The Gators look right  at home winning their second straight title

River Bluff didn’t sneak up on anybody this season.

The Gators arrived at the Class 5A Division I state championship carrying the confidence of a defending champion and the expectations that come with it. Then they played like a team determined to prove last year was only the beginning.

River Bluff posted a two-day total of 580, finishing at 4-over-par and 11 shots clear of runner-up James Island to capture its second straight state championship. 

Senior Howard Vroon led the way with a runner-up individual finish as the Gators once again showed the depth and consistency that has become the trademark of coach Roger Smith’s program.

For Smith, the victory represented much more than another trophy. It was another step in a process that has taken years.“Anybody who thinks you build a winning golf program overnight is wrong,” Smith said. “This has been a lot of small bites, little wins and little challenges along the way.”

Last year’s championship was emotional for Smith, coming during his 25th season coaching. He admitted it took months for the reality of finally winning a state title to truly sink in. This season felt different from the beginning.

River Bluff returned five of its top six players from the championship lineup and quickly established itself as one of the state’s top teams. The Gators won eight tournaments during the season and entered the state finals with experience, confidence and the memory of what it took to finish the job the year before.

Even with a four-shot lead after the opening round, Smith said he barely slept Monday night.

“That’s one hole in golf,” Smith said. “James Island was good, Lexington had played well, Dorman was right there. We knew nobody was running away with  it

According to Smith, the Gators opened the day at 5-under-par through the first five holes as a team, stretching the lead into double digits. From there, River Bluff simply avoided mistakes. 

Smith believes the difference came around the greens.

“We chip and putt an immense amount,” Smith said. “We don’t have range access during practice, so we work on the long game by playing, but we chip and putt constantly. I really feel like that’s where we were better than a lot of teams this year.”

The coach said what made this championship especially meaningful was the way the players competed for one another.

“They played so dang hard for each other,” Smith said. “That’s what made it emotional for me.”

River Bluff’s roster reflected the kind of balance every championship program hopes to develop. Vroon and Jesse Carlisle provided senior leadership, but Smith also had underclassmen already contributing at a high level. In fact, the Gators had no juniors on the roster and still finished with one of the deepest teams in the state.

The internal competition became one of the strengths of the program. River Bluff had 54 players try out for varsity and junior varsity combined, eventually trimming the roster to 16.

Smith said the culture now drives itself.

“There are times we get to practice and the kids are already working before we even say anything,” Smith said. “They  know the routine, they know what we’re trying to accomplish, and they push each other.”

That foundation has been years in the making.

Smith recalled conversations from earlier in the program’s development when River Bluff was still trying to establish itself among the state’s best teams. The goal then was simply building the program the right way and trusting the results would eventually come.

Now the Gators have back-to-back state championships to show for it..And with a strong group returning next season, River Bluff may not be finished yet.