Oceanside Collegiate gets past BHP to claim 3A state championship
Worthy Evans • December 14, 2024
By WORTHY EVANS
Contributing Writer
ORANGEBURG – Moving up to 3A in the South Carolina High School League’s classification system didn’t bother Oceanside Collegiate. Neither did losing the head coach who led the Sharks to the 2A state championship last year.
What mattered for Oceanside Saturday afternoon at Oliver C. Dawson Stadium was the steady guidance of interim head coach John Patterson, and sophomore quarterback Aidan Manavian connecting regularly with senior wide receivers against Belton-Honea Path.
Manavian was 21-for-26 in passing for 326 yards and four touchdowns in the Shark’s 35-17 victory over the Bears to capture the 3A state championship.
“It feels good. It beats the alternative, losing, I don’t like that,” Patterson said with a laugh. “It was a lot of adversity, but that’s what football is, that’s what life is. That’s what football teaches. You’ve got to keep showing up every day, grind, and if bad stuff happens you’ve just to to overcome it.”
Oceanside Collegiate (11-3) moved up to 3A this year when the High School League instituted a student multiplier for charter schools that had the ability to recruit athletes outside of their school zones. The Sharks had beaten Gray Collegiate 35-28 for the 2A state championship the year before, but opened the season with a 35-7 loss at Irmo in August.
After that defeat, head coach Chad Wilkes resigned for personal reasons. Patterson, an assistant with nearly 40 years of coaching experience, including head-coaching stints at Providence Day School in North Carolina and at James Island from 2007-2011, took over the Sharks.
After that loss at Irmo, which played Northwestern Saturday night for the 5A Division 2 state championship, and a loss at Dutch Fork, which won its 9th state championship with a 5A Division 1 victory over Summerville, Oceanside Collegiate caught fire. The Sharks reeled off 10 straight victories and claimed a second-straight crown with the win over BHP (13-2).
“We knew how good Dutch Fork was, one of the top 15 teams in the country,” Patterson said. “We were outmanned and didn’t have all our ammunition either. We kind of flushed it: ‘there’s the game, and it’s over, flush it.”
Patterson added that the team asked him what he was happy about, “and I told them, hey, it’s like butter, because we’re ready to go on a roll, baby. That’s how that went down.”
Oceanside stayed on that roll Saturday, moving the football up and down the field with ease,
Manavian’s chief target among his seniors was Will Virgilio, who had five catches for 134 yards. Peyton Shaw had five catches for 66 yards, and Gavin Gasper had four catches for 65 yards and two TDs. Junior Terrence Johnson had five receptions for 57 yards and a score.
“We come out every day to work as hard as we can, stay late, getting extra routes in,” Manavian said. “When you come out here and get a Dub, we’re already here, we’re on time, we’re ready to go. It feels great.”
On defense the Sharks absorbed the furious running of BHP running back and Clemson commit Marquise Henderson.
Henderson came into the game with 1,934 yards and finished the day with 188 yards and a touchdown on 42 carries. He even filled in for quarterback Noah Thomas, who went down with an injury in the first half.
“Unbelievable player. Best to ever come through BHP,” Bears head coach Russell Blackston said. “He has 104 (career) touchdowns, I believe. The kid’s an unbelievable player, a Mr. Football candidate. A good player, man.”
Oceanside built a 21-7 lead in the first half, scoring first on Manavian’s 9-yard touchdown strike to Johnson in the first quarter.
Belton-Honea Path responded in the second quarter with Henderson’s 3-yard TD run, but the Bears gave up back-to-back scores before the half.
Manavian connected with Shaw for a 25-yard touchdown art the 7:41 mark, and after BHP botched a pooch kickoff reception, the Sharks recovered and Johnson closed out the short drive with a 1-yard plunge into the end zone at the 5:58 mark.
“They got an extra possession after we lost it in the sun,” Bears head coach Russell Blackston said. “We’d worked on that type of stuff all week, we just lost it in the sun.”
The Bears drove to midfield on a clock-draining possession, but turned the ball over on downs. Oceanside Collegiate eventually punted to the BHP 1-yard line, where the Bears ran two plays and called it a half.
Belton-Honea Path started the second half down 21-7 to the Sharks, and without Thomas at quarterback. Henderson shifted from tailback to quarterback and kept the Bears running.
BHP moved downfield for most of the third quarter with Henderson running on most of the plays. On first and goal at the Oceanside 5-yard line he gave the ball to Justin Lathon, who barreled into the end zone at the 2:26 mark to cut the lead to 21-14.
