By By BRIAN HAINES
Sports Writer
YEATESVILLE — The late Bryan Woolard stood for giving nothing less than 110 percent, that is why he would be pleased to see Northside senior Tyler Woolard receive the scholarship for which the late Panthers’ great is named after.
On Thursday, Tyler Woolard was honored with the second annual Bryan Keith Woolard Memorial Scholarship. Last season, the Panthers’ Holden Cox was the first to receive the $500 award.
Bryan Keith Woolard was catcher on the Panthers 1994 state-title winning team and played for Lenoir College before he died in an automobile accident on Jan. 3, 2009.
Woolard was known for his love of baseball and for his give-it-all-you-got attitude, which is why Tyler Woolard was a perfect choice to win the award.
Woolard has overcome several injuries, and a surgical procedure, to comeback and play baseball his senior year.
His hard work paid off, as the Panthers’ cleanup hitter is batting .325 this season.
“It’s a great honor for him,” Northside coach Keith Boyd said. “He has been through a lot of ups and downs with his body. He has had arm and knee problems, but he has worked hard to play baseball this year and he has played the whole season. Tyler is a good person and a good choice for this honor.”
Keith Woolard said he was more than happy to hand the scholarship to Tyler.
“He is dedicated to his school work and well loved around the school,” Keith said. “He also has a love for the game. His leadership ability and what he does for this school has made him a good choice.”
Woolard received the honor before his team went on to top rival Southside 8-7 in an 11-inning thriller.
Woolard went 2-5 in the game, while teammate Brandon Marsh pitched 10 innings in relief and allowed five hits to get the win.
Southside jumped out to a 4-1 lead before Marsh’s entry.
The two teams went into extras tied at six. Southside scored in the top of the 11th to take a 7-6 lead, but the Panthers fought back with a two-run rally to win the game and finish the season 8-14 (6-8).
After scoring on a Seahawks’ error, Marsh hit the game-winning single to end the season with a win.