2025 Round 5 Bear Tracks

The shortest road trip of the season carried the heaviest weight of expectations, a mere 26 miles to Powdersville for a game that would determine everything this perfect season had been building toward. BHP rolled into enemy territory carrying that unblemished 13-0 record, facing a Patriots squad that had proven their championship mettle all season long at 11-2, and the electricity in the air suggested we were about to witness something that would define this senior class and cement their legacy in program history. All week long, Bear Nation had been holding its collective breath about Powdersville's aerial attack, about Keagan Reid's cannon arm and those lightning-quick receivers who could stretch the field in ways BHP hadn't seen all season, about a special teams unit that could flip momentum in a heartbeat, and about a defense that might actually be better than their explosive offense suggested. The preview painted a picture of the scariest matchup in recent memory, a game where one broken coverage or missed assignment could derail everything, where BHP would need to impose their physicality from the opening whistle and never let Powdersville believe they had a chance. What unfolded Friday night was something Bear Nation has witnessed repeatedly this season but never grows tired of seeing, a comprehensive, suffocating, utterly dominant performance that answered every question and silenced every doubt.

Powdersville took the opening kick, and within three passes, they were punting the ball right back to the Bears, the first indication that this defensive game plan was hitting on all cylinders. BHP's offense grinded out ten plays to march 63 yards downfield, with MJ Earl punching in a 3-yard touchdown run that set the tone for what would become a historic evening for the senior running back. On the very next offensive snap for the Patriots, KJ Miles jumped a pass route with the kind of instinctive anticipation that separates good defensive backs from great ones, coming down with an interception that had Bear Nation thinking the rout might start early. But Powdersville showed exactly why they had earned their way to this championship game, their defense digging in and forcing BHP into a three-and-out that kept the contest from spiraling away. The Patriots couldn't capitalize on that defensive stand, going three-and-out themselves and punting back to an offense that was just starting to find its rhythm and establish the physical dominance everyone knew was coming.

The Bears responded with another methodical 10-play, 63-yard drive that showcased the kind of relentless, grinding football that wears down defenses and breaks opponent spirits, with Earl capping the march with another 3-yard touchdown plunge that pushed the lead to 14-0. For a brief moment, the Patriots offense found some breathing room, putting together a crisp 5-play, 49-yard drive that culminated in a 34-yard touchdown pass, cutting the deficit to 14-7 with just under ten minutes remaining in the first half. That score seemed to shift something in the stadium atmosphere, a tangible sense that maybe Powdersville could hang around like they had all season in close games, maybe this wouldn't be the blowout some expected, maybe their offensive weapons could indeed challenge this vaunted Bears defense. BHP's next drive stalled, and when Powdersville took over on downs, they had a golden opportunity to put together a game-tying drive and really inject some doubt into the Bears' perfect season. But this defense had no interest in allowing that narrative to develop, and on third down, Jacus Paul came sprinting from his safety position, picking off the pass and swinging momentum right back to the BHP offense.

One play later, MJ Earl took a handoff, patiently found a seam, and exploded through the Powdersville defense for a 64-yard touchdown that restored the two-score advantage and sent a message that this game was going to be decided on BHP's terms. With just 65 seconds left in the first half and trailing 21-7, Powdersville showed their fighting spirit by driving 36 yards into the red zone, looking to grab some points before the break and keep their championship hopes alive. But with 30 seconds remaining, their quarterback Keagan Reid took a QB draw up the middle, absorbed a hit, and left the game with what appeared to be a leg injury, a devastating blow that would fundamentally alter the second half dynamics. Reid wouldn't return, taking with him that aerial attack that had kept defensive coordinators awake all season. The Patriots couldn't punch in a score before halftime, and the Bears took that 21-7 lead into the locker room knowing they would receive the second-half kickoff and could put this game away if they executed their game plan.

