Exciting Moments and Record Breakers Highlight Banner Winter Sports Season
By: Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer
garrett@thewoodrufftimes.com
The winter sports season is officially over at Woodruff High School. It was a season filled with exciting wins, record-breaking performances, and championships for the Wolverines, who competed on the court and mat. Here is a look back at some of the most captivating moments of the winter season.
Records Fall
The Wolverine boys’ basketball team completed one of its best seasons in recent memory, finishing 16-6 behind the play of four sensational seniors who have all been part of the varsity team for at least three seasons. Nick McConnell and Happy Lea have played varsity basketball since their freshman year, and when the season ended, both found their names in the all-time program record book. Nick ends his career as Woodruff High School’s all-time leader in three-point shots made with 150. Nick also finishes as the school’s all-time leader in free throw percentage, making 174 of his 220 career attempts for a 79.1 percent mark. Nick also finished his career with 201 assists, good for fifth on the all-time list.
Meanwhile, Happy earned his way into the upper echelon of Woodruff basketball history as well. His 603 career rebounds are the sixth most all-time in school history. Happy also had 210 career steals, also sixth on the all-time list.
Kory Scott, another senior, also finished with 149 career assists, 10th most all-time in program history.
There is no doubt that McConnell, Lea, Kory, and Micah Horton will all be missed next year, but they have paved the way for Woodruff basketball to be successful for a long time to come.
Miracle in Union
One trait that the boys’ basketball team featured during the 2023-24 season was the ability to come from behind and win games. But on January 23 at Union County, it seemed the deficit was too great to pull off another comeback. Mired in a game-long shooting slump, the Wolverines trailed 42-31 as the game entered the fourth quarter, and with five minutes to play, that deficit had grown to 51-35. But true to their form, Woodruff stormed back behind the play of McConnell, Lea, and freshman Aiden Gibson. The Wolverines scored with seconds remaining to send the game to overtime and trailing 62-60 with only seconds remaining in the extra period, Lea scored two more of his 26 points that night to tie the game again. Woodruff would pull away in the second overtime and win 75-67. It was a miraculous feat and a high-water mark that helped the team clinch a top-two finish in Region 4-3A.
Growing Up Fast
The 2023-24 season was one of growing pains for the Lady Wolverine basketball team. Woodruff lost its starting point guard, Jensyn Turner, to injury in August and would be without her for the entire season. Stepping in were a duo of young guards, sophomore Jordan Robinson and freshman Jaylen Means, and their growth and maturity as the season progressed helped Woodruff overcome even more injuries and rebound to finish second in Region 4-3A and earn a home playoff game. The season was a story of growth and perseverance as Robinson earned all-region honors with a monster second half of the season, and Means became one of the team’s leading scorers by the time conference play commenced. The young Lady Wolverines grew by leaps and bounds this season, and with Turner set to make her comeback and join her teammates, Woodruff is already looking forward to what could be a sensational 2024-25 campaign.
Long Distance Barrage
One constant for the Lady Wolverines in the midst of injuries and uncertainty was the play of junior sharpshooter Sadie Burnette. Already the school’s all-time leader in three-point shots made, Sadie once again lit up opponents from the perimeter, knocking down another 55 shots from long range this season. Burnette saved her best for last, erupting for 23 points and five threes in a game against Emerald early during region play. She scored 25 against Broome in the final week of the season, then nearly single-handedly lifted Woodruff to a first-round playoff win against Fountain Inn, a team that had beaten the Lady Wolverines handily twice during the regular season, with another 25-point, five-three-pointer effort. It was a decisive display of shooting, and Burnette will once again be a centerpiece to the Lady Wolverines’ team next year.
Championship Pedigree
The Woodruff wrestling team experienced its share of turmoil during the 2023-24 season but fought until the end and persevered through the adversity. After four starters left the team mid-season, the Wolverines defeated 3A #2 ranked Gilbert despite having to forfeit four weight classes. Ultimately, five members of the team would qualify for the state tournament, and two, June Welch and Davis Stubbs, would end their careers with state championships. It was a growing experience for the Wolverines, but with much of the team returning next season, there is reason to be optimistic about having both team and individual success. But for now, Woodruff will celebrate its champions and take stock of overcoming much adversity to finish with pride and strength in 2024.
Author: Tracy Sanders
