River Bluff boys can’t connect in narrow loss to Wando
River Bluff boys soccer coach Phil Savitz knew chances were going to be hard to come by against Wando in Tuesday’s Class 5A Lower State championship game.
The Gators got plenty of opportunities but couldn’t convert any of them as Wando defeated River Bluff, 1-0, to advance to the state championship for the second time in three years.
The Warriors, ranked No. 1 in USA Today Soccer Poll, will face J.L. Mann in the title game Saturday at Irmo High.
“Fans got everything they came to see. We knew it was going to be a defensive battle. In the end, we created more dangerous chances and had three or four that were saved off the line or off the post,” Savitz said. “But they came out in the second half, took it up a notch and we didn’t match it. They scored on a corner kick and that was the difference in the game.”
It was the third year in a row the nationally-ranked programs met in the postseason, with all three games decided by one goal. The Gators defeated the Warriors, 1-0, last year on their way to their first state title.
This time, it was Wando which made the lone goal stand. Andrew Pickhardt knocked in a corner kick by Zach Aversano in the 42nd minute.
“We didn’t do as well as I would have liked in the first half,” Wando coach Shilo Tisdale said. “It was very similar to last year against them. So we came out made adjustments and we followed though.”
It was Wando’s 10th consecutive shutout. The Warriors have allowed seven goals in 26 matches.
Still, the Gators had their chances. In the first half, Preston Floyd missed on a header and Jonathan Foster was wide on a shot in the 34th minute.
In the second half, River Bluff nearly answered after Pickhardt’s goal when the Wando keeper strayed from in the front of the net, but the Gators didn’t convert.
The Gators’ best chance came as goalie Evan Dowdy drilled one all the way in front of the net where three River Bluff players were, but the shot went wide.
“We took the game to them. I don’t think Wando is used to having teams doing that,” Savitz said. “We controlled most of the first half and had the best chances. We just couldn’t find that equalizer.
“I’m so sorry for this group of seniors that it ended tonight because I don’t really think it should of.”
The Gator seniors left their mark on the program which began four years ago. River Bluff won 85 games, a state championship and made it to the final four in the state in each f the four seasons.
“This was group that started it,” Savitz said. “The foundation they built, the bricks they put on the foundation. We couldn’t talk about tradition four years ago. But with four straight final fours and a state championship, we have a tradition.”
This story was originally published May 9, 2017 at 10:18 PM with the headline "River Bluff boys can’t connect in narrow loss to Wando."