BHP came out of the break and proceeded to do exactly what championship teams do, marching 79 yards downfield with the kind of physical, punishing drive that leaves defenses gasping for air, aided by two personal foul penalties that suggested Powdersville's frustration was beginning to show. MJ Earl powered in his fourth rushing touchdown of the night with nine minutes left in the third quarter, pushing the lead to 28-7 and effectively putting the game out of reach. What followed was a defensive clinic that will be studied and remembered for years to come, a second-half performance that completely shut down any hope the Patriots harbored of mounting a comeback. Powdersville's remaining drives read like a defensive coordinator's dream sequence: punt, turnover, turnover on downs, punt, turnover on downs, a parade of failure that accumulated just 29 total yards while the BHP defense squeezed tighter and tighter, suffocating any attempt at offensive rhythm and making it clear that this Upper State Championship would be coming back to Bear Nation. The offense tacked on another fourth-quarter score to bring the final tally to 35-7, a margin that accurately reflected the gap between these two teams on this particular night.

When the final statistics rolled in, they told the story of complete and utter domination, with BHP rushing for 360 yards behind an offensive line that opened canyon-sized holes and a running back who exploited every gap with devastating efficiency. MJ Earl's 212 rushing yards came on an astounding 10.1 yards per carry average, the kind of explosive efficiency that turns good performances into legendary ones, punctuated by those four rushing touchdowns. The defense held Powdersville to numbers that seem almost impossible in modern high school football, allowing just 29 second-half yards after Reid's injury fundamentally changed the Patriots' offensive capabilities and forced them into a dimension of football they weren't built to win in.

This victory handed BHP their third overall Upper State Championship and their second consecutive title, adding another trophy to a case that continues to overflow with hardware from this remarkable era of Bears football. The dominance has become almost routine, with every single game this season decided by 23 or more points, all but one won by four touchdowns or more, a level of consistent superiority that speaks to the thoroughness of this team's preparation and the gap between their talent level and execution compared to everyone else in their classification. But all this accomplishment does is purchase the privilege to practice in December, to extend this magical season one more week, and to set up the ultimate challenge and opportunity.

That opportunity comes in the form of a rematch with the Oceanside Collegiate Landsharks for the state championship, a chance to complete the mission this team set out to accomplish from the final whistle last season when they began preparing for this moment. The path has been cleared, the obstacles have been systematically removed, and now stands just one final test between this senior class and immortality. Fifty-one career wins for this senior group, an undefeated season, and a state championship trophy all remain within reach, waiting to be claimed by a team that has proven over and over that they belong in this exact position. Bear Fans, the stage is set, and these Big Bad Bears are ready to finish what they started.



Round 5 Preview



It is all set. Everything the Bears have been building toward since that final whistle blew last season has arrived at this singular moment. The undefeated BHP Bears will take the field Friday at noon against the 12-2 Oceanside Collegiate Academy Landsharks with the State Championship hanging in the balance, and Bear Nation has waited far too long for this game.

This matchup carries the weight of last season's championship game, though this contest stands entirely on its own merit and demands to be evaluated through a fresh lens. Oceanside enters this game as the reigning 3A State Champions and the 2023 2A State Champions, gunning for a three-peat that would cement their legacy as one of the great dynasties in South Carolina high school football history. That pedigree alone tells you everything you need to know about the caliber of opponent standing between the Bears and the trophy that has eluded this program for over two decades.

The Landsharks navigated a brutal schedule this season that included heavyweight matchups designed to prepare them for exactly this kind of moment. They opened with a 35-28 loss to Irmo and followed that with a 59-49 shootout loss to Calvary Day out of Georgia, but those early setbacks only sharpened their edge for what followed. Oceanside then rattled off twelve consecutive victories, including impressive wins over Savannah Christian (41-21), Ashley Ridge (35-21), and, perhaps most notably, a 24-20 victory over Dutch Fork that announced their arrival as the leading championship contender. The dominance continued through region play with blowout victories over Hanahan (49-8), North Charleston (49-6), Battery Creek (45-0), and Orangeburg-Wilkerson (49-13) before they dispatched Georgetown (49-15), Marlboro County (24-7), Dillon (42-0), and Loris (38-7) in the playoffs.

