DELAND — Tiger Woods grabbed a brand-new t-shirt from the Spec Martin Stadium gift counter after leaving his seat during the first water break of Saturday’s Class 2A girls soccer state championship game.
Later in the evening, when the Bucs defeated Episcopal School of Jacksonville 1-0 to win the program’s first state title, Woods’ new shirt, which read “2025 FHSAA State Championships,” became a reality for his daughter Sam Woods and Benjamin female soccer.
Like other fans donning Benjamin orange and blue, Woods cheered loudly during the game, but maybe most loudly when Emma Bartoli scored the game’s lone goal in the 31st minute after collecting a cross from Irish Hoffman.
As he gave Sam, a senior defender for the Bucs, a long congratulatory hug as she and her colleagues applauded at the edge of the seats, the euphoria continued until the finish of the game.
On March 1, 2025, Tiger Woods supports his daughter Sam at Benjamin’s girls soccer state championship.
Sam Woods, the daughter of golfing icon Tiger Woods, is causing a stir in soccer, a sport of her own. Sam is leaving her mark in Florida high school soccer, but her father’s golfing accomplishments are legendary. She has demonstrated an amazing degree of leadership, tenacity, and resolve while serving as captain of the girls’ soccer team at Benjamin High School, helping them win their first-ever state championship.
It has been nothing short of extraordinary for her to reach the summit. On March 1, 2025, Benjamin High School and Lakeland Christian played in the state championship game at Spec Martin Stadium. Although there were some difficult moments in the game—Benjamin was behind 1-0 at the half—Sam’s leadership and the team’s resolute defense helped them win. The game ended abruptly with a 2-1 victory after they managed to hold off Lakeland Christian through the second half and two overtime sessions. Benjamin High School won its first-ever state championship when Sienna Barboni scored the game-winning goal.
However, the triumph was more than just a title win. It had to do with atonement. After a difficult and emotional journey to the final, the victory was achieved. In the semifinals, Benjamin most famously played Lakeland Christian, a club that had beaten them in the 2022 Class 3A State Championship. For Sam and her teammates, it was a full circle moment. They not only demonstrated their development but also their determination to overcome setbacks by defeating the same team that had caused them heartache the year before. As much as it was a team effort, Sam saw this victory as a personal achievement.
