Class 3A State Championship Preview

Who wants to run it back?   This year's 3A state championship will look just like last year's, as Belton-Honea Path and Oceanside Collegiate will meet to determine the state's best.   And that's not really a surprise.   The Landsharks made it look interesting early. An 0-2 start against tremendous competition was followed by a win over Dutch Fork that served notice to the state that Oceanside Collegiate was going to be just fine. That was the second of what is now 11 wins in a row, including a 38-7 thumping of Loris in the Lower State championship game.   BHP, meanwhile, has reeled off 14 straight wins and none of them have been particularly close. The Bears have failed to score 35 points one time, and that was a 34-3 third-round win over Woodruff. They've held 10 of those opponents below 10 points, and have three shutouts.   They've also done it in entirely different ways.   The Bears have reached the final on the back of a deep, veteran team with a stingy defense and a grind-it-out rushing attack. Their feature back, though, is new to being the main guy. [player_tooltip player_id='1639798' first='MJ' last='Earl'] has grown into his role after backing up the best player in school history.   "Last year, I didn't get to start," he said. "Marquise Henderson was a great player. This year, I just wanted to show what I can do."   He's shown plenty, with more than 1,200 rushing yards and two dozen scores, numbers held down by some of those lopsided margins that the Bears have put up. Earl said there's no secret to the success.   "It's just hard work," he said. "Our team always wants it. We've got a switch. We can cut it on. And when we do, we handle business. We feel like we're an all-around team that can do anything. Losing last year motivates us a lot."   That motivation is obvious, particularly on a swarming, ball-hawking defense. They've got 93 tackles for loss, with five players in double figures including [player_tooltip player_id='1592470' first='Kylan' last='Dixon'], who leads with 13. They've got a ridiculous plus-25 turnover margin, as [player_tooltip player_id='1372151' first='Jakyri' last='Anderson'] has four fumble recoveries while Dee Chester and [player_tooltip player_id='779428' first='Tajeh' last='Watson-Martin'] have four interceptions each. And they've piled up 27 sacks, led by seven from [player_tooltip player_id='1823140' first='Ty' last='Rainey'].   The Landsharks, meanwhile, throw it around at an incredible rate. QB [player_tooltip player_id='1094944' first='Aiden' last='Manavian'] is the catalyst, with nearly 4,000 passing yards and 40 touchdowns. Returning from a state championship season could result in a ton of pressure. Manavian said it's just a byproduct of success.   "To me, there really is no pressure when you have prepared and dedicated all of the time to this," he said. "It's like going to work to get paid. We have been focusing on every team week by week and focusing on getting that win at that moment. And we stay humble and don't let our heads get big."   Manavian has plenty of weapons at his disposal, guys like [player_tooltip player_id='1592182' first='Terence' last='Johnson'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1823853' first='Anthony' last='Williams'] who have combined for more than 2,000 receiving yards and 28 touchdowns. There's also [player_tooltip player_id='1821532' first='Zakhi' last='Muncey'], who's rushed for nearly 1,200 yards on the ground. And while the Landsharks have plenty of ways to hurt you on offense, they're just as potent on defense. A big, physical line allows guys like [player_tooltip player_id='1824759' first='Rhys' last='Meredith'] and Ro Parson to run around and make plays.   Both defenses are likely to be tested as much as they have been all year. Manavian will definitely be the best passer the Bears have seen. Belton-Honea Path's guy, though, has a little extra motivation.   LEGACY GAME   Belton-Honea Path quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='283891' first='Noah' last='Thomas'] doesn't need to do anything more to cement his legacy for the Bears. He's a tough, hard-nosed, dual-threat winner, part of a senior class that's won 50 games for BHP. He's shared the offensive backfield with the best player to put on a Bears uniform, and he's excelled. He's stepped up to lead in his senior year. But Thomas was knocked out of last year's 3A state title game with an injury, and when he went out, the Bears entire game plan had to change. He's back, he's driven, and he's just looking for a chance to put his name down among BHP's greats. He's already on that list. A big performance on a championship scale would put a huge exclamation mark on his career.   