BHP defender K.J. Miles picked off a Manavian pass on Oceanside’s next possession, which led to Bears kicker Christian Bridwell’s 42-yard field goal with 26 seconds left in the third.
That was as close as Oceanside would let the Bears come. Manavian closed out the victory with fourth-quarter touchdown passes of 19 and 13 yards to Gavin Gaspar.
“We practiced for this every week. We’ve been ready for this, and we know what it’s like to be here,” Gaspar said. “I can’t say nothing bad about this team. I love everybody. No better way to go out.”
BHP was looking to win its first state championship since 2004, when the Bears beat Dillon for the 3A title. Unfortunately, the school will have to try again.
“I told them I loved them, told them that they had a good year,” Blackston said. “That a lot of teams would love to be where we’re at.”
WIth two straight state championships in hand, Oceanside is in an enviable position itself. Patterson spread the wealth of victory among the entire team.
“It means a lot, but I’m just a guy on a team, man, seriously,” he said. “I don’t think my role on the team’s any different than anybody else’s. Sometimes you play, sometimes you film, sometimes you manage the trainers, sometimes you’re the assistant coach or the head coach. And the head coach gets way too much credit, honestly. All the credit should go to the assistant coaches and certainly the kids.”
Belton-Honea Path 0 7 10 0 – 17
Oceanside Collegiate 7 14 0 14 – 35
First Quarter
O - Terrence Johnson 9 pass from Aiden Manavian (Nate Sturm kick) 4:47
Second Quarter
B - Marquise Henderson 3 run (Christian Bridwell kick) 9:15
O - Peyton Shaw 25 pass from Manavian (kick failed) 7:41
O - Johnson 1 run (Kyle Baldwin pass from Manavian) 5:58
Third Quarter
B - Justin Lathon 5 run (Bridwell kick) 2:26
B - Bridwell 42 field goal :26
Fourth Quarter
O - Gavin Gaspar 19 pass from Manavian (Sturm kick) 11:40
O - Gaspar 13 pass from Manavian (Sturm kick) 4:07
BHP OCA
First downs 17 16
Rushes-yds 59-234 14-22
Passing yds 16 326
Att-Com-Int 7-4-0 26-21-1
Fumbles-lost 2-1. 1-0
Penalties-yds 6-49 4-30
Punts-avg 2-32.0 3-36.7
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
B - Marquise Henderson 42-188, Noah Thomas 5-30, M.J. Earl 5-19, Justin Lathon 4-6, Tajeh Watson-Martin 1-2, Ty Parnell 2-7.
O - Aiden Manavian 7-14, James O’Connor 4-9, Terrence Johnson 1-1, Team 2-2
PASSING
B -Noah Thomas 3-4-0, Marquise Henderson 1-1-0, Ty Parnell 0-1-0, Tajeh Watson-Martin 0-1-0.
O-Aiden Manavian 21-26-1.
RECEIVING
B -Tajeh Watson-Martin 4-16
O-Will Virgilio 5-134, Peyton Shaw 5-66, Gavin Gaspar 4-65, Terrence Johnson 5-57, James O’Connor 1-4, Kyle Baldwin 1-0.
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AAAAA Connor Dantzler, James Island, 318 yds pass, 4 TD Jachin Davis, Stratford, 197 yards passing, 85 yards rushing Meliq McGowan, Stratford, 100 yards rushing, 72 yards receiving James Hurteau, James Island, 7 receptions, 140 yards, 3 TD Bryson Bowers, James Island, 13 tackles, 2 TFL LJ Washington, Berkeley, 139 yards rushing Henry Rivers, Berkeley, 113 yards rushing, 32 yards passing’ Bryson McGee, Berkeley, 105 yards rushing