Men's Soccer: Gators Dominate Bearcats in Finale on Thursday, Set to Host Summerville in Playoff Opener

River Bluff closed the regular season in dominant fashion with a 5-0 win at Brookland-Cayce, delivering one of its most complete performances of the year on both ends of the field.

The tone was set almost immediately. Just 20 seconds into the match, senior Wade Douroux opened the scoring, igniting a fast start that the Bearcats never recovered from. Douroux struck again in the 21st minute, calmly converting a penalty kick after drawing a foul in the box to make it 2-0.

Only four minutes later, the senior defender would complete his hat trick. In the 25th minute, fellow senior Ayden Bazemore threaded a perfectly timed ball through the backline, finding Douroux in stride as he slipped behind the defense and slotted it home for a 3-0 lead.

The Gators weren’t done. In the 31st minute, junior forward Mason Swann created a goal—stealing possession, driving into the box, and finishing to push the lead to 4-0 heading into halftime.

River Bluff continued to generate chances throughout the match. Junior Cody Wigand nearly added another in the first half with a 30-yard rocket that slammed off the top frame. In the second half, junior Jake Riddle nearly matched it, unleashing a 35-yard strike that also ricocheted off the crossbar, just inches from extending the lead further.

Douroux capped his remarkable night with his fourth goal, finishing off a beautiful feed from Wigand, played from near midfield into the 18, where Douroux delivered the final strike to seal the 5-0 result.

While the attack grabbed headlines, the Gators’ defensive unit was equally impressive. The backline controlled the match from start to finish, limiting Brookland-Cayce’s opportunities and maintaining structure throughout. Behind them, all four River Bluff goalkeepers combined for a clean sheet, preserving the shutout in a complete team effort.

With the win, River Bluff finishes the regular season 10-8-1 and now turns its attention to the postseason. The Gators enter the playoffs as the No. 7 seed and will host No. 10 Summerville on Wednesday, May 6. With a win, River Bluff would advance to face West Ashley on Saturday, May 9.