Braves shut out Coupeville in football rematch

The La Conner High football team was looking forward to avenging its 6-0 season opening overtime loss at Coupeville.

Fortunately for the Braves, that opportunity came earlier than expected. And they made the most of it.

The Braves blanked Coupeville 21-0 at home Saturday in a game that was moved up in the schedule mid-week due to Friday Harbor having suspended its athletics program because of increased COVID-19 test results in the San Juan Island School District.

Friday Harbor was to have been La Conner’s foe last weekend. Coupeville was available to fill what would otherwise would have become an open date for the Braves.

For La Conner, the timing could not have been better.

In preparation for an immediate Coupeville rematch, head coach Jeff Scoma installed new blocking schemes for La Conner’s Wing-T attack. The result was a solid run game that allowed the Braves to move the chains and control the clock, which in turn opened up play-action passes for quarterback Bradey Wyles.

Wyles connected with Alden Schnabel on a scoring toss to support a ground-and-pound game plan that saw Hal Ikebe and Kali Adams each score rushing touchdowns for the Braves.

La Conner set the tone early, building a 14-0 lead at the break.

From there, the Braves stop unit held firm – much as it had a week earlier when La Conner kept the Wolves off the scoreboard through regulation before yielding the game’s lone touchdown in overtime.

This time around, with La Conner playing before a socially distanced Senior Night crowd enjoying beautiful summer-like weather, there would be no need for overtime.

“The defense played great,” Scoma said afterward, noting it was La Conner’s first gridiron win over Coupeville in five years.

He was equally pleased with how well La Conner ran the Wing-T, which Scoma brought here with him from the famed Bellevue system, where he had previously coached.

In addition to Wyles, Schnabel, Ikebe and Adams, Scoma cited outstanding play from Boyce Charles, Zeb Joe, Mason Murdock, Julian Leal, Thomas Jewell and Cole Hagen.

With the triumph, La Conner matched its entire win total from the fall of 2019. More success could well be in the offing.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg of what these boys and this program can accomplish,” said Braves assistant coach Charlie Edwards.

One thing is for certain. The Braves will go undefeated at Whittaker Field during this short, modified spring league campaign. Because Friday Harbor opted out of the season, La Conner has no more home games slated.

The Braves are scheduled at Concrete this Friday in a 7 p.m. kickoff. They are slated at Lummi April 29 and travel May 7 to Darrington.

But as this past week’s events have shown, all schedules are subject to change.

After Saturday, La Conner fans are hoping it is the results that stay the same.