournament and finish the season with a 5-9 mark.
“We are looking to bring home the Olympic League trophy,” first-year coach Cory Whitmore said. “Then we plan to make it out of district and qualify for the state tournament.”
He noted that these are “lofty” but “attainable” goals.
“I am excited about the progress this team has made in a short time,” Whitmore said. “Every day we have competition in practice, and this is forcing the kids to improve. They are getting better knowing the people behind them are pushing them.”
The Wolves lost only two players to graduation and return eight letter winners, including first-team, all-league players senior Valen Trujillo and junior Katrina McGranahan.
Trujillo, who set a school single-season record with 157 digs last fall, will anchor the defense and help steady serve-receive, an area that Whitmore said needs to improve.
The team’s overall defense, however, will be a strength, according to Whitmore.
“Our defense is scrappy and shows good intensity.”
On offense, Coupeville should be able to hurt teams with a strong service attack.
“We are going to get teams out of their system.”
Whitmore also lauded the Wolves’ leadership: “We have a strong group of leaders who know how to win – on the emotional side as well as the physical.”
He admitted the team has not been battle-tested this year but is confident the Wolves will handle the pressure.
Whitmore also likes his balanced offense.
Other returning letter winners are seniors Tiffany Briscoe and Ally Roberts; juniors Payton Aparicio, Hope Lodell and Lauren Rose; and sophomore Emma Smith.
The Wolves received a blow when junior Kyla Briscoe injured her foot and will be out for the season.
Junior McKayla Elfrank and sophomore Ashley Menges will also get varsity playing time, Whitmore said.
Trujillo was the team’s Most Valuable Player in 2015, Lodell received the Most Improved Award and Tiffany Briscoe earned the Coaches’ Award.
Whitmore said it will be a successful season if his club is “peaking and playing as a unit” at the end of the season. “If we are peaking and still lose, that’s OK.”
A personal goal of Whitmore’s is to work on the overall Coupeville volleyball program from top to bottom – high school, middle school and Wolf Buddies.
Coupeville plays in the Oak Harbor Jamboree at 9 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, and then opens the regular season when Mount Vernon Christian visits at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6.
