River Bluff boys soccer team measures itself against the best

The River Bluff boys’ soccer team didn’t waste too much time celebrating Region 5-4A title earlier this week.

Less than 10 hours after the Gators’ 4-0 win over North Augusta on Tuesday, they were back at it for a 6 a.m. workout before school.

“Morning practices are player-chosen and we have had a couple this year,” senior Caldwell Loftis said. “That just shows the dedication of our guys, and we do what it takes to win.”

The Gators have shown the ability to win and are 60-7-1 in the three years of the program, including a 31-0 mark in region play. River Bluff won the Region 4-3A title in 2014 and back-to-back Region 5-4A crowns.

This season, River Bluff is 18-0 and ranked No. 2 in Class 4A polls and fourth in the latest USA Today/NSCAA poll. The Gators will face their toughest challenge to date when they host No. 1 Wando on Saturday at The Swamp.

“Wando has been one of the big boys for a long time and one that you evaluate yourself against,” River Bluff coach Phil Savitz said. “They are always going to be there. We look to play each other every year. It will be a great to play against a team the caliber of Wando just before the playoffs.”

This will be the fourth meeting in the past two seasons between the two top teams in Class 4A. Wando won two of three matches last year, including 4-3 in the Class 4A lower state final.

But Savitz and the players are treating Saturday’s contest between the two of the state’s best programs as just another regular season game. They implement the same policy when talking about the extra attention they have been getting with the national ranking.

“It is great to get the recognition, have us in national contention,” Loftis said. “But the only ranking that matters is the last one. We are focused on getting to that last weekend.”

River Bluff definitely has the firepower and experience to do that. The Gators have 12 seniors, including four who were named to all-star matches this week – Connor Deany, Ben Freiburger, Loftis and Russell Hammond. Deany and Hammond are signed to play soccer at Division I USC Upstate. Junior Marcelo Malpartida is committed to play at College of Charleston.

“Having 12 seniors can be a blessing and a curse,” Savitz said. “This group has been a blessing and they have stepped up. They have done everything that we have asked of them and challenged them to do.”

Freiburger credits Savitz for keeping the team motivated and focused during the season. The former Irmo coach is looking to add another state title to an already hall of fame resume and give the school its first state title in any sport. Savitz won 14 state championships at Irmo before coming to River Bluff and is six wins away from 700 victories in his career.

“I grew up in Lexington and he was our main rival. For him to come here to River Bluff and leave those accomplishments shows that he believes in us,” Freiburger said. “It starts with coach who is a great leader and inspires us and gets the most out of us. He makes sure we have the right attitude every day and pushes us.”

This story was originally published April 22, 2016 at 2:45 PM with the headline "River Bluff boys soccer team measures itself against the best."