Saluda's Woerner happy with Tigers' start in his first season
Young SHS volleyball team looking to clinch a berth in state playoffs
Saluda – Things could have been better for the Saluda High School football team through its non-region schedule, but it also could have been worse. So, all in all, first-year head coach Greg Woerner was happy with his team.
“I feel good about where the team is as we wrapped up non-region play,” said Woerner, whose team went 3-2 before it opened its Region 2-AA schedule with a 48-0 victory over American Leadership Academy on October 3. “We played a really tough non-region schedule and learned a lot about who we are as a football team through those first five games. We would have liked to win them all, but we definitely learned some valuable lessons through those two losses that I believe will pay off later in the season.
“The team has played really hard these first five games. In some aspects they have passed the expectations set forth for them and in others we are still growing to get there. We are still young on the defensive side of the ball and that has shown in some places. But overall, the team has been playing really hard against really good competition.”
The Tigers had a big rushing game against ALA, picking up 316 yards. Tristan Daniels had 161 yards and four touchdowns on just eight carries, while quarterback Brayden Williams had 103 yards and a score on just two carries.
Williams also completed 3 of 6 passes for 29 yards.
CJ Springs returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown. Ceddion Springs had a big game in the secondary with two interceptions. He also ran for a touchdown.
Woerner hopes the team will continue to make strides so it will be playing its best when the playoffs start in November.
“For the team to be in the best position possible when the playoffs get here, we have to constantly focus on Saluda football,” Woerner said. “We need to commit to the process and focus on the things that we can control and the things that will make us better as a team. We have been getting better each week and learning what it will take for us to be playing our best football when the games matter the most, and make a deep run into the playoffs.”
SALUDA VOLLEYBALL WINS FOUR OF FIRST NINE
The Saluda volleyball team won four of its first nine matches. The Tigers are a mix of veterans and youth with four returning starters of three seniors and a junior from last year’s 6-8 team that didn’t make the state playoffs. The rest of the lineup includes two freshmen and an eighth-grader.
“We are a young and developing team, still gaining experience at this level,” said SHS head coach Meredith Wertz, who is in her fifth season. “From the start of the season, we've faced challenges that have pushed us to grow. Through consistent effort, training and teamwork, we've made noticeable progress. Looking back, the improvement we've made over the course of the season has been significant and rewarding.”
The three senior starters are setter/rightside hitter Addy Buzhardt, outside hitter Ava Marttin and libero Dayana Ortiz Lopez. The junior starter is middle hitter Amy Sorcia.
The freshmen who are starting are outside hitter Mckinley Wilder and middle hitter Ashlynn Vereen. Setter Reese Shaw is the eighth-grader.
Martin led the team in kills with 42 while Sorcia had 35. Wertz cited Ortiz Lopez for her stellar defensive play.
The rest of the roster includes junior MariCarman Sanchez, freshman Miller Martin, freshman Kamryn Campbell and eighth-grader Aubrey Maranti.