Zaire Warren, Fort Dorchester, 100 yards passing Thomas Wamer, Fort Dorchester, 6 sacks Laurez Matthews, Fort Dorchester, 212 all-purpose yards, 3 TD Kyle Henry, Dutch Fork, 137 yds rush, 2 TD Jaxon Knotts, Dutch Fork, 193 yds pass, TD Josiah Coleman, Easley, 219 yds pass, TD Spencer Bobian, Ridge View, 131 yds rush, 2 TD Franklin Richardson, Sumter, 4 TD rush Kristian Jackson, Ridge View, 111 yds rec, TD Caden Hall, Irmo, 2 int (int. ret. TD) Quinn Kelly, Fort Mill, 166 yds pass Matt Kucia, Indian Land, 285 yds pass, 2 TD Jamol Horton, Indian Land, 156 yds rush, TD Jackson Connor, Indland Land, 15 tackles Jackson Headley, Indian Land, 10 tackles, 3 TFL Michael Foster, Indian Land, 13 tackles, 5 TFL, 3 sacks Joseph Duey, Fort Mill, 14 tackles, TFL Banks Bouton, Gaffney, 226 yds pass Chas Smith, Gaffney, 9 rec, 155 yds Emari Nance, Hanna, 107 yds rush, 2 TD Matthew Hillstock, Easley, 12 rec, 118 yds Caine Rogers, Byrnes, 181 yds pass, 2 TD Tre Segarra, Byrnes, 255 yds rush, 5 TD Trevor Kalisz, Ashley Ridge, 267 yds pass, TD Ryan Campbell, Ashley Ridge, 153 yds rush AAAA Jameson Dearybury, Broome, 171 yds pass, TD Trevon Williamson, Gray Coll, 231 yds rush, 2 TD Xavier Wright, Gray Coll, 141 yds pass, 2 TD Gresyon Rimpf, Camden, 3 TD pass Kitt McLauchlin, Gilbert, 140 yds pass, 3 TD Juraiya Staley, Gilbert, 130 yds rush, 2 TD J’Zavien Currence, South Pointe, 2 TD pass, 2 TD rush Messiah Jackson, So. Florence, 112 yds pass, 4 TD Terry Gordon, So. Florence, 8 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks Derrick Raniszewski, Hilton Head, 116 yds pass, TD Gavin Thomas, Seneca, 168 yds pass, 4 TD Amari Verner, Seneca, 107 yds rush, TD Jace Grass, Daniel, 361 yds pass, 6 TD Trey Wimbley, Daniel, 112 yds rec, 2 TD Muntu Brown, Wren, 120 yds rush, TD Xavier Geter, Midland Valley, 181 yds pass, 3 TD; 116 yds rush, TD Aaron Adams, Midland Valley, 10 tackles, 6 TFL Aedan McCarthy, Bluffton, 221 yds pass, 2 TD Jacobi Saunders, Bluffton, 14 tackles, TFL Derek Velasquez, Bluffton, 12 tackles, 2 TFL Sean Mitchell, May River, 121 yds rush, TD Andrew Frick, Brookland-Cayce, 265 yds pass, 2 TD AAA Quamell Grant, Hanahan, 138 yards passing, 3 TD Isaiah Snodgrass, Hanahan, 100 yards rushing Lorenzo Kitching, North Charleston, 205 yards rushing, 2 TD D. Felton, Dillon, 112 yds rush, 2 TD K. Sam Fung Talia, Dillon, 149 yds pass, TD Dante Caldwell, Swansea, 3 TD rush Noah Thomas, BHP, 242 yds pass, 5 TD, 97 yds rush, TD MJ Earl, BHP, 102 yds rush, TD Tajeh Watson-Martin, BHP, 8 rec, 215 yds, 2 TD AA Antuan Faison, Timberland, 107 yards rushing Hayes Goddard, Philip Simmons, 302 passing yards, TD Ashton Kellerman, Philip Simmons, 10 receptions, 135 yards, TD Kaden Wigfall, Thurmond, 109 yds rush Tristan Daniels, Saluda, 122 yds rush, 2 TD Brayden Williams, Saluda, 107 yds pass Anondre Woodson, Bates-Lees, 226 yds rush, 2 TD KD Whitt, Bates-Lees, Kick ret TD, TD rush, 2 TD rec Kadin Thomas, Cheraw, 151 yds pass, 2 TD, TD rush Noah Crump, Buford, 187 yds pass Cole Carnes, Buford, 111 rec yds, TD Kamauri Jones, Fair. Cent, 133 yds pass Jacory Sumpter, Eau Claire, 298 pass yds, TD: 70 rush yds, TD Ty