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“I play with my whole heart!”

June 17, 2026 by David Svien

Kamden Ratcliff, enjoying the great outdoors. (Photos courtesy RayLynn Ratcliff)

His past is bright, his future brighter.

Kamden Ratcliff, who will be a freshman at Coupeville High School this fall, has already made his mark in a variety of sports.

On the gridiron, he was one of three Wolves who played for an Oak Harbor Football and Cheer League Seniors team which capped an undefeated season by beating Arlington in a championship bout.

Ratcliff also has been running wild on the hardwood, both with SWISH and school basketball teams.

He was the #3 scorer among Coupeville Middle School players as an 8th grader and popped for 11 points at the high school level when he and some of his teammates moved up at the end to play in the final two JV games.

Toss in baseball, golf, fishing, riding his mountain bike, hanging out with friends, and traveling with his family, and Ratcliff is a young man for all seasons.

While he enjoys all of his activities, and plans to be a three-sport athlete in high school (football, basketball, baseball), it’s hoops which gets the biggest reaction.

Playing God’s Chosen Sport.

“Basketball is my favorite,” Ratcliff said. “I like the physicality of basketball, and I love who I’m surrounded by on the court!

“It’s fast tempo and requires you to put in work to grow!”

Ratcliff is not one to shy away from the behind-the-scenes preparation, either.

“I like working hard and being around other athletes who love the game and hard work!” he said.

While he wants to earn personal success, Ratcliff also values what he can accomplish by working with his friends.

That lesson is one he has picked up from his mentors along the way.

“My parents and coaches have always supported me and have made me the person I am today,” Ratcliff said.

“I think I am a great teammate,” he said. “I play with my whole heart, and I notice the little things!”

“I want to focus on continuing to grow as an athlete and never settling. Just being the best teammate I can be and a hard-working player!

“A few runs to state wouldn’t be too bad either!”

Posted in Baseball, Basketball, Football | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Run for the fun

June 16, 2026 by David Svien

Time to get out and get the blood pumping.

Coupeville Middle and High School students are encouraged to join Wolf trail gurus Elizabeth Bitting and Amber Wyman this summer for daily free fun runs.

You don’t have to be a cross country runner to participate, but the lure of harrier life may prove hard to escape.

Sessions go from June 22 to July 31, and a look at the photo above gives you a breakdown of how each day is planned.

If you have any questions, the coaches can be reached at ebitting@coupeville.k12.wa.us or awyman@coupeville.k12.wa.us.

Posted in Cross Country | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Hard work pays off for Lincoln Wagner

June 16, 2026 by David Svien

Lincoln Wagner is a soccer sensation. (Photo courtesy Duncan Wagner)

Lincoln Wagner is a busy guy.

The young student/athlete, who will be a freshman at Coupeville High School in the fall, has spent the past several years competing in a wide variety of sports.

Basketball, soccer, cross country, and track and field have all drawn his attention and kept him in almost constant motion. Just the way he likes it.

“I enjoy exercising and I like to work hard to accomplish my goals,” Wagner said. “I also like being part of a team and doing fun stuff with them.”

As he makes the transition from middle school to high school, the rising star plans to focus on soccer and track.

Cross country, where he was one of the most-consistent CMS runners the past two years, falls by the wayside only because of it being played in the same season as soccer, which he hails as his favorite.

It’s the sport Wagner has been playing the longest, and one where he has shown a high skill level.

He opened the summer by knocking in the game-winning goal for the Central Whidbey U15 pitch squad as Coupeville upended Oak Harbor to win the season-ending Matt Mikos Memorial Tournament at Fort Nugent Park.

Lincoln and big sis Mikayla are both medal-winning runners. (Elizabeth Bitting photo)

Wagner’s success is partially due to good genes — both big sis Mikayla and lil’ sis Audrey are talented athletes as well. But it’s also due to his willingness to put in the work.

“I think one of my strengths is the ability to push myself to the hardest,” he said. “But I would like to work on my mindset before I run or play to stay relaxed and locked in.

“My goal for my high school sports career is to make it to state for soccer and track,” Wagner added.

“I also want to run a sub-5-minute mile and score some goals on the soccer field.”

He devotes a fair amount of time to sports but also enjoys “doing some chill things like listening to music, gaming, or playing chess.”

Whatever is ahead for Wagner, he plans to strive to be the best, while using the lessons learned from his mentors.

“My family and coaches have had a big impact on me by making me understand that it is important to try my best and worry about my own race or game,” he said.

“Instead of comparing myself to others I focus on trying to improve and putting out my all.”

Posted in Boys Soccer, Track | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

CHS Homecoming game set for Oct. 2

June 16, 2026 by David Svien

Liam Blas and Co. will be back in action this fall. (Parker Hammons photo)

You can write this one down in ink.

Hopefully.

The Coupeville High School football schedule is still a work in progress, as the Wolves are searching for a week #4 opponent after their planned foe, Life Christian, lost their coach, followed by an exodus of players.

But Homecoming has been etched in stone by CHS Athletic Director Willie Smith, and it’s set for Friday, Oct. 2.

Bennett Richter’s gridiron giants host Friday Harbor that night, in the first of two clashes between the Northwest 2B/1B League rivals, guaranteeing a hyped-up atmosphere.

As we sit here on June 16, here’s where the rest of the schedule is at the moment:

 

Fri-Sept. 4 — Klahowya (7:00)

Fri-Sept. 11 — @ Raymond/South Bend (6:00)

Sat-Sept. 19 — Ilwaco (6:00)

WEEK #4 in flux

Fri-Oct. 2 — Friday Harbor (6:00) — HOMECOMING

Fri-Oct. 9 — South Whidbey (7:00) — BUCKET GAME/SENIOR NIGHT

Sat-Oct. 17 — @ Medical Lake (2:00)

Fri-Oct. 23 — @ Friday Harbor (6:30)

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Food train fuels farm boy’s recovery

June 13, 2026 by David Svien

“Get that food in my mouth, son!!”

There ain’t no holdin’ down a farm boy!

Callum Flack, whose parents Kyle and Paige (Mueller) Flack are fourth-generation tillers of the Whidbey soil, was born at 41 weeks after a challenging labor, and entered the world with an underdeveloped lower jaw, making it difficult for him to breathe on his own.

But after a stay in the NICU at Seattle Children’s Hospital, the lil’ guy (and his luscious locks) has made the move to Coupeville to join his parents and two older brothers.

As the family adjusts to all the transitions, friends have launched a meal train to ease the burden.

The link for it can be found by hopping over to:

https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/zmk7gy

Along with running Bell’s Farm with her husband, Paige, a plucky CHS basketball player back in the day, is the Program Director for the school district’s Farm to School program.

She was also previously the elementary school librarian in Cow Town.

Posted in Fundraisers | Tagged , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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