A dose of Orcas Island was just the medicine the ailing Coupeville High School football team needed as the Wolves ran by the Vikings 47-14 Friday, Sept. 28, at Mickey Clark Field.
The Wolves scored five touchdowns from at least 32 yards and rushed for 450 yards to gain their first win in five tries this fall. Orcas Island fell to 2-3.
Coupeville ran only two offensive plays in the fourth quarter and still finished with 464 total yards.
Josh Bayne completed one of six passes for 14 yards, but the damage was done on the ground. Jake Tumblin raced for 191 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries, Bryce Fleming had 107 yards and two touchdowns on six carries, Brett Arnold collected 99 yards and two TDs on nine tries and Bayne finished with 56 yards and one score on just two runs. Together they averaged nearly 17 yards per carry.
Bayne also had a 36-yard pick six.
It took the Wolves less than two minutes to score, with Arnold covering the final 12 yards. Kole Kellison ran in for the two-point conversion.
With under seven minutes left in the first quarter, Fleming dove in from the seven; the PAT kick failed.
The Vikings responded with their first points and it was 14-7.
The Wolves hit three times from long distance in the second quarter.
First, Arnold traveled 46 yards, then Fleming went 32 and, finally, Bayne finished the first-half scoring with his interception return. Bayne also kicked all three PATs, and the Wolves led 35-7 at the break.
Two more long runs completed the scoring. Bayne ran in from 55 yards out in the third quarter, then Tumblin struck from 67 on the first play of the fourth period.
Because of Coupeville’s big lead, the game was played with a running clock in the fourth quarter. Orcas put together two long drives, one resulting in a score. In between, Coupeville fumbled on its only other play in the period.
Orcas Island, which suited only 14 players for the game, finished with 303 yards, 219 through the air.
Coach Tony Maggio was pleased with the overall effort of the Wolves.
He said, “I like Josh Bayne at quarterback; he did a good job for his first game.” He added, “I thought our defensive line played a lot better.”
The Wolves allowed only 84 rushing yards.
Coupeville (0-0, 1-4) now begins league play with the first of four Cascade Conference games. First up is Granite Falls (1-2, 1-4) at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, at Mickey Clark Field.
