Clay Target

Cooper Marte (’25, Varsity): 

“So we had a really good season…. We started tryouts in mid-August, we were a good group of people, but we weren’t together as a team. We had a lot of practices in the offseason, trying to get better and better. In our first tournament we all did really well individually but not that good as a team, and as the year went on, we just slowly molded the team atmosphere more, and we got better in individual placing and in team placing, we even won some of the tournaments, and then at the end of the season we peaked at state, not only in our shooting abilities, but also in our team abilities. We were really close as a family and as a team, um, and we ended up getting fourth at State, and we had a couple individual placers, so I’d say it was a really successful season, and we grew together, and we got better as a team.”

Competition Results:

Tom Lowe Event- 1st

Meadows Event- 2nd

WA Competition- N/A

Meadows Event- 1st

5AAAAA State competition- 4th

Cross Country (Boys)

Levi Howard (’28, Varsity):

 “[The team] started training back in April or May. I think the boys–we weren’t sure we were gonna do well this season, we weren’t supposed to make state, we were ranked 28th in the state. After a few races we started to gain more confidence, and we started running very good times and we didn’t know if we were gonna make it past region, and we made it past that and then we finished top ten in state. We remember that we’ve been putting in the work and doing the training and that if we stick to our training and listen to our coach everything is going to end out how it should, and we’re gonna do well. I’m really proud of how our team performed at section, we did very well at section. I ran a great time, everybody ran great times, and it was awesome across the board.”

Competition Results:

Bob Blastow- 14th (JV)

Jekyll Island Cross Country Invitational- 12th (Varsity)

Carrollton Invitational- 27th (Varsity), 12th (JV)

Wingfoot XC Classic- 21st (Varsity), 16th (JV)

Alexander Asics Invitational- 19th (Varsity), 26th (JV)

Coach Wood Invitational- 5th (Varsity), 26th (JV)

JV Championship- 8th (JV)

Sectional meet- 8th (Varsity)

5AAAAA State meet- 10th (Varsity)

Cross Country (Girls)

Coach Nicholas Widener (‘09):

“The Girls Cross Country Team began their record-breaking season at the Carrollton Invitational on September 7. At that meet, the girls ran the fastest average run on that course since 2016! The top four runners in the lineup broke 21 minutes in the 5K. The girls continued bringing their team average lower, focusing on racing together and strategy throughout the season. At the Coach Wood Invitational on October 19, the girls posted an average of 21:01. [Sophomore] Taylor Lonergan led the team, posting an all-time top 5 time run by a Woodward girl in 19:43. Two weeks later, at the first ever Sectional Meet, the team ran the best average of any girls team on record! The top five of Taylor, seniors Adelaide Hanna and Eve Mallis and freshmen Isabella Sullivan and Jane Breslin posted an average time of 20:24, fittingly cementing the season in time. Freshmen Lia Clarence and Sloan Mallis, sophomore Lucy Stong and junior Calleigh Kirschner made up the rest of the Sectional and State Teams. Isabella and Taylor also made the All-Region Team at the Sectional Race, finishing in the top six in our region. Taylor ran the season’s fastest time of 19:23, the number three time on the all-time leaderboard for the 5K. Isabella ran the second-fastest time of the season in 20:07. The team was captained by Adelaide and Eve, who motivated and encouraged the girls all season. The girls had a tough and challenging State Meet, and they did not finish the way they hoped, coming in 18th place in the 5A Race. Alas, they will keep running.”

“I think the team felt good coming into the season. A lot of the girls were aware of what we could accomplish. Yet not everyone comes into a season as trained as you want them to be. So there’s a lot of individual work that needs to be done, and you have to try to get the team into the best spot collectively. It’s always a challenge. But I embraced that more this season. I think we all felt a little low leaving the season. There was something I didn’t do, something I did not equip the girls with that resulted in their performance at the State Meet. Sometimes you win; sometimes you learn; and sometimes you do both. The State Meet was a learning day for all of us. We finished the season realizing we have a lot to learn, but I’m confident the girls also held their heads high, knowing they rewrote some records during the season.”

