After a sluggish start, the Coupeville High School girls basketball team cleaned up its game and wiped out visiting Port Townsend 55-22 Tuesday, Jan. 6.

The win gave the Wolves, now 2-0 (7-4 overall), an early lead in the Olympic League 1A standings. The winless Redhawks fell to 0-2 and 0-9.

Port Townsend zipped to a 7-4 lead, much to the dismay of Coupeville coach David King.

The slow start was startling, King said, because the Wolves were coming off “one of the best practices of season” and were fired up about wearing their new uniforms.

Once the Wolves woke up, Port Townsend didn’t have a chance.

Coupeville went on a 38-3 run that spanned nearly half the game, beginning midway through the first period and ending when the Redhawks scored with 3:48 left in the third quarter to make it 42-12.

King liked the defensive effort during the run but was displeased with the fouls caused by “playing them too tight.”

Madeline Strasburg scored five points and Makana Stone and Hailey Hammer four each as Coupeville led 17-8 after the first quarter.

Monica Vidoni sank six points, Strasburg five and Stone four in the second period to lead the Wolves to a 32-10 halftime lead.

Stone ended with 19 points, Strasburg 14, Vidoni eight, Hammer four, Wynter Thorne four and Julia Myers three.

Kailey Kellner, making her varsity debut, also scored three points, drilling a three-ball from the corner for the game’s final points.

Coupeville won the rebounding battle 32-23, with Stone snaring 14 and Myers six.

Stone also had four assists, four steals and three blocks.

The Wolves had 15 assists and 13 turnovers (only four in the first half).

Kaitlyn Meek scored 16 of Port Townsend’s 22 points. No other Redhawk had more than two.

King liked the energy Strasburg brought to the floor and the overall effort she and Stone displayed.

He noted the strong defensive performance of Thorne, who “got a hand on a lot of passes” and did a good job directing teammates, the confident play of Hammer and the offensive improvements of Vidoni.

“It was nice to see Monica take the ball to the basket rather than just post up and shoot,” King said.

Although scoreless, Kacie Kiel, McKenzie Bailey and Mia Littlejohn were instrumental in the lopsided win, as well.

Next up is a rematch with rival South Whidbey at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 12 in Coupeville.

“They (South Whidbey) have improved a lot,” King said, since the Wolves won the season opener 47-23 Dec. 2.

(Madeline Strasburg scores on a fast break for Coupeville. Photo by Jim Waller.)