Woodruff Spring Sports are Heating up, and the Wolverines are Driving Towards the Play-offs
By: Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer | garrett@thewoodrufftimes.com
Spring sports at Woodruff High School are in full swing. Action is heating up on the fields, diamond, tennis court, and track, with all Wolverine teams experiencing success while pushing toward the post-season. Several Woodruff teams are competing for region champions, others have seen amazing standout performances, and all the action has been exciting. Below is an update on all the spring sports happenings in Woodruff:
Boys soccer
The boys’ soccer team is having yet another fantastic season. The Wolverines are 8-4 entering spring break and 4-0 in Region 4-3A play. Woodruff is the defending region champion and is primed to defend that title. Two of their three region victories were blowouts, and in between them was a 3-1 double overtime thriller over Emerald. If Woodruff defeats Emerald in their second match-up, the Wolverines should yet again take home the conference crown and earn a number one seed in the 3A play-offs.
Girls soccer
The Lady Wolverine soccer team’s record is deceiving. Woodruff has started the season 3-8 but has played a brutally tough schedule. The Lady Wolverines have won 20 consecutive region championships, and as it has the past two seasons, that run of dominance has been put to the ultimate test. Woodruff stands at 2-2 in region play with a 4-0 loss at Emerald and a 2-1 setback to Union County, though the Lady Wolverines were down multiple starters with injuries against Emerald. If Woodruff can defeat Emerald and Union County in their second tilt, then it still has a chance to win yet another conference title though prospects are now more difficult. The streak began during the 2003 season, and these young Lady Wolverines have every intention of keeping it alive.
Baseball
It has been a season of ups and downs for the Woodruff baseball team. Some of that roller coaster can be attributed to several injuries and others to bad luck. The Wolverines went 2-2 in the Steve Sanders Tournament to start the campaign with wins over 1A powerhouse St. Joseph’s and against Blacksburg. The highlights thus far are a 6-0, one-hit shutout win over 5A top-5 ranked Boiling Springs and thrilling wins over defending state champion Clinton 4-3 and 2-0. Woodruff defeated Chester twice in region play before dropping two nailbiters to Emerald, including a 3-2 contest in extra innings. The pitching has been solid as it was projected to be, and Woodruff is still firmly in the hunt for its first region championship on the baseball diamond in almost a decade. Heading into spring break, the Wolverines are 8-8 with a 4-2 record in Region 4-3A.
Softball
The Lady Wolverine softball team has enjoyed a banner season so far. Woodruff began the season 7-2 with setbacks to powerhouse programs Chapman and Crescent and are 8-3 overall. But Woodruff is undefeated in region play at 2-0. The Lady Wolverines are the defending Region 4-3A champions and look poised to make another run at the title. Led by pitcher and slugging hitter Kaitlyn Jackson, Woodruff is once again proving to be one of the best teams in upper-state 3A with a deep line-up that can hurt opposing pitchers top to bottom. Woodruff’s final contest before spring break was a 16-3 win over 5A Laurens.
Boys tennis
The boys’ tennis team has been treated to some great moments so far in the 2024 season. The Wolverines enter the break with a 4-4 record and a 1-0 mark in region play thanks to a runaway victory over Union County. But the highlight of the season so far was a nail-biting tiebreaker victory over 2A power Landrum. Number four singles player Louis Phelps played an incredible swing match during the contest and defeated his opponent in three 10-point tiebreaker sets. The entire #4 singles match lasted a stunning two-and-a-half hours by itself in a marathon of strength and endurance. Look for the tennis team to be in the mix for a region championship as well.
Girls track
The Lady Wolverine track team is on their way to an amazing season. Entering spring break, the Woodruff girls are undefeated at 7-0, with victories over Union County, Chapman, and Broome, among others. The Lady Wolverines are deep and talented in every event, and the reigning Region 4-3A champions look poised to defend their crown.
Boys track
The boys’ track team is having a solid season as well. Entering the break, the Wolverines hold an overall record of 4-2 with notable wins over Union County and Landrum. Speed is an attribute for Woodruff, as is the hurdling events. Senior Happy Lea, in an early season meet, posted one of the fastest times in school history in the 110-meter hurdles. The Wolverine boys are also very much in the hunt for a region championship as the season enters its most important stretch.
Golf
The defending state champion Wolverines are rebuilding in 2024. Graduating the core of the team that brought two state championships to Woodruff in three seasons is much to overcome in one season, but the young Wolverines are getting better with each tournament, according to head coach David Beddingfield. He said that between Woodruff’s first tournament and most recent competition before spring break, the Wolverines have shaved 62 strokes from their team score.