Plenty of talk this week will center on Oceanside's non-region slate, with analysts dissecting that seven-point loss to Irmo or the competitive showing against Calvary Day, while others will fixate on the victories over Dutch Fork and Ashley Ridge as proof of their top potential. All of those games were extremely impressive in their own right, but when noon on Friday arrives and the whistle blows, only one game will matter. The past is prologue, and what happens at noon will be written in its own chapter of history.

BHP knows all too well how this Oceanside team operates, having studied their tendencies and absorbed their punches just last season. Offensively, the Landsharks live through the air, and the reason for that aerial assault is junior quarterback Aiden Manavian, who I personally believe is the top passer in the entire state of South Carolina, and plenty of folks who watch this game closely would agree with that assessment. Manavian has commanded the helm for the past two state championship runs, starting this journey back in 2023 as a freshman with poise that belied his age. This season he leads the state with 3,875 passing yards, but raw statistics only tell part of his story. What separates Manavian from the pack is his uncanny ability to elevate his performance when the spotlight burns brightest and the stakes climb highest. Last season against the Bears he carved up the defense for 327 yards and four touchdowns on just 26 passes, demonstrating the efficiency and precision that makes him so dangerous. Against Calvary Day he torched them for 454 yards and five scores, and when Dutch Fork came calling he responded with 285 passing yards and three touchdowns. The young man simply refuses to wilt when the pressure intensifies.

Manavian's favorite weapon is senior receiver Terence Johnson, who has hauled in 55 receptions for 1,139 yards and 17 touchdowns this season while establishing himself as one of the most versatile playmakers in the state. Johnson creates nightmares for defensive coordinators because he threatens you from multiple alignments and positions, lining up out wide to stretch the field vertically before sliding into the backfield to punish you with his physicality as a rusher. Just last week against Loris he carried the ball three times for 64 yards and two touchdowns, showcasing the creative ways Oceanside deploys this athletic, physical specimen. Johnson will represent South Carolina in the Shrine Bowl after the season concludes, and he already made his presence felt against BHP last year with five receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown. The Bears' defense certainly has not forgotten what he can do when given space to operate.

Johnson commands plenty of attention, but the Landsharks spread the wealth with remarkable balance across their receiving corps. Oceanside boasts five receivers with more than 400 yards on the season, creating a distribution problem that forces defenses to pick their poison on every snap. Anthony Williams has been nearly as productive as Johnson with 59 catches for 995 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Tyler Garner has contributed 33 receptions for 570 yards and five scores. Cooper Webb adds another dimension with 34 catches for 494 yards and four touchdowns, and Ethan Ranew rounds out the group with 25 receptions for 441 yards and four trips to the end zone. This offense may not be balanced between run and pass, but they achieve balance through the democratic way they distribute opportunities to their playmakers, ensuring no defense can simply key on one or two receivers without getting burned by the others.

The rushing attack may take a backseat to the passing game in terms of volume, but running back Zakhi Muncey brings serious talent to the table with 1,176 yards on 158 carries and 12 touchdowns this season. Muncey also serves as a dangerous outlet in the passing game with 30 receptions for 251 yards, giving Manavian another weapon when the pocket collapses and he needs a safety valve to move the chains. The dual threat capability makes Muncey more than just a complementary piece in this offense.

Just like BHP, everything Oceanside accomplishes starts up front with the big fellas, and the Landsharks might possess the best offensive line in the entire state. Guard Lamareon Thompson anchors the unit at 6'3" and 314 pounds, while tackle Mike Jones brings 6'1" and 290 pounds of controlled power to his position. Jones earned an invitation to the North South game while Thompson will join Johnson in the Shrine Bowl, recognition that speaks to their dominance throughout the season. Alongside these two bulldozers, Grant Castello at 6'3" and 275 pounds, Luke Crady at 6'1" and 235 pounds, and JB Crady at 6'1" and 231 pounds complete the front five. These five road graders average right around 270 pounds and have paved the way for Oceanside's offensive success all season long, giving Manavian the time he needs to dissect defenses and opening lanes for Muncey to exploit.

