Greenville High School's boys' golf team has established itself as one of the state's powerhouses, and the Red Raiders have a rapidly-filling trophy case to show for it.
One of Class AAAA's top-ranked teams, the Red Raiders have game that travels to just about any course on their schedule.
Palmetto Golf Club had been one of the few exceptions, with Greenville not playing its way into contention on the historic layout in its most recent trips.
That all changed this weekend, sharing the day's low score during Saturday's final round to squeak past A.C. Flora and Blue Ridge by two strokes at the 49th Southern Cross for the Red Raiders' first win at Palmetto.
"I mean, this one's unbelievable," head coach David Cattrell said. "This tournament just speaks for itself, and to finally win it with Greenville and these guys who have been playing in it for three years, finally being able to get it done. I know they're excited. I'm super proud of them. Couldn't be happier."
The final hour and a half or so was tense, the team leaderboard shifting every time the live scoring was updated. The leading trio stayed neck-and-neck down the stretch, especially as Greenville made some late bogeys to shrink the gap.
All three of the Red Raiders' counting scorers made par on the 18th, and A.C. Flora and Blue Ridge couldn't find the birdies at the end that could've potentially tied it.
"I had the shakes," Cattrell said. "Adrenaline's running like crazy. But I trusted my guys and knew they'd be able to get it done."
Greenville finished with a 36-hole team score of 22-over 448, with A.C. Flora and Blue Ridge both at 450 - the tie was settled by a scorecard playoff, with A.C. Flora taking second based on a 109-111 edge in back-nine scoring. Hilton Head Prep was fourth at 452, followed by Trinity Collegiate School at 458.
Dorman's Will Ruth had some nerves of his own over the final hour or so, and that was after he was done playing. He was safely into the clubhouse with an even-par total of 142, then had to wait for the eight groups behind his to finish to see if his score would hold up as the best.
He went down to the driving range to hit some iron shots in case of a playoff, but no one coming in could catch him.
"It feels incredible," said Ruth, a sophomore who was competing as an individual. "It's been a weird spring. I've been having really good tournaments and some not-so-great tournaments. The fact that I get to leave here as a champion, I mean, I can't - I was just here to have fun and just play the course. This is my first time being here since seventh grade. The fact that I get to leave here as champion? I can't really believe it that much. I'm just glad, and it's just great."
Ruth started the day two shots off the lead and played his first 12 holes in even-par before making a tough double bogey on the par-4 13th. He told a friend in the group behind him that he was going to put together a big comeback, then made a bit of a mess of the par-5 14th after drawing a bad lie in a bunker - but he made a 10-footer for his par and felt like he could finish well.
He birdied the par-4 15th from the 18th fairway, got up-and-down for par on the par-3 16th and then again on the par-4 17th - he initially thought he chipped in for birdie, only to see that it barely missed.
He hit driver on the par-4 18th and came up short and right of the green, then debated over whether to use a 54- or 60-degree wedge for his chip.
Everything was a blur after that, because he chipped it in for an eagle 2 in what was eventually a two-stroke victory.
"I hit that chip and I saw it go in, and I didn't know what to do so I just started yelling - and I never yell," he said, adding that he couldn't even remember which wedge he chose but was pretty sure it was the 60. "That's the craziest part. I never really celebrate too much, and I still don't even know what I yelled. I still don't even believe that I yelled. The fact that it went in is crazy. I may have to get the security camera footage."
After the win, he surveyed the double-framed map presented to the medalist and read through the names of the past champions. He recognized several, players he had seen on TV or knew as champions on the PGA Tour.
His name is the next to join theirs in Southern Cross lore.
"I saw a lot of really big names. I got to meet one of those names earlier," he said, referring to 2002 champ Kevin Kisner. "I'm glad about that. It was crazy. I still can't believe it. I'm just glad that the Lord brought me here, and He brought me at the right time this year."
Ruth was joined on the all-tournament team by Chapin's Chase Cline (71) at 2-over 144, Gray Collegiate's Teddy Dunn (73) and A.C. Flora's Charles Cauthen (75) at 145, and Chris Church's Groves Williams (72) and Blue Ridge's Dawson Szabo (70) at 146.
This win also comes at a good time for Greenville, which will be one of the favorites at the Class AAAA Upper State and state championship tournaments over the next couple of weeks. Cattrell said it was "awesome momentum" to carry into the home stretch, especially considering how well his players handled a golf course that gave the field fits.
"Just being able to keep a good attitude," he said. "Everything's not going to go well out here, and when stuff didn't go well they were able to get right back. If they had a bogey or a double, they were able to get a par on the next one and just kind of keep their heads level and keep playing."
All five local schools in action this weekend lowered their scores from day one to day two, with North Augusta finishing as the low local in 13th place at 47-over 473. Aiken tied for 15th at 477, Mead Hall was 19th at 492, Fox Creek was 20th at 509 and South Aiken was 21st at 637.
North Augusta counted a 75 from Jackson Beggs, a 78 from Andrew Baxley and an 80 from Luke Johnson on Saturday. Baxley was the team's top individual finisher at 12-over 154.
Aiken counted a 77 from Richard Anaclerio and 80s from Ryan Anaclerio and Evan Crooks. Richard Anaclerio finished at 11-over 153 to lead all area players.
Granger Young shot a 74 to lead Mead Hall, which also counted an 81 from Graham Wilson and an 85 from Brooks Abrams. Young finished at 12-over 154 and was the Panthers' top individual.
Westin Carroll led Fox Creek with a 74 that included an eagle on the par-5 sixth hole. The Predators also counted an 87 from Jonathan Godbee and an 88 from Reed Prickett, who holed out for eagle on 18. Carroll was the Predators' top finisher at 15-over 157.
Evan Hanner and Collin Orander each shot 103 to lead South Aiken, which also counted a 105 from Charlie Schick. Orander was the T-Breds' top finisher at 64-over 206.