Shannon, Fair Cent, 139 yds rush Owen Wilson, Fair. Cent, 12 tackles, 4 TFL BJ Ashford, Eau Claire, 14 tackles, 2 TFL Javen Cook, Clinton, 334 yds rush, 5 TD Jaylen Singletary, Hampton Co, 156 yds rush, 3 TD Malik Terry, Hampton Co., 16 tackles, 2 TFL A Tyler Harris, Cross, 166 yards passing, 3 TD Mah’ky Green, Cross, 188 yards rushing, 3 TD Caden Ramsey, Cross, 2 TD receptions, TD rush Brayden Franklin, Baptist Hill, 134 yards passing Kevin Smalls, Baptist Hill, 20 tackles, 3 TFL Altavis Evans, Ware Shoals, 184 yds rush, TD Charles Callaham, Ware Shoals, 10 tackles, 8 TFL, 6 sacks Elijah Brown, Ware Shoals, 14 tackles, 4 sacks Josh Wimbush, Ware Shoals, 8 TFL, 7 sacks Jalen Culp, Lewisville, 100 yds pass, 3 TD Jayshawn Culp, Lewisville, 12 tackles, 3 TFL SCISA Amir Chisolm, Porter-Gaud, 206 yards rushing, 3 TD Dor Reichley, St. John’s Christian, 225 yards rushing, 3 TD John Whetsell, Dorchester Academy, 274 yards rushing, 3 TD HARRIS JANIK - AUGUSTA CHRISTIAN RUSHED 19/207 1 TD PATRICK BELK - HEATHWOOD HALL PASSED 11/18 285 5 TDS KRES LANGHALS - HILTON HEAD CHR. PASSED 20/26 308 2 TDS 112 rush, 3 TD ALAN WOLF – JOHN PAUL ll RUSHED 12/162 1 TD J. RICHARDSON – HILTON HEAD CHR. RECEIVED 7/103 1 TD JOSEPH HOUPT – HILTON HEAD CHR. RECEIVED 7/108 CHOLLY WILLIAMS – ORANGEBURG PREP PASSED 7/9 132 2 TDS 10 TACKLES J’SYRI PARKER – ORANGEBURG PREP RUSHED 10/139 1 TD BLAKE INABINET – ORANGEBURG PREP 12 TACKLES 1 SACK MAC STRICKLAND – ORANGEBURG PREP 11 TACKLES REECE WILLIAMS – BEN LIPPEN 13 TACKLES 1 SACK STONE PARKER – BEN LIPPEN 13 TACKLES ETHAN COLLINS – LAURENS ACADEMY PASSED 10/16 165 3 TDS 156 rush 3 TDS CALEB HARDY – LAURENS ACADEMY RUSH 24/368 4 TD, 152 rec 3 TD 17 TACKLES G. VAUGHAN – LAURENS ACADEMY 17 TACKLES 2 SACKS JORDAN TURNER – BETHESDA ACADEMY PASSED 5/7 156 3 TDS RALO WESLEY – BETHESDA ACADEMY RECEIVING 2/101 2 TDS N JACKSON – BETHESDA ACADEMY 18 TACKLES CAEL PARLER – CALHOUN ACADEMY RUSHED 10/130 3 TDS SILAS BRAWNER – PINEWOOD PREP PASSED 15/22 262 3 TDS LAVORIS LUCAS – PINEWOOD PREP RECEIVING 4/107 1 TD TUCKER MCGINTY – W W KING ACADEMY PASSED 5/8 134 1 TD 1 INT JACOB BUSSEY – W W KING ACADEMY 13 TACKLES
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HSSR 2025 Football Rankings- SCHSL & SCISA HSSR Div. II AAAAA Ranking - (Entering Week 10 of Season, 10-31 2025) 1. Dutch Fork 7-1 (321-104) 2. James Island 8-1 (328-86) 3. Sumter 8-1 (367-180) 4. Dorman 6-2 (305-113) 5. Summerville 7-2 (329-157) 6. Stratford 8-1 (365-166) 7. Carolina Forest 8-1 (390-163) 8. Byrnes 6-3 (295-158) 9. Ashley Ridge 5-4 (293-206) 10. Ridge View 6-3 (319-127) HSSR Div. II AAAAA Ranking - (Entering Week 10 of Season, 10-31-2025) 1. Irmo 9-0 (375-139) 2. Northwestern 8-1 (436-246) 3. Indian Land 9-0 (313-84) 4. Greenwood 8-1 (198-182) 5. TL Hanna 8-1 (309-172) 6. Berkeley 7-2 (314-129) 7. White Knoll 6-3 (257-113) 8. Myrtle Beach 6-3 (289-310) 9. Gaffney 6-3 (242-163) 10. Greenville 6-3 (198-82) HSSR AAAA Football Ranking - (Entering Week 10 of Season, 10-31-2025) 1. South Pointe 7-1 (269-76) 2. South Florence 8-1 (389-109) 3. AC Flora 8-1 (360-89) 4. Daniel 8-1 (395-146) 5. Gray Collegiate 7-2 (338-127) 