By: Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer
Two Decades and Counting
That is how long it has been since the Lady Wolverine soccer program did not win a region championship. Their remarkable streak, which was started in 2003, took some extra work to extend this season. Facing a must-win game at home against Clinton in the season finale, Woodruff won that game to force a one-game tiebreaker match against the Lady Red Devils, which they also won 2-0. The Lady Wolverines cruised through the first two rounds of the play-offs, beating Blue Ridge and Belton-Honea Path by 6-0 and 3-0, but ultimately fell in the third round to undefeated and defending state champion Powdersville by a 2-0 score. Woodruff finished the season with a final record of 14-7 and a 10-1 mark in Region III-3A play.
Staying at the Top is Never Easy
The Woodruff High golf team entered the state tournament looking to defend their 2021 Class 3A state championship. The Wolverines had another outstanding season, winning the Region III-3A title and running the regular-season table against their opponents. However, staying at the top once you get there is always easier said than done. A young Woodruff team with only one senior finished third in the upper-state championship match, easily qualifying for the state tournament and ultimately tied for fourth in this year’s field. The tournament, played at Bull’s Bay Golf Club in Awendaw, is the home course for Oceanside Collegiate and Bishop England, who the Wolverines defeated last year. Oceanside won this year’s title, with the Bishops placing second and Fox Creek third. Woodruff finished tied for fourth place with Wren, one shot behind Fox Creek, with junior Ben McKinney earning All-State honors. With nearly its entire roster returning in 2023, the Wolverines could still be primed to take home a second state championship in three years.
Action Jackson
The Woodruff softball team was the epitome of youth in 2022. With just one senior on the roster, the Lady Wolverines battled through a brutal Region III-3A schedule loaded with several of the state’s best teams. Woodruff finished fourth, qualified for the playoffs, and won a postseason game against Chester while playing competitive contests with perennial power Palmetto and a talented Belton-Honea Path team before falling in the district round. The ceiling is exceptionally high for the Lady Wolverines in the coming season, and one of the young stars on a youthful and talented roster was Kaitlyn Jackson. Jackson plays first base and pitches for Woodruff and turned in a monster season. Kaitlyn belted five home runs, including three grand slams against rival Clinton over two games, including two in the same inning. She closed in on 40 runs driven in and earned several wins in the circle as a pitcher. With Jackson leading the action, the Woodruff softball program is in good hands going forward.
Slow and Steady
A year after finishing just 1-21, a still-young Woodruff baseball team with only two seniors saw marked improvement in 2022. Even though the Wolverines still did not qualify for the play-offs, Woodruff increased its win total by three and finished 4-15. Many of the losses were extremely close contests, many ending with a one run margin. While the final tally of wins and losses may not have been what the Wolverines were hoping for, it was steady progress for a program in the midst of rebuilding itself. Knowing that Woodruff will return seven of its nine regular starters in 2023 should give Wolverine fans good reason for optimism.
Let it Fly
The Woodruff High track and field athletes who qualified for the 3A state meet enjoyed great success in their final competition of the year. Three Wolverine competitors, all throwers, finished in the top three in the state in the 3A classification. Each of the three throwers competed in the javelin event. Chasity Hines, who shattered the Woodruff High School javelin throw record earlier this season, finished second in the event, followed by Layla-Grey Bennett in third. On the boys’ side, Serghei Ungurean finished second in the event. Also capturing a medal for the Wolverines was sophomore Happy Lea in the 110 meter hurdles. Happy also figures to be a vital part of the Woodruff men’s track and field team for two more seasons overall; the girls’ and boys’ track and field teams were extremely young, and 2023 could see the Wolverines make an even bigger splash at the state meet.
Repeating is Never Easy
The Woodruff boys’ soccer program entered 2022 as the reigning Region III-3A champions, with a good amount of experience returning to anchor the roster. The Wolverines qualified for the postseason, finishing conference play with a 6-4 record and third place overall, but fell in the first round of the play-offs to perennial contender Berea. Woodruff found itself in multiple nail-biting games and allowed just 41 goals in 18 contests, but the Wolverines were not always able to slam the door on opponents. Woodruff finished the season 8-10 overall.
Serving up Effort
The 2022 season was a struggle for the boys’ tennis team. The Wolverines finished with just one win. It would be easy for a team to be down on themselves as the schedule trudged onward, but that was not the case for Woodruff. Each player on this young team worked tirelessly to improve their games and competed with enthusiasm in each and every match. The old euphemism that you have to crawl before you walk and walk before you run seems appropriate for the Woodruff tennis team. This hard-working and youthful group will continue to improve, and 2023 should yield the fruits of their labor.
Author: Tracy Sanders
