Final baseball season important to North Cedar’s Aaron Woodward

CLARENCE - It would have been easy for Aaron Woodward to hang up his glove before his final baseball season.

But the North Cedar graduate wanted one more year with his friends despite the obstacles his team faced each night. The Knights only had 11 players on the varsity roster and one, Andrew Rief, only played seven games before breaking his arm.

'It can be hard, but I always try and focus on the positives and have fun playing my final season with my friends,” Woodward said.

North Cedar finished the season at 4-25, ending its campaign July 8 with a 9-3 district loss to Camanche.

Woodward, who has been playing on his school's team since his eighth grade year, led the Knights with a .313 batting average, He started all 29 games and led the team with two home runs and 17 RBIs. He also pitched, compiling a 1-9 record with a 4.36 ERA.

Woodward also played football and basketball during his career at North Cedar, but only baseball remains in his future.

He will attend Kirkwood Community College in the fall, with plans on becoming a chiropractor. He will tryout for the baseball team, too.

'Even if I wasn't going to continue playing at the next level, I believe I would've continued playing in high school because I love the game,” he said.

Woodward also enjoyed his season because he got to play with his younger brother Alex, who will be a junior at North Cedar in the fall.