The fall sports season was a record-breaking year for the Patriots teams as incredible seasons ended with even better playoff runs. Teams racked up regional championships and even a state championship.
Starting it off with arguably the most impressive outing, the boys’ cross country (XC) team brought the school the first, and so far only, state championship win of the school year. This boys’ cross country team won states for the first time since 1978. Girls’ cross country had an amazing season as well, ending just short and finishing third in the state playoffs. “It feels great to represent Wootton as a state champion for the first time in 46 years. It was truly an amazing experience to see all of our hard work pay off, and I couldn’t have asked for a better end to my last season,” senior XC captain Rendon Yerman said.
Girls’ volleyball dominated their whole season and won yet another regional championship. This win was back-to-back after their states run last year. They made it all the way to the state finals after dominating in the state semis and state quarterfinals but their season ended with a loss in the championship, ending their impressive playoff run. his was the first time they made it to the state finals since 2007. “We’ve worked very hard to make it to the state finals since it was one of our biggest goals this year. Being able to reach this point is a huge accomplishment for both me and my team,” junior Sofia Sossa said.
Varsity football also had a record breaking year and made it into the state bracket for the first time since 1991, ending a 30-year drought. They dominated through their region before losing to a tough Perry Hall team. “In my last year of football it was my dream to make it to the state playoffs, and I wasn’t ready to give up the sport so I’m happy that we made this run and cemented history for Wootton,” senior Ben Phillips said.
Another lengthy drought that was broken came from the girls’ varsity soccer team. They racked up wins through their region and won in the regional championship. Ending their season in the state quarterfinals, this was the furthest their team had gotten in over 20 years.
Flag football was arguably the most historic of all this season. They won the first playoff game in the history of the sport. While they fell short in their next game, their win is embedded in school and county history.
On the golf team, junior Charlton Lin tied for ninth in states. Over the two-day tournament, he shot 10 strokes over par and secured an individual top 10 finish. He shot impressive scores of +4 (75) and +6 (77) over the two rounds.
Cheerleading also had an outstanding playoff placement. For the first time in six years, they finished fourth in their state competition.
This year, there is a competition between a group of schools in the county to see who will win the most head-to-head games throughout the year. The inaugural County Cup includes this school, Churchill, BCC, Whitman and Walter Johnson. The end of the fall season results are in, and despite impressive playoff success, this school placed last. The rankings ere Churchill, Walter Johnson, Bethesda Chevy Chase, Whitman, and lastly Wootton.
At the top of the standings, Churchill ran away with the lead through the fall season. They accumulated 28 wins, 11 losses, and one tie, with a 70% win rate. This was followed by Walter Johnson, who ended with 16 wins, 12 losses and one tie, and a 55.2% win rate. BCC came in third with 15 wins and 18 losses, a 45.4% win rate. Whitman followed next with 17 wins, 21 losses, and one tie, a 43.5% win rate. As of right now, this school has the lowest win percentage between these head-to-head matchups. The Patriots won nine of their 30 games, with 20 losses and a tie. This has resulted in a 30% win rate from the fall season. However, there are many games left to play in the school year as the Patriots have two seasons to catch up to the other schools.
