The defending 2B state soccer champions, Crosspoint Academy, defeated Coupeville 7-1 Saturday, Oct. 11, in Bremerton, but the final score is just one of several story lines.

First, divine intervention. Coupeville coach Troy Cowan told Jacki Ginnings before the match he was going to limit her playing time to rest her injured ankle.

Ginnings told Cowan she was fine, telling her coach “Jesus kissed may ankle.” The inspired Ginnings went on to score her first career goal for the Wolves.

Next, Cowan chose to sit some of his starters much of the game.

Cowan pulled Ginnings after the goal. Like Ginnings, Cowan played starters Erin Rosenkranz and Marissa Etzell only 20 minutes each, trying to avoid injury and giving his substitutes some playing time in the final nonleague match before conference play begins this week.

While some starters saw limited minutes, some did not play.

Julia Myers, Micky LeVine and Christine Fields all missed the match while taking the SAT. Jennifer Spark is out for the year with an injury, and Bree Daigneault did not play because of a family matter.

Another subplot was a reunion with Crosspoint’s Emma Laurion. Laurion began playing soccer when she lived in Coupeville as a youngster. The match was scheduled to bring Laurion and her junior teammates together.

Laurion finished with a goal and two assists.

Cowan used the match to give his reserves needed playing time, and several made positive impressions.

“Rose May was awesome today,” Cowan said. “Playing nearly the whole match as an outside midfielder, she was terrific at winning balls and battled hard all day.”

Taichen Rose played the entire match, Cowan said, and “never backed down.”

“You can’t measure heart, and that is what Taichen has,” Cowan said.

He also liked the play of Lauren Bayne, Kirstin Pelroy, Ashley Smith and Hannah Seiffert, who took “full advantage of their opportunities” and “played hard and learned a lot about the game.”

The Wolves received strong games out of regulars Mia Littlejohn, McKenzie Meyer, Ana Luvera and Ivy Luvera, as well, Cowan said.

Littlejohn and Meyer “played some tough-nosed defense against a strong offensive team,” he said.

“Ivy and Ana Luvera are just terrific young ladies,” Cowan said. “Both play hard, never quit and excel in sportsmanship.”

Coupeville (3-3-1) now takes on the Olympic League, first hosting Chimacum (1-6) at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16.