By: Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer
garrett@thewoodrufftimes.com
With just a week left in the school year, Woodruff High School athletics has come to an end.
The Wolverines’ baseball team was the last group standing, making an incredible run in the 3A playoffs before finishing in the final six in 3A. With that, there are no more practices, no more games, and no more cheering crowds until August.
Summer will be full of open-season practices, competitions, and preparation for the fall season, but for now, the lights will go out, and the stands will be quiet.
Here is a look back at the final week of Woodruff High School athletics for the 2025-26 school year.
Softball Falls in District Finals
The Woodruff softball team fell to Belton-Honea Path in the district finals on May 13.
The Lady Bears defeated the Lady Wolverines in consecutive games, 4-0 and 5-2, to advance.
While it was not the ending Woodruff hoped for, a strong finish to the season is a harbinger of good things to come for a squad that will return seven starters in the spring of 2027.
The Lady Wolverines won six of their final eight games, including two playoff wins, to set the tone for the future.
Woodruff finished the season with a winning record of 12-11.
Woodruff Baseball Falls to Chapman After Incredible Playoff Run
The Woodruff baseball team’s Cinderella story finally struck midnight on Monday at Chapman.
The Wolverines clawed their way into the playoffs by winning five of their final six regular-season games, then roared through the district round as a double-digit seed.
After winning the district championship, Woodruff fell to defending state champion Southside Christian before rebounding to clobber Christ Church 9-1 to set up Monday’s elimination game with the Panthers.
That ended in an 11-1 Chapman win, though nothing can diminish the accomplishments of a gritty team that refused to quit, and with that mentality, the Wolverines captured the program’s first district championship in over a decade.
Woodruff 4×100 Relay Team Wins Bronze at State Track Meet
At the 3A state track meet on May 15, the Woodruff boys’ 4×100-meter relay team found their place on the podium, finishing third overall to take the bronze medal with a time of 43.07 seconds.
The relay team, consisting of Jaylen Lyles, Landon Johnson, Malachi Thompson, and Aiden Gibson, was one of the most dominant components of Woodruff’s region championship-winning team.
Nathan McConnell Finishes as State Runner-Up in Pole Vault
Woodruff junior Nathan McConnell, one of the best pole vaulters in South Carolina, finished as state runner-up at the 3A championship meet while earning All-State honors.
Nathan’s vault of 3.8 meters (12 feet 6 inches) was among his career bests.
McConnell was the region champion in pole vault, and with one more season remaining, has a chance to win an elusive state championship as a senior.
Dolquist, Bivens Finish in Top Five at State Track
Two young ladies for the girls’ track team finished in the top five of their events at the 3A state track meet.
Alyssa Dolquist finished fourth overall in the pole vault, where she has excelled all season.
McKenzie Bivens, a star thrower for the Lady Wolverines’ track and field team, finished a solid fifth in shot put with a throw of 10.89 meters (35 feet 8.75 inches).
Woodruff Golf Falls Just Short of State Tournament
The Woodruff golf team finished ninth out of 16 teams in the 3A upper-state tournament, falling just one spot shy of qualifying for the state tournament as a team.
However, junior Addison Davis qualified for the individual state tournament by shooting a solid 78.
Addison competed at The Diamondback course in Loris, SC for the state tournament, shooting a 91 and 87 on consecutive days.
With only one senior, expect the Wolverines’ golf team to continue improving and make a run to qualify for the state tournament next season.
