The Oak Harbor High School football team has gotten most of the local prep sports publicity in recent years, and for good reason. With several state playoff appearances and one state championship to their credit, they’ve deserved the attention.

But, let’s not forget about North and Central Whidbey’s outstanding female athletes. This winter, the girls basketball teams from both Oak Harbor and Coupeville are enjoying outstanding season.

The Coupeville Wolves, coached by Blake Severns, have managed a winning campaign in the very tough Cascade League, in which Coupeville is one of only two Class A teams in the league. The rest are larger Class 2A schools. And they’re coming off an exciting win over the other Class A team, the King’s Knights. At 5-3 in league play, they are playoff bound.

The Oak Harbor Wildcat girls, coached by Brett McLeod, are also experiencing an outstanding year. They’re in the tough Wesco North 4A division, in which they’ve managed an impressive 8-2 record to date. They’re in the thick of the playoff hunt heading into the last few games of the regular season.

For any Neanderthal sports fans still stuck in the ’70s, you should know that girls games are just as competitive and exciting as boys games. Female basketball players are outstanding athletes, representing their schools in the finest traditions of fair play, hard play, and good sportsmanship. Any high school athletic event is more exciting than sitting home and watching TV, so get out there and support our Whidbey Island girls.

The Oak Harbor girls will host Everett High School this Friday night, Jan. 25, with the varsity teams squaring off at 7:30.

The Coupeville girls can bee seen Friday night if you take a short drive to South Whidbey High School for their 7 p.m. contest, or see them at home in Coupeville on Feb. 5 against Archbishop Murphy.

Tickets are cheap, as are the popcorn, soda, nachos and hot dogs. And the girls will show you how sports were meant to be played.