Oceanside Collegiate won its third-straight high school football championship in the state of South Carolina on Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, the final score was overshadowed by an ugly brawl with Belton-Honea Path that took place during the postgame celebration.
It sparked a larger conversation about the structure of the state championship games.
This incident will likely force the state to reevaluate its approach to the high school football playoffs. However, when push quite literally comes to shove, the coaches need to keep their players in check.
Oceanside Collegiate dominated Belton-Honea Path.
Friday served as a rematch of last year’s Class AAA state final at South Carolina State University. Oceanside Collegiate entered the weekend at 12-2. Belton-Honea Path was undefeated at 14-0.
Not anymore!
The Landsharks defeated the Bears for the second year in a row to defend its state championship by a final score of 28-7. They held their opponent to just 204 yards of total offensive with only nine first downs, which ultimately proved to be the difference on a rainy afternoon in Orangeburg.
And not only was it wet, it was chippy. These two teams have a history. They are two of the most dominant programs in the state. They played each other on this same day last season.
As a result of the heightened tensions, Oceanside Collegiate and Belton-Honea Path combined for more than a half-dozen personal foul or unsportsmanlike conduct penalties over 48 minutes.
Unfortunately, that aggressiveness reached its boiling point after the clock hit zero. A brawl broke out on the sideline.
Some postgame extracurriculars between Belton-Honea Path & Oceanside Collegiate. pic.twitter.com/amaDXFnE1Z
— Movin’ The Chains (@MovinChains) December 5, 2025
The fight started up right as players were finishing up their postgame handshakes and took several minutes for coaches and officials to separate.
Brawl at end of BHP and Oceanside Collegiate game pic.twitter.com/Nl0DTwOzOf
— Lou Bezjak (@LouatTheState) December 5, 2025
The Bears had at least one player who swung his helmet like a weapon and stomped on an opponent.
My look at the brawl after the Oceanside- BHP State Championship game. pic.twitter.com/3adSXmatQj
— Scott Eisberg (@SEisbergWCIV) December 5, 2025
It was an ugly way to end the South Carolina high school football state championship. An investigation by the Palmetto State athletic association will determine if either team will be punished.
Is the South Carolina high school football system to blame?
Oceanside Collegiate head coach Brent LaPrad blamed Belton-Honea Path for the brawl. He claims the players escalated a situation started by the fans.
“They had some fans that were doing a lot of talking,” he told The Post and Courier. “They had a few players hit our coaches and our players. It was bad. Everyone hates losing, but when you lose you need to take it like a man and move on.”
They acted like sore losers.
His players agree.
LaPrad also shared the following video:
— Brent LaPrad (@CoachLaPradOCA) December 5, 2025
Belton-Honea Path head coach Russell Blackston offered a different perspective. Although he is sorry for what happened and for the role his team played in the altercation, he questions the format of the playoff.
More than one state championship game is played on the same field on the same day. Games are stacked on top of each other to be as efficient with time as possible. As a result, the two teams that are on the field playing in the current game do not go back into the locker room when the game is finished. The next two teams getting ready to play get to use the locker rooms before their game starts.
Blackston condemned the South Carolina High School League for its role in the brawl. He did not have anywhere to take his players after the game ended to remove them from the hostile situation.
Landsharks athletes spilled over to the Bears’ side of the field during their celebration. The Bears let their frustrations with the loss get the best of them.
Their coach could not send them back to the locker room because the locker room was already being used by another team. Mayhem ensued.