Going out in a Blais of glory: Ponte Vedra Sharks win eighth state title; Brock Blais individual champion

Ponte Vedra senior Brock Blais stopped his pre-round putting routine at the Mission Inn Resort in Lake County on Wednesday, looked around at his four senior teammates, and delivered a message.

"I said, 'hey this is the last time we can play together [in a high school match]," he said. "We have to make this special."

As Sharks coach Mickey Leapley said later of his team's eighth state championship and sixth in a row, "they're all special ... but this one was definitely different."

Credit Blais with that.

Blais chipped in for a birdie on the last hole of regulation to seal a five-shot victory over Plantation American Heritage in the FHSAA Class 2A state tournament at the El Campeon Course, but that was the prelude to the most scintillating finish to a high school state tournament involving First Coast players since Bartram Trail beat Nease in a playoff to win the 2008 state 2A state title.

Blais' birdie chip also tied Chase Carroll of Middleburg for the individual lead at 1-under-par 143, and the two embarked on a five-hole playoff.

After both parred the first four holes, Blais hit a big-boy second shot at the par-five first hole, two-putted for birdie, then watched Carroll barely miss a 3-foot birdie putt attempt to extend affairs, to become the third Ponte Vedra player to win an individual state title.

Sharks thwart American Heritage again

Blais was one of four Ponte Vedra players to finish inside the top-20 as they recorded a 36-hole total of 24-over-par 600. American Heritage, which has now lost a 2A state title to the Sharks by six shots or less six times since 2013, was 29-over.

Blais (74) led Carroll (71) by one shot before bogeys at Nos. 16 and 17. Carroll matched the low score of the second round on a difficult day for scoring.

After the two matched pars four times, Blais hit an 8-iron from 184 yards out into the green on the deciding hole, with the ball stopping 17 feet from the hole. Carroll was long and left and chipped to within a pace.

Blais tapped in for birdie and Carroll barely slid his attempt past.

"The way [Blais] he won this tournament will certainly make this one different from the others," Leapley said. "A five-hole playoff, some dramatic shots ... but it's like we've always done -- if one guy doesn't have a great day, another guy will pick it up."

Blais adds his state championships won by Ponte Vedra players to those captured by Taylor Funk (2013) and Stewart Slayden (2017).

Taking turns coming in hot

It's also the culmination of an eventful season. The Sharks returned all but one starter from last year's team, led by Times-Union 2021 First Coast player of the year Carson Brewer.

But when Brewer was out for the first part of the season with an ankle injury, transfer Camden Smith became the horse.

Blais then took over, winning the individual regional and state titles, and tying for third in the district tournament.

"If one person isn't bringing their 'A' game, someone else will," Blais said. "Carson came in hot, then got hurt, Cam was coming in hot. Then I finished hot. This team is full of great players and we all have the ability to win. These five guys all bring something to the table."

Carroll, playing as an individual, was trying to add another state title to the family. His brother Cody won the 2016 2A championship.

The Sharks' depth, as usual, won out. Brewer (73) finished solo ninth, Smith (79) tied for 13th and Stefan Ink (78) tied for 18th. 

Ponte Vedra has also won six state titles in a row, Class 2A in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022; and Class 3A in 2021. The Sharks broke the state record with their fifth in a row last year.

Beachside, Harper impressive

Beachside (621), competing in its first team competition in any sport at the state championship level, finished third. Nolan Harper, who had the 18-hole lead, struggled with a 79 but he still finished solo fifth individually at 3-over 144. Jonah Nacional (75) was alone in eighth at 4-over.

Fernandina Beach (653) tied for eighth, with Tanner Millar (77--157) tying for 22nd individually. Bishop Kenny (659) finished 10th, led by Cody Tucker (81--156) in a tie for 18th.

In the girls Class 2A tournament at the Las Colinas Course, American Heritage shot 39-over 615 to beat Ponte Vedra by seven shots. Alexandra Gazzoli of Matanzas (72--140) won the individual competition over Katherine Schaefer of American Heritage (70--141).

Nancy Cox of Ponte Vedra had the low round of the day with a 69 to finish fifth at 3-over-par 142. Cox birdied three holes in a row at Nos. 5, 6 and 7, added birdies at Nos. 10 and 13 to briefly go ahead of Gazzoli by a shot, but bogeyed No. 15 and doubled No. 16.

Lake City Columbia (676) finished sixth with Veona Osborne (76--156) tying for 16th with Alyssa Hardy (78) of Stanton.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Brock Blais leads Ponte Vedra to record eighth state title, sixth in a row