I haven't posted much at all this season, frankly because all of us at Woodruff knew it was going to be a rebuilding year. But we have witnessed flashes all season of what a great team the Wolverines will be in the years to come. We graduated 18 starters from the 2022 team and Coach Sloan had to start from scratch with a roster made of about 75 percent of players playing varsity for the first time. We have known that we had a ton of talent coming in the current 9th and 10th grade classes, and it has been truly fun to watch those young kids grow up. Of the 10 games we played during the regular season, SIX of them were against teams currently ranked in the top 10 of either 3A or 5A:
Chapman
Broome
BHP
JL Mann
Chester
Clinton
That was brutal for such a young group. But they have fought the entire way. We start five sophomores on defense, three on offense, and our running back is the most exciting of all at 6'2" 195 and is a FRESHMAN. Everyone will know the name Aiden Gibson very soon, as well as sophomore WR Kori Moates. Here are some numbers for those two young men:
Gibson (freshman RB)- 721 yards rushing, 350 yards receiving (1,050 all purpose yards), 10 total TD's
Moates (sophomore WR)- 540 receiving yards, 140 rushing yards, 420 kick-off return yards (1,100 all-purpose yards), 7 total TD's
TJ Morris (junior QB)- 2,316 passing yards and 24 TD with a 63 percent completion percentage
In the regular season finale Gibson and Moates showed what they will truly be capable of for the next several years. Gibson ran 23 times for 173 yards and 3 TD and caught 3 passes for 72 yards and a TD. Moates caught 8 passes for 223 yards and 2 TD and ran the ball 13 times for 118 yards. It was a show.
Look, I am not saying we are world beaters this year. The youth had to grow up fast. But they are battled-hardened and well prepared for the future. Coach Sloan is doing a lot of great things and has the program heading in the right direction now. The defense has lagged behind and needs to get better, but with 5 sophomores and 3 juniors starting, the offseason will help them prepare even further and they will be a very solid unit in 2024, especially the linebackers. Unlike from 2022 to 2023, the Wolverines will return 16 starters in 2024 and still be a young team even then. There is also talent coming in the current 8th and 9th grade classes.
We have a very good chance to beat Wren on Friday. I would at least say it is a 50/50 toss. I have no illusions of beating Daniel in the second round if we get there. We simply haven't reached that point yet. That's ok. The future is very bright and people will see very soon how far we have come and will continue to go. Bradley Adams did a lot of damage to our program. It is being rebuilt and the optimism is coming back quickly with the young studs and a good coaching staff.
The future is going to be very fun indeed. Best of luck to everyone in the play-offs, no matter who you pull for!
Up and coming Woodruff team
-
Wolverine_Legend
- Woodruff Wolverines
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2019 11:20 pm
Up and coming Woodruff team
And on the eighth day, God created the Woodruff Wolverines
-
ChapmanPanther56
- Chapman Panthers
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2023 9:31 am
Re: Up and coming Woodruff team
Woodruff tended to hang in with teams but was destroyed in the 2nd half every game. Here at Chapman we are too discipled for other teams. Woodruff, Clinton, Broome they are to undisciplined to play with us. It'll take awhile for woodruff to get to our level of play and success in these past years. Trust me when I say this the good guys always come out on top.
-
Wolverine_Legend
- Woodruff Wolverines
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2019 11:20 pm
Re: Up and coming Woodruff team
You graduate your QB, all six RBs, and 7 of your 8 receivers. I have seen your JV team. You won't be in our universe next year. But good luck.ChapmanPanther56 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 01, 2023 8:39 amWoodruff tended to hang in with teams but was destroyed in the 2nd half every game. Here at Chapman we are too discipled for other teams. Woodruff, Clinton, Broome they are to undisciplined to play with us. It'll take awhile for woodruff to get to our level of play and success in these past years. Trust me when I say this the good guys always come out on top.
And on the eighth day, God created the Woodruff Wolverines
Re: Up and coming Woodruff team
I still remember back in 1982 when ChapmanChapmanPanther56 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 01, 2023 8:39 amWoodruff tended to hang in with teams but was destroyed in the 2nd half every game. Here at Chapman we are too discipled for other teams. Woodruff, Clinton, Broome they are to undisciplined to play with us. It'll take awhile for woodruff to get to our level of play and success in these past years. Trust me when I say this the good guys always come out on top.
was 2a they came to 96 for a play-off game.
it had rained all day and was still pouring at
Kick-off .The field looked like a pond . They didn't
call games off back then for rain. it was a heck of
a game with my Wildcats winning 13-6 . 96 went
14-0 and beat Barnwell for the state championship.
coach Dula was at 96 then. He was an assistant at
Woodruff before he got the head job at 96 .
