HOT SPRINGS - The Woodlawn Bears and Lady Bears came up short last Thursday in their respective bids to win the Class 2A baseball and softball state championships at Majestic Park in Hot Springs.Despite the losses, however, the championship game appearances capped what rates as perhaps the most successful athletic school year in Woodlawn High School history.Palestine-Wheatley pitchers Andrew Knowlton and Brody Parker combined to throw a four-hit shutout as the Patriots denied the Bears a 10th state title with a 6-0 victory in the first game of the Arkansas Activities Association’s (AAA) state championship game series at Majestic Park. Tuckerman, meanwhile, used two homeruns and two doubles to overcome an early deficit to knock off the Lady Bears 14-4 in six innings to win the softball state championship. It was Woodlawn’s second trip to the state finals after the Lady Bears made their first appearance in 2002. Despite the losses, Woodlawn athletic teams had a historic school year with three teams (football, baseball and softball) advancing to their respective state championship games while the boys basketball team made it to the state quarterfinals.Woodlawn’s eight-man football team won the South Conference championship before advancing to the eight-man state title game against Cedar Ridge. The Timberwolves claimed their first-ever state football chj with a 74-38 win over the Bears, who finished the year 10-1.Meanwhile, the Woodlawn boys basketball team finished third in the 8-2A conference standings before advancing to the Class 2A state tournament at Poyen. The Bears upset Region 2 top-seed East Poinsett County, 78-73, in the first round to advance to the quarterfinals, where they lost to eventual state champion Barton, 79-49. Woodlawn finished with a 25-12 record.After getting off to a 6-4 start, the baseball Bears won 22 of their final 25 games, capturing both the 8-2A regular season and tournament champion...
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