By: Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer
garrett@thewoodrufftimes.com
The last week of the regular season is here, and the playoffs are set to begin for Woodruff sports teams as the 2025-26 school year winds down. It has been a strong finish for many spring sports squads and athletes, and with the regular season coming to a close, the Wolverines are looking to make some noise in the 3A postseason.
Woodruff Baseball Finishing on a Hot Streak
The Wolverine baseball team has been red hot over the past week and a half, riding a five-game winning streak, including a sweep over region rival Union County and two non-region wins over Blacksburg. Last Friday’s game against Union County was an instant classic. Trailing the Yellow Jackets 6-0 at the top of the sixth inning, Woodruff scored twice in the frame before erupting for five runs in the seventh to take the lead. Lane Prince’s sacrifice bunt at the top of the seventh scored the winning run. Carter Schubach earned the win with three scoreless, hitless innings of relief on the mound. Shortstop Kayden Barnaby also set the single-season stolen bases record. The Wolverines followed that up with a 12-2 win over the Wildcats on Tuesday night to improve their record to 12-13 overall.
Woodruff Softball Wins Three in a Row
The Lady Wolverine softball team came closer to locking up third place in Region 3-3A with a down-to-the-wire 3-2 win over Chapman. It was their second victory over the Panthers this season. Junior Danicka Simmons pitched a complete game, allowing just five hits and zero earned runs while striking out five. Mary Ellis Mitchell notched two hits, including the decisive two-run double. Simmons also hit a double for Woodruff. In their next contest, Woodruff defeated powerhouse Union County 8-7 on Monday night before securing their third straight win with a 5-3 victory over Landrum in what will likely be the Lady Wolverines’ final game ever on their current home field, which opened in 2008. Woodruff will move to their new softball stadium next season, located on campus at the new Woodruff High School. On Tuesday against the Cardinals, seventh grader KK Bailey pitched a complete game, allowing just two earned runs. Alexis Mock finished 3-3 with two doubles, and Mitchell doubled as well.
McConnell Sets Personal Best Mark in Pole Vault
Woodruff junior Nathan McConnell is a bona fide star in the pole vault for the Wolverines’ track and field team. During the Spartanburg County championship meet, he recorded his personal-best vault of 12 feet 6 inches, which earned him second place overall among all vaulters in the county. Nathan tied the high mark on the day and only fell to second due to a technical tiebreaker.
Boys Soccer Follows up Chapman Victory with Region-Clinching Rout of Union County
The Woodruff boys’ soccer team, fresh off their instant classic against Chapman, clinched the region championship with a 7-0 drubbing of Union County on Monday night. Joan Cortes scored twice against the Yellow Jackets and was one of six Wolverines to score on the night. Santi Ramirez dished out three assists in the win. Woodruff finished the regular season with a 15-2 record and an 8-2 mark in region play.
Lady Wolverine Soccer Battling for Home Playoff Match
The Woodruff girls’ soccer team is battling for a home play-off match, with second place in the region up for grabs in the season’s final week. The Lady Wolverines fell to Chapman on Friday, then crushed Union County on Monday, 9-0, to finish conference play with a 7-3 record. Now, Woodruff will need some help. If Chapman splits their final two games, including a loss to Greer Middle College who has already defeated the Panthers once, then the Lady Wolverines would play a tiebreaker game with Chapman for the region runner-up spot. Woodruff and Chapman split their two regular-season contests. Following the win over Union County, the Lady Wolverines are 13-6-1 on the season and are among the youngest teams in the state.
Golf Battles in Rutherfordton
The Woodruff golf team finished 12th out of 20 teams in the loaded field of their latest tournament in Rutherfordton, NC. As a team, the Wolverines shot a 335 across the entire event and were led by Jackson McCarley, who shot a team-best 77 for the day. Now, Woodruff will prepare for the upcoming upper-state qualifier meet, looking to punch their ticket to the state tournament yet again.
