Oceanside Collegiate seeks third consecutive football state championship
Landsharks to take on Belton-Honea Path again for AAA crown
Mt. Pleasant – In his first season as the head football coach at Oceanside Collegiate, Brent LaPrad has the Oceanside Collegiate Academy Landsharks in the 2025 Class AAA state championship game.
However, this is not LaPrad’s first rodeo with the Landsharks. The coach was the team’s defensive coordinator for the last two seasons, both of which ended with state titles. The Landsharks won the AA state championship in 2023 and captured the AAA crown last season,
“We expect a real challenge,” said LaPrad, who also won a state title in 2015 as the defensive coordinator at Fort Dorchester. “They are well-coached, always in position, and they execute at a high level. They don’t make mistakes and we will have to take advantage of every opportunity. It should be a great game. We’re going to try to do our part to make it a great game.”
The Landsharks enter the finals having won 12 straight games since opening the season with losses to Irmo (35-28) and Calvary Day of Georgia (59-49). While the two early losses raised some eyebrows around the Palmetto State, LaPrad remained confident that his team would rebound and be a state title contender.
“I knew what we had in terms of character and I knew we would get our share of wins,” the coach said. “We had some things to work out and those two games clearly let us know what our issues were at that point of the season. I also knew our guys would put in the work to get better. These kids have a very competitive spirit. I wasn’t worried.”
After allowing 94 points in the first two games, the Landsharks allowed just 9.8 points per game during the 12-game winning streak. They enter the championship game having allowed just one touchdown in their last two playoff games, which included a 42-0 win over Dillon and a 38-7 win over Loris.
The Landsharks notched their first win of the season in their third game then faced AAAAA programs Ashley Ridge and Dutch Fork on consecutive weeks. OCA rallied from a 14-0 for quarter deficit to beat Ashley Ridge, 35-21, then ended perennial power Dutch Fork’s 24-game winning streak with a 24-20 win. Those two wins changed the season.
“The second-half of the Ashley Ridge game was the turning point,” LaPrad said. “We decided at halftime that we were going to run the football, win or lose. We came out and dominated the second half. We played physical and we played mad. It got us rolling.”
The run game has continued to bring a healthy balance to a lethal passing attack and the offense has been unstoppable. Senior Zahki Muncey has been the primary worker in the run game with nearly 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also has 30 receptions on the season.
Junior quarterback Aiden Manavian will be playing in his third championship game and has passed for more than 8,000 yards in his career. This season, Manavian has completed 70 percent of his attempts for 3,875 yards and 40 touchdowns.
Five receivers have caught at least 25 passes this season, led by senior Terence Johnson and junior Anthony Williams. Johnson, a Shrine Bowl all-star game selection, has 55 catches for 1,139 yards and 17 touchdowns, while Williams has 59 receptions for 995 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Sophomore Tyler Garner (33-570-5 TD), junior Cooper Webb (34-494-4 TD) and senior Ethan Ranew (25-441-4 TD) are threats in the passing game.
Senior left tackle Mike Jones anchors the offensive line while also playing on the defensive line. Guard JB Crady also is a returning starter while Luke Crady starts at center. Senior Lamareon Thompson starts at right tackle and Grant Castello is the other starting guard.
“Those guys up front have been very consistent and have really developed good chemistry,” LaPrad said. “From pass protection to getting physical in the run game, it all starts with those guys.”
Jones and senior end Sawyer Arnold lead along the defensive line as returning starters. Jones, headed to Wofford, has 43 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Arnold, committed to Appalachian State, has 33 tackles, seven for loss, and 4.5 sacks.
Senior Joey Harriott (40 tackles, 10 for loss, 6 sacks) and junior Jaxson Bean (26 tackles) also start up front. Senior linebacker Rhys Meredith leads the team with 92 tackles, and junior Michael Strickler has 61 tackles from the secondary. Junior Cole Gasper has a team-high four interceptions. Romaum Parson and Tyler Stafford also work at linebacker while Jordan Wright and Titus Gilliam work in the secondary.
Jackson Summey and Nate Thrift, both sophomores, handle the kicking duties.
As a unit, the defense has 12 interceptions, 16 sacks and 46 tackles for loss.
“We had good experience back along the front but a lot of new faces behind them,” LaPrad said. “We had to find out some things early but those guys have really worked hard and have become a very good group. They’ve been really solid down the stretch, especially in the playoffs.”
Offensive Starters
OL – 77 – Lamareon Thompson
OL – 56 – JB Crady
OL – 73 – Luke Crady
OL – 54 – Grant Castello
OL – 70 – Mike Jones
QB – 10 – Aiden Manavian
RB – 15 – Zahki Muncey
WR – 88 – Terence Johnson
WR – 2 - Anthony Williams
WR – 6 - Cooper Webb
WR – 3 - Ethan Ranew
PK - 7 - Jackson Summey
Defensive Starters
DL – 0 - Sawyer Arnold
DL - 52 - Jaxson Bean
DL – 11 – Joey Harriott
DL – 70 – Mike Jones
LB - 9 – Rhya Meredith
LB – 24 – Romaum Parson
LB – 33 - Tyler Stafford
DB - 1 – Michael Strickler
DB - 8 - Cole Gaspar
DB - 5 - Jordan Wright
DB – 12 – Titus Gilliam
State Championships
At Oliver C. Dawson Stadium
In Orangeburg
Friday, December 5
3A
Belton-Honea Path (14-0) vs. Oceanside Collegiate (12-2), 12:06 p.m.
1A
Lamar (12-2) vs. Bamberg-Ehrhardt (14-0), 4:06 p.m.
5A Division II
Northwestern (12-1) vs. Irmo (12-1), 7:36 p.m.
Saturday December 6
4A
South Pointe (13-1) vs. South Florence (13-1), 12:06 p.m.
2A
Strom Thurmond (12-2) vs. Hampton County (11-3), 4:06 p.m.
5A Division I
Dutch Fork (11-1) vs. Summerville (12-2), 7:36 p.m.
