Getting a lift from unexpected sources, the Coupeville High School football team defeated Chimacum 28-26 at Port Townsend Friday, Sept. 18, in the Olympic League opener.

The win was the first of the season for the Wolves in three games. It was also the first varsity win for new head coach Brett Smedley.

Coupeville needs the momentum because it faces powerful Port Townsend next. The Redhawks, who broke into the state 1A poll earlier this week, are 3-0 with 49-0, 44-0 and 52-6 wins this season. The third victory was over league foe Klahowya Friday.

The Wolves and Redhawks meet at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, at Port Townsend’s Memorial Athletic Field.

Coupeville came into the Chimacum (0-3) game with a new backfield. Freshman Gabe Eck took over at quarterback with Hunter Downes out with an injury. Wiley Hesselgrave moved from receiver to running back. Starting tailback Lathom Kelley was dinged up and played almost exclusively on defense. His backup Jacob Martin was out.

Eck completed 19 of 34 passes with no interceptions for 403 yards and three touchdowns. Most of the yardage came in the first half when he hit on 14 of 26 passes for 314 yards, helping overcome a running game that gained only seven yards on 17 carries the first two quarters.

Hesselgrave, who played wing back last year, bolted for a 36-yard touchdown the first time he touched the ball in the second half. He finished with 152 yards rushing on 16 carries.

Eck piled up the impressive stats even though he was under heavy duress the entire game. He ran the ball 16 times, and very few were designed runs. Most were scrambles to get out of trouble, and he finished with negative yardage on nine of those carries and with a total of a minus 13 yards for the game.

The running game perked up in the second half.

“Coach (Nic) Schular did a heck of a job getting the line ready for the second half, and we made some adjustments,” Smedley said.

Those changes and Hesselgrave’s will helped the Wolves improve their ground attack.

“Wiley did a great job running the ball,” Smedley said. His effort “really got the team pumped up.”

Coupeville scored first but trailed much of the game, regaining the lead late in the third quarter.

Hesselgrave’s 36-yard TD romp midway through the third period brought the Wolves within two, 20-18.

With just over three minutes left in the quarter, Eck hit Hunter Smith was a 29-yard TD strike. Zane Bundy’s point-after kick made it 25-20.

Chimacum drove inside the Coupeville 20-yard line but the Wolves’ defense held.

Coupeville was forced to punt, but on the Cowboys’ first play, they fumbled the ball back.

The Wolves took over at the Chimacum 40. Thanks to a tackle-breaking, 17-yard run by Hesselgrave, Coupeville moved into field-goal range.

The Wolves’ kicking game sputtered earlier – two PATs and a field goal were blocked – but the line held and Bundy drilled a 28-yarder for three important points. That made it 28-20.

Chimacum then drove 71 yards for a score. The Cowboys overcame a fourth-20 with a 44-yard pass that skipped through the hands of a Coupeville defender.

The TD came with 47 seconds left in the game. A bad snap scuttled Chimacum’s attempt to tie the game with a two-point conversion.

The Cowboys weren’t done. They recovered an on-side kick at the Coupeville 45 with 43 seconds left.

Smith intercepted a long pass on Chimacum’s first play after the recovery to seal the Coupeville win.

Smith also had good hands on offense, catching nine passes for 178 yards. His brother, C.J. Smith, caught four passes for 93 yards, and Eck’s brother, Ty Eck, snagged three for 82 yards.

Coupeville opened the game by driving 82 yards for the night’s first points on an Eck-to-Eck 12-yard pass.

Chimacum returned the kickoff 62 yards and scored three plays later to take a 7-6 lead.

In the second quarter, the Cowboys scored again. Their drive appeared to be stopped when they missed a field goal, but a roughing the kicker penalty kept the march alive. A short run finished the drive and Chimacum led 13-6.

Coupeville quickly made it 13-12 with a 55-yard TD on another Eck-to-Eck connection. The PAT was wide right.

Gabe Eck later hit Jordan Ford with a 28-yard gain to the Chimacum two-yard line but the half ended before the Wolves could run another play.

The Cowboys opened the second half with a touchdown on Logan Shaw’s 31-yard run to go ahead 20-12, setting up Coupeville’s comeback.

Shaw finished with 129 yards rushing on 22 carries. In all, the Cowboys ran for 242 yards and threw for 123.

Coupeville ran for 139 and threw for 403.

Smedley liked the play of his freshman quarterback: “He took some hits but got right back up and did a good job. He and the receivers worked hard this week and it definitely showed.”

The offensive line play is improving, Smedley added.

“They didn’t play a lot last year; they are still getting used to game speed,” he said.

“Those linemen have to go both ways; we play iron man football in Coupeville,” he added.

Kelley led an active Coupeville defense, recording 16 tackles and two sacks.

Chris Battaglia had 12 tackles, Uriel Liquidano 11, Brenden Gilbert 10 and Tyler McCalmont nine.

Gilbert also had a sack and caused a fumble, while Battagilia and McClamont added sacks.

Ford pitched in with a pair of sacks.

Hunter Smith had a fumble recovery to go along with his interception; Hesselgrave also recovered a fumble.

Smedley was pleased with his team’s resolve.

“They did a great job,” Smedley said. “They didn’t drop their heads but rose to the challenge. Lesser kids would have broken down.”

(C.J. Smith hauls in a pass from Gabe Eck. Photo by John Fisken.)