Controversy, drama and a Coupeville loss.

So far, over the two-year history of the Wolfpack boys soccer program, four games against Mount Vernon Christian have resulted in all of the above.

The fifth meeting on Tuesday night was no different as CHS dropped another heartbreaker 5-3 to MVC.

“It’s been close every single time,” Coupeville head coach Melissa Martenak said.

Although past contests were marred by controversy and questionable goals, Tuesday’s game possibly had more than the others combined.

The Wolves had one score taken away on an offside call, while the Hurricanes had two controversial goals ruled in their favor.

“It’s tough, it is really hard, but I guess you learn character off these things,” Martenak said.

Up 1-0 after a goal from senior Mike Duke, it appeared CHS would take a larger advantage just before halftime. With the MVC defense backed into its own goal box junior forward Eli Berggren received a deflected ball 5-yards away from the net. Berggren easily drilled an open shot into the back of the net, but he was ruled offsides, erasing the score.

Momentum then took a quick turn on the Wolves.

Instead of being up two, CHS ended up in a tie as the Hurricane’s Joe Riley tapped in a goal with just five seconds remaining in the first half. Riley, a defender, backed up a crossed ball that got loose among a jumble of players in front of the net.

Coupeville retook its lead only two minutes into the second half when senior Jon Chittim connected with freshman forward Tony Sherman on a perfectly-placed corner kick. Running in from the front left side, Sherman received the pass on one touch and drilled a left-footed blast past goalkeeper Normand Andrew.

The emotional rush was again quickly erased for Coupeville.

Ten minutes after the go-ahead score, the Hurricanes’ Jimmy Collins received a pass in the center of the field and dribbled toward the goal for an open shot. Collins booted the ball off the top of the goal post and it deflected down into the ground. CHS goalkeeper Will Butela picked the ball up, but after complaints from the Mount Vernon sideline the referee ruled it bounced over the goal line for a score.

Tied 2-2, Collins gave MVC its first lead just five minutes later sliding a shot into the upper left corner.

Chittim tied the game for Coupeville, 3-3, with roughly 17 minutes remaining when he broke behind the defense and scored on a one-on-one against Andrew.

That was as close as the Wolves got, however.

Collins struck for the third straight time in the 73rd minute punching in another shot. The Hurricanes tacked one more on with three minutes left after Brandon Crandall kicked in a deflected ball that Butela appeared to have his hands already on. After conferring the referee and sideline official ruled in favor of the Hurricanes.

Asked if she was frustrated with some of the tough calls that went against the Wolves, Martenak refused to place blame.

“That’s part of the game and you’ve just got to move on from it,” she said. “I mean if we were going to capitalize we should have done it in the game time and we didn’t.”

The game was significant for the Wolves not only because it would have meant the first ever victory against the Hurricanes, but it also would have moved them closer to a second place in the Northwest A/B.

Martenak said there’s no time to get down about the defeat.

“They can’t put their heads down with this loss because we’re going to see this team probably again,” she said.

Last season MVC beat Coupeville by just one goal in the playoffs, knocking them out of the district tournament.

CHS 6, La Conner 0

Coupeville redeemed itself Thursday night, with a dominant 6-0 home victory over La Conner.

Duke, Berggren, Geoff Wacker and Micah Einterz scored for the Wolfpack. The victory moved Coupeville to 5-4 in the Northwest A/B and a half game ahead of Orcas Island for third place.

Orcas (4-4) played at Shoreline Christian last night and has two more games against the top two teams in the league, Friday Harbor and Mount Vernon Christian.

Coupeville’s final game is at undefeated Friday Harbor, Thursday, Oct. 25.

A win against the Wolverines would assure no worse than a tie for third. A loss and Coupeville would need at least one loss from Orcas for a third place tie.

The fourth place team will still get a shot at the district playoffs, but will have to a loser-out prelim to get in.