Defensively, the Landsharks possess the versatility and talent to shut down any offense in the state, and this unit thrives on its ability to present multiple looks and disguise coverages that confuse even experienced quarterbacks. Most often Oceanside aligns in a traditional four-down lineman front, but they seamlessly transition to a three-man line when the situation demands a different approach. Those defensive linemen bring serious credentials to the table, led by Shrine Bowl selection Sawyer Arnold, who represents the textbook defensive end in modern football. Arnold possesses the long arms to disengage from blocks, the flexibility to bend around tackles, the speed to chase down plays from the backside, and the athleticism to drop into coverage when the scheme requires it. He creates constant problems for offensive coordinators trying to account for his presence.

The linebacker corps might actually be the star unit on this side of the ball, and while this group lacks the same size that last season's unit brought to the field, the four primary linebackers comprise the fastest and most aggressive collection BHP has faced all year. Their pursuit angles and closing speed make them nightmares in space, and they flow to the ball with a violence that intimidates even physical running backs who think they can lower their shoulder and gain extra yards after contact.

The backend of this defense rounds out one of the most versatile, intelligent, and ruthless secondaries in South Carolina. This group runs multiple coverages and alignments, keeping offenses guessing about whether they face man coverage, zone principles, or some hybrid combination designed to create confusion and generate turnovers. Junior Cole Gaspar and Damonte Green anchor the secondary, with both defensive backs recording four interceptions on the season while demonstrating the ball skills and football IQ that turn good defenses into great ones.

This represents the best team BHP will face all season, which is exactly what we expect when you reach the State Championship game and square off against an opponent that has already climbed this mountain twice in the past two years. The more you study Oceanside's roster and watch their film, the clearer it becomes that this team excels at every level, from the trenches to the skill positions to the backend of their defense. With arguably the best passer in the state orchestrating their offense and a defense capable of suffocating even the most explosive attacks, it will require a monumental effort from BHP to capture the title that has eluded this program for over twenty years.

However, I believe four key factors will determine whether the Bears emerge victorious Friday afternoon. First, defensively, BHP must be both physical and relentless in every aspect of their performance. Physical in the way they wrap up and finish tackles, physical in the way they pressure Manavian and collapse the pocket, and physical in the way they make every Oceanside player know they are in for a four-quarter war. Relentless means finishing plays and finishing drives without giving the Landsharks second chances to extend possessions. Just last week against Loris there were multiple long gains and even touchdowns where Loris defenders found themselves in position and made initial contact but failed to bring the runner down. Terence Johnson turned a 15-yard reception into a 40-yard explosive play through broken tackles, and he did the same thing on his long touchdown run on fourth and one. BHP cannot allow those kinds of plays to derail drives. Beyond that, when the Bears get Oceanside in difficult down and distance situations, they must capitalize and get off the field. This offense is so prolific that being backed up on second or third down does not dramatically hurt their chances of moving the chains, which means BHP has to convert those opportunities into punts rather than allowing Manavian another chance to work his magic.

Offensively, BHP must be efficient with every possession because you cannot afford to go multiple drives without putting points on the board against a team this talented. The Bears need to possess the football and keep that dangerous Oceanside defense on the field through sustained drives that grind clock and impose physical will. This approach serves dual purposes by keeping your own defense fresh on the sideline while keeping Manavian and his weapons standing on the bench watching the clock tick away. Efficiency also demands limiting negative yardage plays that put the offense behind the chains and force obvious passing situations. To sustain drives and maintain possession, you have to convert first downs consistently, and the best way to do that is working in manageable second and short or third and short scenarios where you can stay balanced and keep the defense guessing about your intentions.

