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Academics, Graduation

Nearly 400 toss their caps at Wood commencement

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The Will C. Wood High School class of 2016 “left a legacy of excellence,” Principal Cliff De Graw said early in the school’s graduation ceremony on a hot Friday night in Vacaville.

He noted, looking out at some 380 seniors at Tom Zunino Stadium on the campus of Vacaville High, three secrets to success.

The first is, “Have a positive outlook on things,” said De Graw, soon to be the assistant superintendent of educational services for the Petaluma City Schools District in Petaluma.

The second is, “Find your passion and be adaptable,” and, thirdly, “Surround yourself with great people,” he said, speaking at a lectern set up on a temporary stage at midfield, with an estimated 2,000 people — families, friends, relatives — filling the bleachers and looking on as temperatures held steady in the low 90s at 7:30 p.m.

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Announcement, Soccer

Five Will C. Wood High School girls soccer players earn first team all-MEL honors

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Will C. Wood High School’s girls soccer team dominated the Monticello Empire League season.

It seems only right that the Wildcats dominated the all-MEL team.

Wood landed five players on the first unit, including most valuable offensive player Mackenzie Magaoay, and Vacaville added a pair of first-team selections during voting by league coaches Tuesday night.

Both Wood and Vacaville will open the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs Tuesday. Pairings will be announced later this week.

Wood is guaranteed a home game after winning the MEL with a 9-0-1 record, including nine straight wins to end the season.

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Announcement, Freshmen, Junior Varsity, Performance, Varsity

Wood High students to stage ‘Sound of Music’

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The Vaca hills will be alive with “The Sound of Music,” when Will C. Wood High students stage the Rodgers and Hammerstein chestnut this month in Vacaville.

Performances begin at 7 p.m. March 9 to 12, with a 2 p.m. March 12 matinee. All shows are at the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre, 1010 Ulatis Drive.

Director Madilyn Hawkins noted that this musical is a first for the school.

Her staging will introduce audiences to new songs original to the 1959 stage production while featuring beloved favorites from the classic 1965 film, starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer.

Tickets, ranging from $5 to $15, are on sale at the VPAT box office, or by calling 469-4013, or online at vpat.net. A group discount — $1 off each ticket when purchasing 10 or more — is also available for the Wednesday and Thursday night performances.

“ ‘The Sound of Music’ is a fantastic show that checks all the boxes,” Hawkins said in a press release. “Classic songs, a compelling story, and some of the most charming choreography in musical theater.”

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Basketball, Varsity

Will C. Wood High School girls basketball team edges rival Vacaville for first time in five years

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Devon Lewis saved the day during one of the Will C. Wood High School girls basketball team’s roughest nights of the year.

Lewis also ruined one of Vacaville’s best nights.

Wood’s freshman point guard did a little bit … actually, a lot … of everything as the Wildcats escaped Harold Youngblood Gymnasium with a tense 41-37 victory over their crosstown rivals.

Lewis was in fourth-grade the last time the Wildcats topped the Bulldogs. In fact, Thursday night’s win came five years to the day after Wood’s last victory over Vacaville, a 56-53 overtime win on Jan. 28, 2011.

“I knew it was a long time,” Wood head coach Bob Fernandez said.

Thursday’s game nearly went to overtime as well. Vacaville had the ball trailing 39-37 with eight seconds left, but the Bulldogs fumbled away the inbounds pass.

Lewis scrambled after the loose ball, and frantically dribbled out almost all of the clock before being fouled. Her two free throws with 0.4 seconds left accounted for the final total.

“I just went after it, and then I was just trying to waste the clock,” Lewis said. “We missed a tons of shots, but we still got the win.”

Barely. The Wildcats improved to 3-2 at the midpoint of the Monticello Empire League season.

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Band, Performance

Will C. Wood musicians schedule free library show

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Musicians of the Will C. Wood Orchestra will play jazz favorites and seasonal selections next week at the Vacaville Public Library-Cultural Center in a performance that’s free and open to the community.

Children and their families will have a chance to meet the musicians and see the instruments they play, according to a library press release.

The performance will start at 3:30 p.m. Feb. 5 at the library, which is located at 1020 Ulatis Drive.

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Basketball, Varsity

Fast start ignites Will C. Wood High School boys basketball team in rout over Vintage

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A Monticello Empire League-season-opening win wasn’t terribly satisfying for Mark Wudel and the Will C. Wood High School boys basketball team.

A rout in the second game of the MEL slate not only gave the Wildcats sole possession of the league lead, but it gave Wudel and company a much better feeling.

Wood scored the first 11 points of the game and never looked back in a 64-45 blowout over Vintage at Frank Molina Gymnasium on Tuesday night.

“We played much better than we did against Napa,” Wudel said, referring to a 63-51 win over the Indians last Friday. “Early on, we got a lot of rebounds, and then had good outlet passes for easy shots. Even when they did get back on defense, we passed the ball well and never really let them get set up.

“We got up, and then when they did make a run at us, we always held the upper hand. We played really good defense. I’m really roud of our guys.”

The Wildcats held at 18-11 lead after the first quarter, and extended the advantage to 32-21 by halftime.

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Basketball, Freshmen, Varsity

Will C. Wood High School girls basketball team edges Vintage in overtime

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Devon Lewis blocked a potential game-winning 3-pointer as Will C. Wood High School’s girls basketball team edged host Vintage 49-47 in overtime on Tuesday night.

The Wildcats led by as many as 15 points in the second half before a furious rally by the Crushers.

Lewis led Wood with 14 points, including five of the team’s eight points in overtime. Dymond Chambers added three free throws in OT.

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Basketball, Varsity

Will C. Wood High School boys basketball team pulls away for win over El Camino

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Alex Stepney scored 24 points as Will C. Wood High School’s boys basketball team overcame a rough start and pulled away for a 76-53 victory over El Camino of Sacramento at the Les Curry tournament in Davis on Friday.

The Wildcats (7-2) trailed 21-10 late in the first period, but managed to take a 36-30 lead by halftime. The Wildcats outscored the Eagles 24-10 in the fourth period to turn the game into a rout.

“We got good looks because of our defense,” Wood head coach Mark Wudel said. “They got up so fast I was thinking, ‘Oh, no!’ but then we scored a few right at the end of the quarter. In the second quarter we played great defense, and then we started to hit our shots.”

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Announcement, Football, Varsity

Seven Will C. Wood High School football players on East squad for next week’s all-star game in Napa

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Seven Will C. Wood High School seniors will compete on the East team in the annual East-West all-star football game at Napa’s Memorial Stadium on Dec. 19.

The Wildcat players, who helped lead Wood to its best season ever at 10-2, will be joined by lineman Max Varela of Vacaville, along with two players each from Vanden, Vacaville Christian and Dixon.

Leading the way for Wood is quarterback Marcus Howard, who set school records with 3,389 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes. Howard was the co-Monticello Empire League player of the year.

Also on the team from Wood are running back Damon Lewis, wide receivers Tayvian Cunningham, Kristian Arias and Keith Chester, linebacker Jordan Boyd and defensive end Tharon Cornist.

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