Competition Results:

Bob Blastow- 1st (JV meet)

Carrollton Invitational- 21st (Varsity), 2nd (JV)

Wingfoot XC Classic- 5th (Varsity), 4th (JV)

Alexander Asics Invitational- 28th (Varsity), 1st (JV)

Coach Wood Invitational- 2nd (Varsity), 1st (JV)

JV Championship- 1st (JV)

Sectional meet- 3rd (Varsity)

5AAAAA State meet- 18th (Varsity)

Football

Rocco Xerogeanes (’26, Varsity):

“Overall, the football season went pretty well. It ended a little short from where we wanted it to be, but starting out 0-3 to having an undefeated record at the end of the season was pretty good, becoming region champs. I think my favorite moment of the season was probably playing against Carrollton even though we lost, ‘cause we were on national television, everyone’s watching, all my family and relatives were able to watch me play live, which was just a really cool experience. And then seeing them, like, send reactions to plays I would make was cool. I think at the start of the season everyone was really let down after those 0-3 games, ‘cause we didn’t get a win and everyone was kinda down, and at the end of the season, I think we were sad ‘cause it was over, but I definitely think they were feeling more accomplished after our start of the season and felt like we progressed and got better. We really just came together and worked hard and fought the adversity and just knew we were better than the teams who beat us and knew we could bounce back and become a better team. I think the season was average for Woodward Academy, it could’ve been better. Last season was our best season we’ve had in a while. I think… there’s lots of room to improve and we could’ve gone further, but overall it was a solid season and we represented Woodward well.”

Win/Loss Record

8-4

Football Cheerleading

India Smith (’26, JV): 

“The football cheer season has been really good. I feel like this year our JV football team and Varsity football team has done well collectively. JV has definitely brought up the spark this year with their football team, and I feel like the cheerleaders, like, each year we learn more and more. I feel like overall…even though we didn’t make it to the [cheer] playoffs, we still tried our hardest.”

Competition Results:

Norcross Gameday Competition- 1st

Game Day Cheer Championships-11th

Softball

Coach John Hurston:

“The team felt good about the season going into it[…]. The War Eagles concluded the 2024 season with a 12-11 overall record, a testament to their unwavering dedication and hard work. The season was a thrilling journey, filled with intense practices and competitive games. The War Eagles fought valiantly in Region Play, finishing with a 7-7 record. The girls’ team demonstrated significant growth this season, notably enhancing their offensive, defensive and team play. The season’s leaders played crucial roles, including Rion King ’26, Cymone Woodfaulk ’26, Claire Cavanaugh ’27, and Katie Weathersby ’25. Rion, as the center fielder, achieved a batting average of .333 with 17 hits, 10 singles, six doubles and one home run. Cymone, who pitched almost every inning this season, also recorded a .340 batting average, 22 hits, sixteen singles, three doubles, two triples and one home run. Claire, as the shortstop, displayed prowess with a batting average of .340, sixteen hits, ten singles, five doubles and one triple, contributing significantly to the team’s success. Katie had a batting average of .340 with 17 hits, 13 singles, two doubles, one triple and one home run. Others who significantly impacted the season were Maya Hatch ’27, Sadie Welch ’28, Taylor Dixon ’28, Maya Aspes ’26 and Keegan Nelson ’25. The varsity fast-pitch team is eagerly looking forward to the next season with a core group of returning players. With the experience gained from this season and the high expectations they have set for themselves, the team is poised to have another excellent season next year, promising more thrilling games and exciting moments for the fans.”

“My favorite moments from the season were the aha moments during practices and games. We entered a very good softball region and held our ground week in and week out by being bold and confident.”

Win/Loss Record

12-11

Volleyball

Alexandria Tookes (’25, Varsity): 

“We started our season undefeated for like 20 or so games, which was pretty great. And so… we knew… our potential of, like, going to the state championship, which we ended up… accomplishing, even though… it didn’t go in our favor, it was still a great experience to work up to that and have that goal. …It was just great… I guess because… most of the girls, were new from Atlanta Girls School, so it was great to bond with them so quickly and [we] had that connection on the court with them… So really, just… going out there and we each, like, knew our jobs and stuff, with going undefeated with them, like, that was… a big deal, because… we beat some of our rivals and stuff in the process of that.”

“Leaving the season, you know, we were a little defeated, but still, we accomplished so much… we had an incredible season. Like, that one game [the state championship game] doesn’t define… how our season went. It was amazing.”

Win/Loss Record

39-3