I was just a 35 year old young buck back then.
Man those years flew by.
Re: Up and coming Woodruff team
Not this broken record again... heard this yarn in 2021 and 2022 and now 2023... Stretch, make him stop!!!
Greatest Story Ever...
Delete My Account...
Fear The Fox...
Greatest Story Ever...
Delete My Account...
Fear The Fox...
-
Wolverine_Legend
- Woodruff Wolverines
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2019 11:20 pm
Re: Up and coming Woodruff team
So you think Woodruff is not capable of EVER again having a good team or program?
Ok then.
I just posted concrete statistics above for FRESHMEN AND SOPHOMORES on our varsity team.
And on the eighth day, God created the Woodruff Wolverines
Re: Up and coming Woodruff team
He has something to look forward to now, unless their new coach is Bradley Adams in disguise. They played tough teams and lost which isn't unexpected, and they won they games they should win. I wouldn't be surprised if next year they could really start to turn a corner, they honestly had good talent on the teams that came and played us in the second round the last 2 years. In the 2021 season they probably gave us the toughest game in the postseason, it was 35-21 in the 4th before we pulled away. 2022 they still had good players but there was no chance. This year should we play them it'll be more of the same. Still the stats he is showing are impressive for young players and it should pay off in the coming years, this was a tough schedule and if players buy in and continue to grow then they should be on track to being a competitive team.
Go Daniel Lions!!
-
Wolverine_Legend
- Woodruff Wolverines
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Sun Sep 01, 2019 11:20 pm
Re: Up and coming Woodruff team
Exactly! I have no thoughts that we would beat you guys this year. We have not reached that level yet and everyone knows it. But most of our main contributors on both sides are sophomores, a few juniors and the freshman RB. Coach Sloan has really done a lot of good things and brought excitement back to the kids and community. This was a season to build on the youth and they have fought tooth and nail in every game.stretch wrote: ↑Wed Nov 01, 2023 5:45 pmHe has something to look forward to now, unless their new coach is Bradley Adams in disguise. They played tough teams and lost which isn't unexpected, and they won they games they should win. I wouldn't be surprised if next year they could really start to turn a corner, they honestly had good talent on the teams that came and played us in the second round the last 2 years. In the 2021 season they probably gave us the toughest game in the postseason, it was 35-21 in the 4th before we pulled away. 2022 they still had good players but there was no chance. This year should we play them it'll be more of the same. Still the stats he is showing are impressive for young players and it should pay off in the coming years, this was a tough schedule and if players buy in and continue to grow then they should be on track to being a competitive team.
We are really looking forward to what the next few years hold. I hope we win Friday and get to come back to Daniel. It will be another chance to grow for our youngsters.
And on the eighth day, God created the Woodruff Wolverines
Re: Up and coming Woodruff team
Good luck to Woodruff this week.
Re: Up and coming Woodruff team
We hear you Tyler from SpartanburgWolverine_Legend wrote: ↑Wed Nov 01, 2023 7:44 pmExactly! I have no thoughts that we would beat you guys this year. We have not reached that level yet and everyone knows it. But most of our main contributors on both sides are sophomores, a few juniors and the freshman RB. Coach Sloan has really done a lot of good things and brought excitement back to the kids and community. This was a season to build on the youth and they have fought tooth and nail in every game.stretch wrote: ↑Wed Nov 01, 2023 5:45 pmHe has something to look forward to now, unless their new coach is Bradley Adams in disguise. They played tough teams and lost which isn't unexpected, and they won they games they should win. I wouldn't be surprised if next year they could really start to turn a corner, they honestly had good talent on the teams that came and played us in the second round the last 2 years. In the 2021 season they probably gave us the toughest game in the postseason, it was 35-21 in the 4th before we pulled away. 2022 they still had good players but there was no chance. This year should we play them it'll be more of the same. Still the stats he is showing are impressive for young players and it should pay off in the coming years, this was a tough schedule and if players buy in and continue to grow then they should be on track to being a competitive team.
We are really looking forward to what the next few years hold. I hope we win Friday and get to come back to Daniel. It will be another chance to grow for our youngsters.
Good luck to the wolverines..