6. North Augusta 8-1 (412-118) 7. Seneca 9-1 (423-146) 8. Hilton Head 8-1 (363-150) 9. Camden 7-2 (320-175) 10. Bluffton 7-2 (335-164) 11. Midland Valley 7-2 (304-212) 12. Wren 7-2 (386-207) 13. May River 6-2 (249-140) 14. Hartsville 6-3 (367-292) 15. Bishop England 6-3 (281-135) HSSR Class AAA Ranking - (Entering Week 10 of Season, 10-31-2025) 1. BHP 9-0 (440-94) 2. Oceanside Collegiate 7-2 (367-170) 3. Loris 9-0 (418-111) 4. Newberry 9-0 (373-128) 5. Woodruff 8-1 (347-172) 6. Dillon 6-3 (340-160) 7. Mountain View Prep 8-1 (431-148) 8. Orangeburg Wilkinson 8-0 (292-49) 9. Powdersville 7-2 (326-208) 10. Silver Bluff 5-4 (256-229) 11. Swansea 7-1 (315-124) 12. Crescent 6-3 (328-214) 13. Marlboro County 6-3 (241-131)) 14. Christ Church 6-3 (285-229) 15. Pendleton 5-4 (351-100) HSSR Class AA Ranking (Entering Week 10 of Season, 10-31-2025) 1. Strom Thurmond 7-2 (3360141) 2. Clinton 7-3 (417-193) 3. Philip Simmons 7-2 (364-109) 4. Batesburg-Leesville- 6-3 (358-137) 5. Central 7-1 (299-98) 6. North Central 7-2 (207-152) 7. Timberland 7-2 (261-155) 8. East Clarendon 7-2 (246-78) 9. Hampton County 7-3 (364-150) 10. Andrew Jackson 5-4 (228-193) 11. Fairfield Central- 6-3 (295-163) 12. Saluda 5-4 (243-138) 13. Manning 6-3 (310-192) 14. Cheraw 5-4 (250-214) 15. Woodland 5-4 (248-203) HSSR Class A Football Ranking - (Entering Week 10 of Season, 10-31-2025) 1. Bamberg-Ehrhardt 9-0 (476-49) 2. Abbeville 7-2 (380-113) 3. Carvers Bay 9-0 (260-113) 4. Cross 8-1 (330-53) 5. Ware Shoals 9-0 (344-127) 6. Latta 7-1 (306-150) 7. HKT-7-2 (418-122) 8. Lamar 7-2 (332-263) 9. Johnsonville 6-2 (213-147) 10. Lewisville 6-3 (295-169) Scott’s Branch 6-2 (237-169) 12. Dixie 6-3 (285-256) 13. Baptist Hill 6-3 (290-109)) 14. Lake View 3-4 (107-140)) 15. Blackville-Hilda 4-5 (140-231) SCISA AAAA Football Ranking - (Entering Week 10 of Season, 10-31--2025) Northwood Academy 8-1 (357-103) 2. Hammond 8-1 (224-61) 3. Heathwood Hall 7-2 (207-69) 4. Laurence Manning 5-4 (246-178) 5. Porter Gaud 4-5 (254-152) 6. Ben Lippen 2-7 (113-247) SCISA AAA Football Ranking - (Entering Week 10 of Season, 10-31-2025) Wilson Hall 8-1 (328-134) Florence Christian 7-1 (213-127) Pinewood Prep 6-3 (386-187) 4. Trinity Collegiate 5-4 (249-184) 5. John Paul II 5-4 (213-252) 6. Hilton Head Christian 4-5 (265-348) SCISA AA Football Ranking - (Entering Week 10 of Season, 10-31-2025) 1. Bethesda Academy 8-0 (373-74) 2. Calhoun Academy 8-1 (368-147) 3. Greenwood Christian 702 (265-155) 4. Pee Dee Academy 5-3 (245-226) 5. Orangeburg Prep 6-3 (272-205) 6. Thomas Sumter 4-6 (240-277) SCISA Class A Football Ranking - (Entering Week 10 of Season, 10-31-2025) 1. Williamsburg Academy 7-1 (275-93) 2. Dorchester Academy 8-0 (330-85) 3. Colleton Prep-7-2 (318-144) 4. Beaufort Academy 6-3 (285-161) 5. Carolina Academy 4-5 (221-271) 6. Thomas Heyward 2-5 (199-203) SCISA 8-Man Football Ranking - (Entering Week 10 of Season, 10-31-2025) 1. Holly Hill Academy 9-0 (414-184) 2. WW King 9-0 (400-136) 3. Laurens Academy 8-1 (383-233) 4. Jefferson Davis 7-3 (362-260) 5. Kings Academy 5-4 (251-238) 6. Cathedral 5-4 (290-260)
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