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Lobos shine at Coupeville track meet

Published 1:30 am Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Contributed photos. Kiley Willemsen (right) passes the baton to Lulu Velazquez in the women’s 4x400 m relay at Coupeville. Below: Benjamin Stephenson (right) hands off to Andris Meissner in the men’s 4x400 relay. Both the men and women took first place in their respective 4x400 races.

Contributed photos.

Kiley Willemsen (right) passes the baton to Lulu Velazquez in the women’s 4x400 m relay at Coupeville. Below: Benjamin Stephenson (right) hands off to Andris Meissner in the men’s 4x400 relay. Both the men and women took first place in their respective 4x400 races.

By Gene Helfman

Weekly contributor

Lopez took 15 students to Coupeville on May 16 for the NW 1B/2B District Championship. The day’s goal was to qualify for the upcoming overall 1B District Championship later that week in Bremerton. Competition wasn’t the only challenge. The athletes had to meet Kenny and the bus at the school by 6:30 a.m. to catch the 7:35 a.m. ferry.

Fourteen teams competed at Coupeville, each athlete aiming for a top-four finish in their respective events. Five Lady Lobos qualified in 11 events, and seven men qualified in nine events. Lopez finished second overall (by one point!), including first-place finishes in both the men’s and women’s 4×400 relays. Other first-place honors went to Kylie Willemsen (high jump), Betty Burt (discus and shot put), Seamus O’Bryant (110 hurdles), Elija Somers (110 m hurdles) and Andris Meissner (400 m run).

Qualifying with second-place finishes were Lulu Velazquez (3,000 m) and Huck Henderson (discus). Third-place awards went to Burt (javelin), Ava Bennett (800 m), O’Bryant (110 m hurdles) and Beau Spreine (300 m hurdles). The Lady Lobos’ 4×100 relay team of Bennett, Velazquez, Willemsen and Iris McLean placed third. Qualifying with fourth-place performances were Velazquez (1500 m), Willemsen (100 m), Bennett (400 m), Henderson (shotput), Benjamin Stephenson (high jump) and Spreine (110 m hurdles). The men’s 4×100 relay team of Daniel Valencia, Henderson, Meissner and Benjamin Stephenson took fourth place and will compete at Bremerton. Falling just short of qualifying performances but still turning in personal best records were Rosa Charnley (discus and javelin), Jack Bullock (1600 m), Ian Cankusik (400 m) and Francis Jones (1600).

And, as usual, the meet went longer than planned, which meant the Lobos missed the hoped-for 5:35 p.m. ferry, extending the day to the 8:15 p.m. boat. It was still a jubilant team that gathered in the stern to relive the results and receive praise from coaches and parents, before finally heading home.

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