By: Garrett Mitchell, Staff Writer
garrett@thewoodrufftimes.com
The Wolverines begin a long homestand this week, taking on Fountain Inn in what has quickly become a heated rivalry between the legendary Wolverines and the rising Fury.
This is Fountain Inn’s fifth varsity season, and Woodruff has posted a 4-0 record against the Fury since 2022. The Wolverines opened their season last Friday at Broome, defeating the Centurions in one of Spartanburg County’s most recognizable rivalries.
Now, Woodruff begins a stretch of three consecutive games inside the friendly confines of W.L. Varner Stadium. Here is everything you need to know about this week’s game.
THE MATCHUP
Woodruff Head Coach: Brett Sloan, fourth season
Fountain Inn Head Coach: Brett Nichols, fifth season
2026 RECORDS
Woodruff: 1-0
Fountain Inn: 1-0
LAST WEEK
Woodruff defeated Broome, 51-25.
Fountain Inn defeated Greenville, 24-20.
BY THE NUMBERS
Points Scored
Woodruff: 51 (51.0 per game)
Fountain Inn: 24 (24.0 per game)
Points Allowed
Woodruff: 25 (25.0 per game)
Fountain Inn: 20 (20.0 per game)
SERIES HISTORY
- Woodruff leads the all-time series, 4-0.
- First meeting: Woodruff won 38-0 in 2022.
- Last meeting: Woodruff won 46-27 in 2025.
- This is the fifth all-time meeting between the Wolverines and the Fury.
ABOUT THE WOLVERINES
Woodruff needed two nights to win its first game of the season, but following a weather postponement, the Wolverines routed Broome 51-25 last week.
The passing game was lethal, with quarterback Connor Davis racking up 381 yards and four touchdowns through the air. Senior MiCah McClintock had eight catches for 183 yards and two scores, while junior Curtis Bell reeled in six receptions for 138 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Jaylen Lyles announced his arrival in the running game, electrifying fans with 181 yards and two scores on 13 carries.
Defensively, Brycen Davis has made an early impact, along with Kelan Hunter, who plays both sides of the ball at tight end and along the defensive front. Makhai Dummott, who moved to Woodruff from Massachusetts over the summer, has played well in the secondary alongside cornerbacks Malachi Thompson and Aidan Lanford.
The Wolverines will need another complete effort this week if they wish to keep their unbeaten streak against the Fury alive for another season.
ABOUT THE FURY
Fountain Inn enters this week’s contest with a 1-0 record after toppling Greenville in its season opener. The Fury will bring a talented team into Varner Stadium.
Fountain Inn is led at quarterback by four-year starter Sam Holiday. Holiday is regarded as one of the top signal-callers in the area and has posted big numbers in each of the past two seasons.
Running back Bojack Johnson returns along with talented receivers E.J. Lundy and Ben Ruwe. Lundy plays both ways and helps anchor the Fury secondary from his cornerback position.
Along the defensive line, young sophomore Gavin Pyles saw plenty of snaps during the preseason. At the second level, senior linebacker Nate Habeger is a returning playmaker.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
WOODRUFF
No. 14 — Connor Davis, QB
Senior | 6-foot-2, 210 pounds
No. 3 — Jaylen Lyles, RB
Senior | 5-foot-9, 185 pounds
No. 1 — Curtis Bell, WR
Junior | 5-foot-10, 180 pounds
No. 55 — Paul Davis, OL
Senior | 6-foot, 240 pounds
No. 20 — Aidan Lanford, DB
Sophomore | 5-foot-11, 160 pounds
No. 9 — Christian Sumner, DL
Junior | 6-foot-2, 210 pounds
FOUNTAIN INN
No. 4 — Sam Holiday, QB
Senior | 6-foot, 195 pounds
No. 9 — Bojack Johnson, RB
Senior | 5-foot-9, 181 pounds
No. 11 — Ben Ruwe, WR
Senior | 5-foot-7, 145 pounds
No. 6 — E.J. Lundy, WR/DB
Senior | 6-foot-2, 195 pounds
No. 44 — Gavin Pyles, DL
Sophomore | 6-foot-2, 200 pounds
No. 47 — Nate Habeger, LB
Senior
COACH’S CORNER
WITH BRETT SLOAN
“We have to be consistent in our preparation. We have the ability to be explosive, but we want to be consistently explosive. To do that, we have to continue to get better each week.”
“I want to see us communicate better. I want to see us play with more disciplined eyes, and I want to see us finish tackles.”
“Fountain Inn presents a lot of challenges. Offensively, I think everything starts at the quarterback position for them. We have to limit him. On defense, we have to handle their front four. If we can do those things, we will have a chance to be successful.”
