Missing several key players, the Coupeville High School boys basketball team was no match for Sultan in the Wolves’ 71-27 road loss Tuesday, Jan. 22.

Leading scorer Ben Etzell was out with a staph infection and Carson Risner missed because of illness. Starter Caleb Valko was injured in the second quarter and missed the second half.

Coupeville coach Anthony Smith said the impact of the missing players was “huge” and left the Wolves with “no scoring.”

Smith noted that Sultan (7-4, 8-9) is battling to earn the second seed in the district 2A tournament and played aggressively from the get-go. The Turks blitzed Coupeville 20-2 in the first period.

Sultan led 31-10 at the half and continued to roll in the second half, leading 51-18 after three periods.

Smith said, “There is not much to write home about. We did not play good defense. We had hoped to play a lot better. I was disappointed on how we got after the ball; we could have played more aggressively.”

He added, “We are totally regressing. I don’t think the team has checked out, we just aren’t progressing.”

Nick Streubel topped the Wolves with eight points. Morgan Payne scored six, Joel Walstad five, Aaron Trumbull four and Valko two.

Coupeville (0-11, 1-16) used several junior varsity players against the Turks and will do the same when it returns home after six road games at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25, against Archbishop Murphy (7-4, 9-5). Smith said, “We will bring up some kids and see how they fare.”