Gray Fall in 2A State Title Game to Close Out Unique Season
By WORTHY EVANS
The 2023 football season is absolutely one that Gray Collegiate players will remember.
No, the War Eagles did not close out a state championship. They fell short in a 35-28 loss to Oceanside Collegiate in a hard-fought 2A state title game at South Carolina State University’s Oliver C. Dawson Stadium Nov. 30.
What Gray did do was to stay in football shape when all of its Region 4-2A opponents forfeited their games with the War Eagles, citing that the charter school had an unfair advantage when it came to attracting top-notch student athletes. As a result, Gray collected six easy wins—but had to do something to stay in shape between Sept. 15, the date of the first region forfeit, till Nov. 3, the date of the first game of the 2A playoffs.
What head coach Adam Holmes and the team did do was find opponents, wherever they were, and either travel to them, or invite them to Columbia and play on the team’s new field on the school campus.
Gray played four out-of-state schools, going 1-3 but gaining a lot of experience along the way.
“It’s given our kids the ability to go out and play top-level competition as we move forward into the playoffs,” head coach Adam Holmes said in the runup to the playoffs. “We know that if we can compete against teams like those it’s going to be good for our guys.”
Gray fell 42-28 at nationally ranked St. Johns in Washington, D.C. Sept. 16, but beat Portal, Ga. 56-35 at home Sept. 29. The next game was at Clearwater Academy International, Fla., Oct. 6. The War Eagles fell 34-27.
On Oct. 19 Gray Collegiate traveled to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. The Ascenders won 53-7, but the War Eagles got a chance to play against an offense and defense loaded with NCAA Division I commits.
When the playoffs opened, Gray was ready for business. The War Eagles blew out Pelion and Chesnee, held off Strom Thurmond and beat 2A powerhouse Abbeville 27-12 in the upper state championship.
Against the Landsharks in the state championship game, Gray took a 14-0 lead before Oceanside rallied and led 21-14 by the third quarter.
The game went down to coaching gutsiness and player toughness. Gray tied the game at 21 it with Tyler Waller’s 26-yard touchdown pass to Zion Job at the 4:40 mark of the third, but Oceanside went up 28-21 with a 36-yard Aiden Manavian-to-Gavin Gaspar touchdown connection in the last minute of the third.
B.J. Montgomery tied it at 28 all with a 14-yard TD run after that score, but Oceanside drove again and scored on William Virgilio’s 1-yard run with 1:26 to to give Oceanside the lead.
The Landsharks defense forced a turnover on downs as Gray was going for a game-tying score in the final minute.
“That’s what our team has been,” Holmes said. “We’ve been resilient, we’ve fought through adversity. We came back and tied it up at 28, we thought we would get a stop … We thought they were going to kick a field goal, we called a time out to ice them a little bit, (but) they go for it on fourth down, a gutsy call by them to get it, get the first, and then get a touchdown.”
Holmes said his team didn’t start out fast in the second half and it cost the team, but knew that in the closing minutes it would be two great teams battling it out.
While the War Eagles lost, Holmes said his team has a lot to be proud of.
“Anytime you make it to a state title game, it’s not easy,” he said. “Obviously you want to win. It was a great feeling two years ago, so now to feel the other side, it’s not so great, but it’s still a great accomplishment of our guys, of our team to fight and get through everything we faced to still make it here and play for a state championship. I’m still extra proud of these guys.”
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