MATCHUP WITHIN THE MATCHUP   There's not a whole lot of mystery to what BHP has to do to win. The Bears have got to be able t to run the ball. Earl and Thomas are a potent 1-2 punch, and a lot of guys chip in with meaningful carries, as four more guys have between 200 and 400 rushing yards. But it all starts up front, and more specifically, it all starts in the middle of the offensive line. [player_tooltip player_id='1820561' first='Keylan' last='Dixon'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1820562' first='Keagan' last='Mosher'] are both four-year starters at guard for the Bears, and center [player_tooltip player_id='1823145' first='Brady' last='Spearman'] is as solid as they come. Along with tackles [player_tooltip player_id='1820569' first='McCray' last='Pruitt'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1823147' first='Carter' last='Burgess'], they sprung Earl for 177 yards and three TDs in the first half alone against Powdersville. They'll have to get it done against a stingy Landsharks defense that has totaled 142 tackles and 27 tackles for loss among the starting four of [player_tooltip player_id='1025774' first='Sawyer' last='Arnold'], Mike Jones, Jaxon Bean, and Joey Hariott. It's hard to overstate how important winning this matchup is.   UNDERCLASSMAN TO WATCH   There are good freshman seasons, and there's what [player_tooltip player_id='1818722' first='Malachi' last='Bohler'] has done for BHP. Bohler has stepped into a starting role on a loaded defense as a ninth-grader, and he's come away with 22 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and three interceptions. But he does so much more for the Bears. He's thrown a couple of touchdowns, rushed for one, and returned an interception for a score, and he's also a dangerous kick returner. Bohler has incredible speed, is a physical tackler, and is capable of being a difference maker despite his age.   X-FACTOR   A lot of the time, a team with a high-octane passing attack has a couple of advantages. They've typically got two great receivers who are matchup nightmares demanding coverage from the very best defensive backs the opposition can muster, and a third guy that nobody seems to be able to cover. Sound familiar? It should with Oceanside, and [player_tooltip player_id='1824234' first='Tyler' last='Garner'] is the wild card. He's third on the team in both receiving and receiving touchdowns, and he averages more than 17 yards per reception. You're likely not covering him with a linebacker, which in turn hurts your run defense a little bit. He's a guy who can make a huge difference if he's on.   TENTATIVE STARTING LINEUPS   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>BHP OFFENSE</td><td>OCEANSIDE DEFENSE</td><td>BHP DEFENSE</td><td>OCEANSIDE OFFENSE</td></tr><tr><td>QB Noah A Thomas</td><td>DE [player_tooltip player_id='1025774' first='Sawyer' last='Arnold']</td><td>DE [player_tooltip player_id='1823140' first='Ty' last='Rainey']</td><td>QB [player_tooltip player_id='1094944' first='Aiden' last='Manavian']</td></tr><tr><td>RB [player_tooltip player_id='1639798' first='MJ' last='Earl']</td><td>DT Mike Jones</td><td>DT [player_tooltip player_id='1592470' first='Kylan' last='Dixon']</td><td>RB [player_tooltip player_id='1821532' first='Zakhi' last='Muncey']</td></tr><tr><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='779428' first='Tajeh' last='Watson-Martin']</td><td>N Jaxon Bean</td><td>N Jamarion Glenn</td><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='1674386' first='Cooper' last='Webb']</td></tr><tr><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='1818720' first='Jaden' last='Glenn']</td><td>DE [player_tooltip player_id='1821531' first='Joey' last='Harriott']</td><td>DE [player_tooltip player_id='1823143' first='Kanaza' last='Bryant']</td><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='1592182' first='Terence' last='Johnson']</td></tr><tr><td>TE [player_tooltip player_id='1824433' first='Nick' last='Sargent']</td><td>LB [player_tooltip player_id='1824759' first='Rhys' last='Meredith']</td><td>LB Ty Dubose</td><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='1295653' first='Ethan' last='Ranew']</td></tr><tr><td>TE [player_tooltip player_id='1591196' first='Brody' last='Riddle']</td><td>LB Ro Parson</td><td>LB [player_tooltip player_id='1372151' first='Jakyri' last='Anderson']</td><td>WR [player_tooltip player_id='1823853' first='Anthony' last='Williams']</td></tr><tr><td>LT [player_tooltip player_id='1820569' first='McCray' last='Pruitt']</td><td>LB Tyler Stafford</td><td>OLB KJ Miles</td><td>LT Mike Jones</td></tr><tr><td>LG [player_tooltip player_id='1820562' first='Keagan' last='Mosher']</td><td>S Cole Gaspar</td><td>SS Dee Chester</td><td>LG Grant Castello</td></tr><tr><td>C [player_tooltip player_id='1823145' first='Brady' last='Spearman']</td><td>S [player_tooltip player_id='1824235' first='Michael' last='Strickler']</td><td>CB [player_tooltip player_id='779428' first='Tajeh' last='Watson-Martin']</td><td>C [player_tooltip player_id='1821530' first='Luke' last='Crady']</td></tr><tr><td>RG [player_tooltip player_id='1820561' first='Keylan' last='Dixon']</td><td>CB [player_tooltip player_id='1771847' first='Jordan' last='Wright']</td><td>CB [player_tooltip player_id='1818722' first='Malachi' last='Bohler']</td><td>RG [player_tooltip player_id='1824233' first='JB' last='Crady']</td></tr><tr><td>RT [player_tooltip player_id='1823147' first='Carter' last='Burgess']</td><td>CB [player_tooltip player_id='1155334' first='Damonte' last='Green']</td><td>FS [player_tooltip player_id='1823146' first='Grady' last='Melton']</td><td>RT [player_tooltip player_id='1320686' first='Lamareon' last='Thompson']</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

Who wants to run it back?