RICHMOND, VA (WTKR)- 2005 saw Stefan Welsh win a state championship as a player for Woodside. 18 years later, he's led his alma mater back to the top of the state as a coach.
Christian Greenlaw's rebound and put-back beat the buzzer, pushing the Wolverines past Patrick Henry of Roanoke, 54-52, in the Class 5 boys state title game in Richmond on Saturday.
"Numb," Welsh said after the victory. "I'm just so happy for my guys, man. They deserve it. All year long they believed in each other, they believed in our process, they believed in the coaching staff. They deserve it."
It didn't look good for Woodside in the third quarter. The Patriots took a 16 point lead at 39-23, only to see the Wolverines respond with a huge surge to end the third and into the fourth quarter. Trevor Smith sparked a 25-0 run that put Woodside on top, 48-39, with 5:32 to play.
Patrick Henry wasn't going away, coming back to tie the game at 52 with 1:50 remaining, which would set up the thrilling finish.
After a Patriots shot was off the mark with 10 seconds left, the Wolverines came down with the rebound and Smith pushed the ball up the floor. His layup attempt was off the mark, but Greenlaw was right there for the rebound and his reverse layup fell as the final buzzer rang out across the arena. Woodside players and fans mobbed the court in a dogpile of celebration.
"It's such a shock and exciting moment, I didn't know what to feel," Greenlaw said. "It was very exciting."
"We're fighters," added Smith. "We never gave up, we kept our head up, kept motivating each other and we got it done."
The Wolverines cap off their season on a 10 game winning streak and finish 23-5.
Smith led the way with 17 points, while Mykel Jenkins added 14 points for Woodside. The Wolverines forced 20 Patrick Henry turnovers.
"That's why we grind the way we grind in August, September, October, March, April, May," Welsh said. "That's why we grind."
