Spring prep preview / Coupeville softball

The Coupeville High School softball team took a big hit from graduation, but the Wolves’ pantry is far from bare.

Coupeville, fresh off an Olympic League Championship, lost three key seniors, all who earned multiple all-league honors.

Katrina McGranahan was a two-time league Most Valuable Player and a four-time first-team, all-conference selection. Lauren Rose, too, was first team four consecutive years, and Hope Lodell was named first team three times.

Still around, however, are four all-league players. Senior first baseman Veronica Crownover owns two all-league certificates, and senior catcher Sarah Wright, junior infielder Scout Smith and junior outfielder Emma Mathusek were all first-team choices in 2018.

Five other letter winners also return: senior Nicole Laxton, junior Mackenzie Davis and sophomores Mollie Bailey, Carol Caveness and Chelsea Prescott.

Coach Kevin McGranahan also expects junior Chloe Wheeler and freshman Isabelle Wells to help fill out the lineup.

“We are a little inexperienced in some key positions, but we will get better through the season,” he said.

Coach McGranahan expects the team’s speed, agility and defense to be the Wolves’ strength this spring.

Goals for the season, he said, are to “develop a young team and compete day in and day out,” as well as build a junior varsity program.

“We are competing for the league title,” he said. That will lead to a district tournament berth, and “from there we can write history.”

Coupeville (12-9 last year) begins the season at home with Friday Harbor at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 12.