This next point may be the biggest indicator of success and perhaps the most familiar refrain you will hear all week. BHP has to win the turnover battle if they want to hoist that trophy Friday afternoon. The Bears have forced a takeaway in every single game this season, and Friday it may require more than one to swing momentum and put Oceanside on its heels. Ball security on offense becomes paramount for both runners and receivers, with every player understanding that the football represents their most precious possession and cannot be surrendered carelessly. This principle extends to the quarterback position, where accuracy and decision-making take on heightened importance against a secondary this athletic and opportunistic. The Landshark defense flies to the ball at every level, and any pass that hangs in the air too long or gets thrown into tight coverage invites disaster.

Lastly, I believe BHP will manufacture a game-changing play on special teams that tilts the field and shifts momentum decisively in their favor. Whether it comes in the form of a massive return that flips field position or a blocked punt that gives the offense a short field, I have a feeling that special teams will play a starring role in this championship game. The Bears have demonstrated all season their ability to create explosive moments in the kicking game, and I believe Friday will showcase that talent on the biggest stage.

Plenty of people will spend this week talking about revenge for last season's result or debating private versus public school or fixating on any number of storylines that ultimately do not matter when the ball is kicked off at noon this Friday. The only thing that matters is Them Big Bad Bears stepping onto that field with absolute confidence in their ability to win and then performing at the level we all know they can reach when everything is on the line.

Friday afternoon, as we all load up our vehicles and form that caravan heading back toward Belton and Honea Path, take a moment to reflect on this team, this remarkable season, and all the players who have dreamed of this opportunity since they first strapped on a helmet. Then, as those big charter buses roll through Main Street in Honea Path with the team aboard, make sure you cheer loud enough to shake the windows because those boys will have a championship trophy in hand, and Bear Nation will finally celebrate the title we have waited so long to claim.



Previous Matchup 2024 State Championship Game Stats



Score: BHP 17 -- Oceanside 35

2024 State Championship Stats:
Team Rushing: 59 rushes for 234 yards and 2 TDs
Team Passing: 4/7/0 for 16 yards
Team Total: 66 plays for 250 yards and 2 TDs

Rushing Leader: #3 Marquise Henderson - 42 rushes for 188 yards and 1 TD
Passing Leader: #7 Noah Thomas - 3/4/0 for 9 yards
Receiving Leader: #5 Tajeh Watson-Martin - 4 receptions for 16 yards
Defensive Leader: #6 KJ Miles - 3 solo, 2 assist, 1 QB hurry, 1 INT, 1 pass break-up and 25 defensive points

2024 State Championship Oceanside Offensive Stats:
Team Rushing: 14 rushes for 23 yards and 1 TD
Team Passing: 21/26/1 for 327 yards and 4 TDs
Team Total: 40 plays for 350 yards and 5 TDs

Rushing Leader: #10 Aiden Manavian - 7 rushes for 14 yards
Passing Leader: #10 Aiden Manavian - 21/26/1 for 327 yards and 4 TDs
Receiving Leader: #7 Will Virgilio - 5 Receptions for 134 yards



Quick Stats

 

 



Wrap Up



The moment has arrived, Bear Fans, and everything we have witnessed throughout this remarkable season has been building toward this singular Friday afternoon when Them Bears will step onto that field carrying the hopes and dreams of an entire community on their shoulders. This senior class has proven over and over that they possess the talent, the preparation, the heart, and the unwavering determination required to finish what they started, and I believe with every fiber of my being that when the final whistle blows and medals are awarded, those Big Bad Bears will be standing tall as state champions. The wait ends Friday at noon, so pack your vehicles, wear your navy and red, and get ready to witness history being written by a team that has earned every single opportunity now within their grasp.


Prediction: BHP 35 - Oceanside 28

We want to see every Bear Fan packed into those home stands at SC State this Friday to support Them Big Bad Bears. If you can't, stay connected and get instant notifications when our posts drop by following us on Facebook and X. This season brings something special to the table, so make sure to subscribe to The Bear Rumble Podcast where myself and some special guests dive deep into all things BHP football. Stay plugged in, because come Friday, we'll be dropping the GameDay Graphic and providing live tweets with stats and highlights throughout the entire game.

Comments