Woodcreek loses to Roseville, but makes playoffs

A season ago, Woodcreek made it all the way to the Division III championship game where they lost to a bigger, stronger, more powerful team in the Grant Pacers. This season at 4-6, Woodcreek just barely qualified for postseason play and are seeded eighth with a home game against No. 9 seed Armijo (6-4). Two years, but two different teams. The Timberwolves have played three quarterbacks this season, because injuries have knocked the top two out. The team's best player and a four-year starter Brody Krupp has missed a handful of games injured, as have several offensive linemen, not to mention a few players in the secondary. When asked how many starters have missed at least one game with injury, Woodcreek head coach Brad Hunkins said, "It would probably be easier to count the number of players who haven't missed a game." Riddled by injury and having a huge negative turnover ratio, it's a bit hard to believe that Woodcreek earned its four wins to qualify for the postseason, but the team has. A playoff win Friday against Armijo is not out of the question, but the Timberwolves will have to play well. To win a playoff game after the season that Woodcreek has had would be a huge accomplishment. "Six teams from the Capital Valley Conference made the playoffs and of the eight teams on our schedule who have made the playoffs, six of them are the sixth seed or higher, so that tells you we've played a pretty tough schedule," Hunkins said. "And to have the six or seven major injuries we've had and the number of young players we've had to rely on, the fact that we have an eighth seed and a home playoff game is pretty miraculous. It all bodes well for the future of Woodcreek football." Woodcreek ended its regular season Friday with a 31-6 loss to Roseville. As the score indicates, it was not a particularly good game for the Timberwolves. "We definitely came out and did not execute well," Hunkins said. "We had a lot of injuries, and that's been the story of our season. We're not executing or clicking very well. We didn't fumble on offense, but we did fumble a kick return that Roseville quickly turned into points. Roseville was pretty hungry too. They hadn't beaten us in five years so they pummeled us pretty well on Friday night. "We've had to rely on a lot of young players we didn't think we'd need to rely on to win those four games and qualify for the postseason," Hunkins said. "Four our six losses have been one score games too. I think these things bode well for Woodcreek's future."