Pressure Mounts on Charlie Woods as His Team Seeks Redemption After Heartbreaking State Final Loss

The Benjamin School Boys entered last year’s State Championship chasing a fifth title, only to be stunned by an underdog in a loss that still stings. “To this day, I don’t know what happened,” said head coach Toby Harbeck, now preparing for a return to Mission Inn Resort + Club. With redemption on the line, no one carries more pressure than rising junior Charlie Woods.

When the Benjamin Buccaneers arrived at last year’s Class 1A State Championship, part of the Florida High School Athletic Association, they carried the weight of being defending champions. Many expected them to secure a fifth title with ease. Instead, the Oxbridge Academy Thunderwolves stunned the field, capturing their first-ever state crown with a seven-shot victory over the Buccaneers. Despite having outperformed Oxbridge at both the district and regional levels, Benjamin faltered when the stakes were highest. “Maybe we were overconfident. We just had one bad round at the worst time possible,” reflected longtime coach Toby Harbeck, who has guided the program to four state titles in more than four decades.

The defeat marked a turning point, especially for rising junior Charlie Woods. While his last name alone draws widespread attention, the spotlight now intensifies as he takes on the challenge of replacing senior leader Pavel Tsar, who has moved on to Notre Dame. “Losing Pavel is a significant loss. But I’ve got those three juniors who have played on the team and have quite a lot of experience. My first three guys are going to be really good,” Harbeck explained, noting he will rely on Woods along with juniors Andrew Tsar (Pavel’s brother) and Brooks Colton to anchor the lineup.

With the 2025 state championship scheduled for November 14–15, the pressure is squarely on Woods to lead the Buccaneers back to the top and reclaim the title.

Harbeck is confident in Charlie Woods, especially after his first AJGA win at the Team Taylormade Invitational in May. He was even in contention at the 2025 PGA Junior Championship earlier this month, but faltered in the final round and finished tied 9th. But the performances have been remarkable, given the weight of his father’s legacy, which he constantly has to carry. “Charlie knows a lot of the attention is going to be on him, and he knows not to put himself in an uncomfortable position, but his teammates are protective of him,” Harbeck said when he wasn’t surprised that most of the questions were about Charlie when he went to South Dakota this year to receive a National Golf Coach of the Year Award.

But despite that, Charlie Woods has shown growth and maturity, both on and off the course. “Charlie has come a long way in two years. He’s lost 10 pounds and is ready to take on that No. 1 role,” he continued. With Woods stepping into the spotlight, alongside rising juniors Andrew Tsar and Brooks Colton, Benjamin’s hopes rest on a young but well-prepared team.

Charlie Woods leads the way

Charlie Woods enters the season not just as Benjamin’s most talked-about player, but as its fiercest leader, ranked 13th in the AJGA. Once a freshman in the shadow of senior stars, he’s now the face of the program, backed by a breakthrough win at the AJGA Team TaylorMade Invitational in May and a strong run at the 2025 PGA Junior Championship. These results prove Woods can handle the pressure, with Coach Toby Harbeck noting he’s grown in maturity, “handling the media attention and outside expectations with a poise well beyond his years.”

For Harbeck, though, this season is also about legacy. “He’s doubling down on what’s worked for the Buccaneers over four decades, challenging his team by taking them on the road.” Benjamin faces a tough schedule with away matches across Florida before districts and regionals between October 27 and November 5. While Oxbridge Academy won’t appear on the regular slate, the suspense of a November rematch at Mission Inn looms. And if Benjamin is to capture its fifth title, it will be Woods setting the tone.