Coupeville hosts Coaches for Cancer

The Coupeville/South Whidbey basketball games Friday, Jan. 18, in Coupeville have been designated Coaches versus Cancer Night by the island schools and the North Sound Conference.

The girls varsity game begins at 5 p.m. followed by the boys at 6:45.

“Each of our teams will be honoring a person(s), and we would like to invite you, our district and community members, to do the same,” Coupeville Athletic Director Willie Smith said. “We will have a poster up in our hallway for you to write down anyone you’d like to honor. We will also be collecting donations throughout the evening for the charities our basketball and cheer teams have chosen.”

The Coupeville boys team will honor Bennett Boyles, a former member of the middle school basketball team who died at age 12 April 6, 2017, after a year-long battle with an inoperable tumor on his brain stem.

The Coupeville girls will honor Brisa Herrera and Ronald Smith.

Herrera, a 2018 graduate of Coupeville High School, played basketball for two years. In March of her senior year she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. After a four-month battle that included chemotherapy and surgery, she is cancer-free today.

Smith, grandfather of current player Kiara Contreras, was diagnosed with mesothelioma in February of last year and died Dec. 17.

The Coupeville teams suggest donations go to Project Violet (pediatric brain tumor research) at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Bennett Boyles. (submitted photo)

Bennett Boyles. (submitted photo)

Brisa Herrera. (submitted photo)

Brisa Herrera. (submitted photo)