Coupeville residents could hear the Blue Wave approaching before they could see it.
More than 80 Seahawks fans marched down Main Street on Sunday, Jan. 5, to meet at the Coupeville Wharf, posing for a photo on the pedestrian bridge over State Highway 20.
The procession culminated in a photo at the wharf.
By the time the band of fans reached the historic structure, the crowd had grown to approximately 150 people.
Teresa Besaw and Kory Dyer were the organizers behind the 12th Man Wharf event, as well as the Deception Pass 12th Man rally the previous weekend.
Besaw said she came up with the idea for the rally, and told Dyer because he makes her ideas come to life.
“Kory is a true planner,” Besaw said. “I don’t think about logistics.”
The Seahawks had a bye during the first playoff weekend and will play the New Orleans Saints at 1:35 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, at Century Link Field.
With the upcoming matchup against the Saints, Besaw is confident about Seattle’s chances of winning.
“I’m not worried about the Saints – we beat them last time,” Besaw said, referring to a 34-7 victory on Dec. 2.
As the crowd began to march, they echoed the same sentiments as Besaw.
“Bring on the Ain’ts and we’ll spank ’em again,” a few shouted from the crowd.
Residents from all over Whidbey Island were joined by neighboring fans who made the trek for the rally Sunday.
“We came all the way out from Sedro-Woolley,” said Heather Grimm.
Grimm is the president of the Skagit Sea Hawkers Booster Club — an official booster club of the Seattle Seahawks.
Grimm said she’s talked with Dyer about starting a Whidbey Island chapter. Skagit currently is the fastest growing booster club.
“We started with six on a Monday and had 100 in a week,” Grimm said. “We hope to get one started out here.”
John Bonilla drove up from Renton for the event, and was selling flags to participants who didn’t have any.
“I didn’t make it to Deception Pass (before) — I missed it,” Bonilla said.
Another Seahawks fan, Jason Malisch, wanted to show off his Hawk pride by carrying two flags attached to the same pole. He decided to make it that morning for the cause.
“Go big or go home,” Malisch said.
Others brought their dogs dressed up for the occasion to show their support. Tuxedo, a Boston Terrier, has been a fan for his entire life.
“He wouldn’t root for anyone else,” his owner Kristen Turner said.
Tuxedo is 8 years old and was wearing his Seahawks jersey with a matching collar.
After the festivities, a few fans were meeting up to watch the San Francisco 49ers play the Green Bay Packers in what they were calling “the Whine and Cheese Bowl.”
Besaw wanted the 49ers to win because she wanted a rematch against the Seahawks. She graduated from Oak Harbor High School and she knows a few alumni who now live in California and root for San Francisco.
Dyer had an ulterior motive for wanting the 49ers to win.
“I want them to lose to us,” Dyer said.
If the Seahawks are victorious, they will play the winner of the Carolina Panthers and 49ers game.
For the fans, it wasn’t a matter of if the Seahawks would make it to the Super Bowl, but when.
Coupeville resident Traynor Hunt said he wanted the Denver Broncos to go up against the Seahawks.
“We want to kick Denver’s (expletive),” Hunt said.
Malisch said Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning would be unsuccessful in running the Broncos’ offense.
“Our defense will pick him apart,” Malisch said.
To keep up the momentum, Besaw wants to have a rally on the ferry to meet up with Mukilteo fans. Dyer said those logistics might be more difficult to work out.
