Once the Coupeville High School football team cleans up its game, it will find the win column, according to coach Tony Maggio.
For the second week in a row, the mistake-prone Wolves lost, this time 24-6 to visiting Port Townsend Friday, Sept. 7.
Maggio, however, remains positive because the problems facing his club are correctable and the losses aren’t a result of a lack of talent.
“Our offense is right there; our defense is right there. We are in a position to win,” Maggio said.
Ah, but the mistakes. The Wolves dropped several passes, lost four fumbles and tossed an interception. Making the turnovers more upsetting is three of the bobbles came on exchanges and not big hits.
Last week the Wolves lost a sure touchdown on a dropped pass, this week a fumble on a reverse negated a likely score, Maggio said.
Coupeville compounded its problems by committing 10 penalties.
Maggio said, “We had a lot of big plays but many were called back.”
One of the flags wiped out a touchdown and another brought back a 36-yard run.
Maggio said his team is still trying to mesh, and 17 players who missed the first game played against Port Townsend and were working through first-game jitters.
Starting quarterback Gunnar Langvold also missed the game, replaced by first-time starter sophomore Korbin Korzan. Langvold will return this week, Maggio said.
The Redskins went up 10-0 in the first quarter, then the Wolves scored on an 8-yard run by Bryce Fleming in the second period. The PAT kick failed.
The score stayed 10-6 into the fourth quarter and the Wolves were very much in the game, then a turnover shifted the momentum. A Port Townsend sack resulted in a fumble that set up a PT touchdown.
The fumbles slowed a good ground game for the Wolves. Coupeville rushed for 200 yards and averaged over five yards per carry. Brett Arnold rushed for 64 yards on 11 carries and Jake Tumblin added 57 on 11.
Korzan hit four of 11 passes for 63 yards and one interception.
Jacob King paced Port Townsend with 128 yards passing and 85 rushing.
The win stopped a 20-game losing streak (which included two to Coupeville) for the Redskins.
Coupeville goes to Lynden Christian (1-1) at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14.
