By Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer
garrett@thewoodrufftimes.com
Midseason Update for Woodruff Spring Sports
Spring break is coming up next week, and with the respite comes the halfway point of the spring sports season. Some teams have already played beyond the halfway mark of their schedules, but with a final push for the postseason coming up, here is a look at the week that was for Woodruff spring sports teams and athletes.
Woodruff Baseball Picks Up Big Win Over Chapman
Looking for momentum in the region three race, the Woodruff baseball team earned a huge win over defending conference champions Chapman on Monday, defeating the Panthers 6-3.
With the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Wolverines broke it open with a three-run frame. Luke Cooper and Cohen Long each logged two hits, and Jackson Richard drove in two runs for Woodruff. Noah Conyers was sensational on the mound, pitching a complete game to earn the win while allowing just three earned runs and striking out three.
With the win, the Wolverines improved to 7-8 on the year and 2-2 in region play.
Wolverine Throwers and Jumpers Perform Well at Elite Track Meet
The throwers and jumpers for the Woodruff boys’ track and field team had a great showing at the Electric City Invitational meet hosted by Anderson University.
Junior Nathan McConnell finished second overall in the pole vault with a vault of 3.55 meters (11 feet 8 inches). Jaylen Lyles finished sixth overall in the long jump with a mark of 6.24 meters (20 feet 6 inches).
In discus, Daniel Haas finished fourth overall with a throw of 44.38 meters (142 feet 4 inches) while Quinn Barnett also finished fourth in the javelin throw with a distance of 48.38 meters (158 feet 9 inches). Dawson Clevenger finished fourth overall in the shot put with a throw logged at 13.81 meters (45 feet 4 inches).
Dolquist and Baldwin Place High for Lady Wolverines
On the ladies’ side in the Electric City Invitational, two Lady Wolverines stood out in their respective events.
Alyssa Dolquist placed second overall in the pole vault with a height of 2.9 meters (9 feet 6 inches). Meanwhile, Alexis Baldwin finished fifth overall in the javelin throw with a distance of 28.72 meters (94 feet 3 inches). Stella Harrison also finished 11th overall in the javelin throw.
Softball Wins Thriller Over Chapman
The Lady Wolverine softball team picked up a much-needed victory over Chapman on Tuesday night, winning 6-5.
It was the first region victory for Woodruff and improved the Lady Wolverines’ overall record to 5-6. Next up for Woodruff is a region contest against powerhouse Union County to close out the pre-spring break schedule.
Lady Wolverine Soccer Sweeps Chapman
The Woodruff girls’ soccer team got two wins for the price of one in a region doubleheader versus Chapman on Tuesday night.
The varsity team defeated the Lady Panthers in a thriller, 2-1, with sophomore Raegan Putnam scoring both goals for Woodruff. The junior varsity Lady Wolverines shut out the Panthers, blanking Chapman 4-0.
With the victory, the varsity girls improve to 9-4-1 on the season and 2-1 in conference play.
Boys Soccer Takes Down Chapman on Penalty Kicks
The Wolverine boys’ soccer team defeated region rival Chapman on penalty kicks Tuesday night in one of the season’s best games so far.
Trailing 1-0 at halftime, the Wolverines evened the score on a Santiago Ramirez goal with 14 minutes to play, then held serve through the end of regulation and two overtime periods before outlasting the Panthers on PKs.
The winning shots for Woodruff came off the foot of Eric Perez and Joan Cortez. Keeper Lucas Guastaferro saved three Chapman PKs with the final shot sailing wide of the goal to clinch the win.
With the victory, the Wolverines improve to 10-1 on the season and 3-1 in conference play.
