Woodruff Football Saw Many Standout Performances in Record-Breaking 2025 Season
By: Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer | garrett@thewoodrufftimes.com
The 2025 Woodruff football team fell just short of winning a state championship. Still, one of the Wolverines’ best seasons in years saw many superlative performances and new records set as the program continued its resurgence. From offense to defense and special teams, the Wolverines gave fans a season to remember. Here is a look back at five highlights from the season that was under the Friday night lights.
Region champions
Woodruff football won the Region 3-3A championship this season, the program’s first conference crown in a decade. The last time a Wolverine squad ran the region slate unblemished was 2015. Woodruff went 4-0 during conference play, with their penultimate victory coming in a 49-28 demolition of newly-minted rival Mountain View Prep in what was at the time a top-five ranked match-up. Overall, the Wolverines finished the season with a stellar 11-2 record.
Number 32 Freight Train
Aiden Gibson, dubiously dubbed the #32 freight train by Woodruff fans, continued his assault on the record books during the 2025 season. The Wolverines’ generational running back rushed for 1,611 yards and 21 touchdowns in 11 games, and scored 25 touchdowns overall, and in the process racked up 2,024 all-purpose yards to surpass Shun Tribble as the all-time career leader in program history in that category. Gibson, a junior, will enter the 2026 season just 448 yards shy of the career rushing yards record, also held by Tribble, and is currently sitting in second place all-time in program history in career rushing touchdowns and total career non-passing touchdowns. Against Christ Church, in the second round of the play-offs, Aiden rolled to 311 rushing yards, just one yard shy of the single-game school record.
Tackling the Record Book
The 2025 Woodruff defense, known as the ‘Dark Force,’ was certainly one to be reckoned with, and one of its heart and soul, middle linebacker Shaun Graybill, put his stamp on Wolverine immortality. Graybill put together one of the greatest seasons of all-time by a Woodruff defender, finishing with 141 tackles to break the single-season program record. His 300 career tackles make him the all-time career tackle leader in school history, too, along with 44 career tackles for loss and nine sacks. Shaun’s 20 tackles against Belton-Honea Path in the third round of the play-offs also set the single-game school record. Affectionately known as ‘War Daddy’ to teammates and fans, Graybill’s career places him among the Pantheon of Woodruff greats and a potential first-ballot Hall of Famer when he becomes eligible in 10 years.
Moates with Profitable Returns
Another program record that was taken down in 2025 came at the legs of senior wide receiver Kori Moates. While a prolific pass catcher, it was Moates’ prowess as a kickoff returner during his three-year varsity career that propelled him to the number one spot all-time in kickoff return yards in school history with 1,012. Moates ranked 11th all-time in career all-purpose yards and was a versatile do-it-all player for head coach Brett Sloan since his sophomore season in 2023. Just like his dad, Woodruff wide receivers coach Amos Moates, Kori will be fondly remembered as an electric playmaker who made an indelible impact on Woodruff football.
Can he kick it? Yes, he can!
The Woodruff football team saw the emergence of a new place kicker during the 2025 season in junior Diego Tranquilino, and all Diego did was give the Wolverines one of the greatest seasons kicking the football in program history. Tranquilino made 54 of his 55 points after attempts, a more than 98 percent clip that set the new single-season percentage record for point after kick attempts. His only miss was a blocked kick. In addition, Diego also connected on five field goals and proved to be as close to automatic as a kicker can be when he put foot to ball. With another season left to play, it is very possible that Diego Tranquilino could set even more records in 2026.
Author: gmitchell85
