LEXINGTON, S.C. — The coaching career of the legendary Phil Savitz came to an end Friday night in a marathon match at The Swamp.
Last fall, Savitz announced that the 2024 season would be his last patrolling the sidelines.
River Bluff would win the region title and headed into the playoffs hoping to write a storybook ending for their coach.
After defeating West Ashley in penalty kicks on Wednesday, the Gators faced Stratford in the 5A Lower State semifinals and it was obvious as the match progressed that one goal might just be enough to decide a winner.
But after 80 minutes of regulation, two 10-minute overtime periods and two five minute Golden Goal periods, the match went to penalty kicks with Stratford winning that round 5-4.
Savitz will now close the book on a 45-year coaching career that saw him spend 33 years at Irmo and the last 12 at RIver Bluff, His 824 victories are a state record and ranks fifth all-time nationally.
With 15 state championships on his resume, Savitz was inducted into the SC Soccer Coaches Association’s inaugural Hall of Fame class in 2007 and the South Carolina Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2012.
River Bluff will now hand the program over to Savitz's longtime assistant Thad Miller.