49 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com opening minute, winning 22-5. Lower State neighbor and semifinalist Bishop England was expected to be tougher, but OCA again had too many guns, firing their way to an 18-2 shellacking. In the May 5 championship at Irmo High School, facing a May River Sharks team that had never been to a state final before, the Landsharks made it look almost too easy with a definitive 22-2 win. Standouts and leaders, which included practically the whole team were: • Senior defender Alex Seaton, committed to play at VMI next year. • Senior attacker Carter Gregory, who has been offered a scholarship to St. John’s University. • Senior goalie Gavan Harrison, playing like a wall with hands in the playoffs. • Senior midfielder A.J. Zarzaca, balancing the attack and defense. • Freshmen attackers Ian Long and Cole Bradford, who are looking to be integral to future OCA teams. “The senior class came to Oceanside with championship expectations, watching the 2018 and 2019 championships, but it was a harder road than all of us might have anticipated,” Harris said. “So I’m really happy they got to close out their stellar careers with a trophy — and helped create and cultivate Oceanside lacrosse culture. They will be missed.” Oceanside Boys Tennis Not to be outdone by any of its other school championship teams, the Oceanside Collegiate Academy boys tennis team bageled all three of its AAA playoff opponents such that even the shutouts seemed far more lopsided than the final score. They started with a 6-0 match win against Academic Magnet, followed by another 6-0 win over Green Sea Floyds, and then in the May 10 final in Columbia against Clinton, the Landsharks again prevailed 6-0. “On the season, we finished 18-0 and were 16th-ranked nationally by Universal Tennis Ratings Power 6 ratings,” said fifth-year head coach Shawn Harris, who splits coaching duties with assistant Carlos Lozano. “The team had great team chemistry both on and off the tennis court.” The team played well from the beginning, winning the 16-team preseason High School Team Tennis Tournament, in which the Landsharks went undefeated and never lost an individual match. Standouts included: • Four-time team state champion and senior captain Alex Lozano, undefeated during the regular season and team playoffs, and now a Citadel scholarship commit. • All-state freshman William Claus, also undefeated during the regular season, playoffs and in the Individual State Championships. • Three-time state champion and junior co-captain Luke Skillman, also undefeated during the regular season and during playoffs. • All-State freshman Oliver Pfarr, who was also undefeated during the regular season and playoffs. “Each of these student athletes not only did well on the tennis court, but also in the classroom,” Harris said. The 2025 state final win was the Landsharks fifth in a row, and even at this early stage, next year’s trophy is already looking like a shoo-in. “The outlook for next season is to pursue our sixth straight team championship,” Harris said. “And since we only lose our Citadel commit, Alex Lozano, we feel pretty good about next season.” our sports Oceanside boys lacrosse secure their third state title in school history. Oceanside boys tennis claims fifth consecutive state title.
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