By: Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer | garrett@thewoodrufftimes.com
The Woodruff Wolverines remain home in the friendly confines of Varner Stadium for the second straight week, welcoming the Fountain Inn Fury for the fourth all-time meeting between the schools in what has already become an intense, fledgling rivalry. The 3A #2 ranked Wolverines are brimming with confidence following last week’s victory over arch rival Clinton and will look to win their first two games for the second straight season.
About the Fury
Fountain Inn enters their fourth varsity season as a program, and for the first time have suffered attrition due to a senior graduating class. The Fury have a bevy of returning talent, but must also replace several key contributors on the offensive and defensive lines. The offense is led by Sam Holliday, one of the more dynamic players in the Upstate. Holliday passed for 1,430 yards and rushed for 1,076 more as a sophomore. He is flanked in the backfield by junior running back Bojack Johnson who rushed for 718 yards and 10 touchdowns a season ago. At receiver, Ben Ruwe will be a factor, along with Colby Flood. Jacob Cothan is a returning starter and anchors the offensive line as a senior. Defensively, Fountain Inn sees several players make impacts on both sides of the ball. Johnson doubles as a linebacker, Flood was the Fury’s leading tackler in the defensive secondary in 2024, and Cotham will also see time on the defensive line. Junior Cyril McBeth will be a factor on the defensive line as well, and at 305 pounds is a large presence up front. Seniors Dee Suber and Ben Carlson will see time in the secondary for Fountain Inn as well.
About the Wolverines
The 2025 Woodruff Wolverines are a hard-nosed group. Last week against Clinton, it was the defense that carried the weight until new quarterback Connor Davis found his footing behind an offensive line with five new starters. The Wolverines’ defense held the Red Devils’ vaunted rushing attack without a first down until their final drive of the first half. Led by Shaun ‘War Daddy’ Graybill at linebacker and Jordan Hood, Gunner Atkinson, and Travon Lee on the defensive line, it is a scary front seven for Woodruff. Sophomore defensive back Malachi Thompson also made some nice plays in the secondary and Jalen Roberson is a physical presence at the second middle linebacker spot. Offensively, Aiden Gibson led the way in all-purpose yards last week with 84 on the ground and 99 through the air to go along with a receiving touchdown. Kam Taylor and Kori Moates each caught passes for the Wolverines, too. This week, look for the Wolverines to open things up in the passing game a bit more, and with weapons like Rhylan Renfrow, Curtis Bell, and Dre Jenkins also in the mix, the Woodruff offense has the potential to be very dangerous once it clicks on all cylinders.
Coach’s Corner with Brett Sloan
“I think it comes down to living by a standard. That standard has to be relentless effort for 4-6 seconds and do your job with attention to detail. Play the next play. Don’t focus on the circumstances or the scoreboard.”
“Fountain Inn has a great team. They are led by an outstanding quarterback who can beat you with both his legs and his arm. You really have to play your key and fit your gap against the run game. Against the pass, you have to be disciplined in your rush lanes. If the quarterback gets out of the pocket, it can be trouble. Defensively, you have to control their front and limit turnovers. They really make you earn everything on offense. We will need to do a good job of protecting the football.”
“First, I was unbelievably proud of the defensive effort last week. We were able to lean on those guys and I knew that might be the case. We will get better on offense as we gain experience and varsity snaps each week. I think we have shown an ability to be explosive. We just need to find some consistency on that side of the ball.”
Players to watch:
Woodruff-
#14 QB Connor Davis- Jr (6’2” 210)
#3 RB/LB Jaylen Lyles- Jr (5’9” 185)
#15 WR/DB Rhylan Renfrow- Sr (5’10” 175)
#72 DL Gunner Atkinson- Sr (6’2” 310)
#2 DB Malachi Thompson- Soph (5’10” 175)
Fountain Inn-
#4 QB Sam Holiday- Jr (5’10” 185)
#21 RB/LB Bojack Johnson- Jr (5’9” 180)
#23 WR Ben Ruwe- Jr (6’0” 160)
#3 DB/WR Colby Flood- Jr (5’9” 165)
#72 OL/DL Jacob Cotham- Sr (6’0” 250)
Author: gmitchell85
