What We Saw: Oceanside Collegiate 42, Hampton County 21

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='239076' first='Zion' last='Dobson']</strong> broke a breathtaking 77-yard run to the house for the second half lead, the Hampton County faithful were starting to feel it.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But it took just a few plays - and a few fortunate bounces - for Oceanside Collegiate to change the script on a dime.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After trailing 21-14 on Dobson's run, freshman quarterback <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1094944' first='Aiden' last='Manavian'] </strong>and the Landsharks rattled off 28 unanswered points in the third quarter to take control and roll past Hampton County 42-21 to clinch the 2023 2A Lower State title on Friday at Charleston County School District Stadium.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Oceanside will travel to South Carolina State University on Thursday night to face Gray Collegiate for the 2A championship, marking the second consecutive title-game appearance for Chad Wilkes' squad.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Landsharks used explosive plays on all three phases to surge to victory, and Manavian was the spark his team needed to lead a memorable third quarter. Stepping in as the next man up after senior <strong>Edward Reidenbach</strong> saw his season end to injury, Manavian slung a perfect bullet to <strong>CJ Moskos</strong> who did the rest, evading a defender near midfield and turning on the afterburners for an 88-yard touchdown. It was the hallmark play of a phenomenal outing for Manavian, who overcame waves of tremendous Hampton County pressure to throw for 226 yards and four touchdowns. After stopping three straight run plays, the Landsharks' special teams unit made their mark. A blocked punt was scooped up thanks to the quick hustle of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='809752' first='Grayson' last='Freeling']</strong> for the go-ahead score. They did it again on the ensuing kickoff, as Moskos beat a swarm of Hurricanes to the loose football after a hungry Oceanside unit stripped it away. Manavian made the visitors pay, working it to the outside for three straight completions including a a gritty 13-yard catch and run from <strong>Trey Brown</strong>. A few untimely Hampton County plays turned into a 28-point third-quarter avalanche for the Landsharks. Dynamic playmaker <strong>Will Virgilio</strong> came up aces for Oceanside, grabbing a pair of receptions for 46 yards and a score, while athletic 6-foot-1 receiver <strong>Gavin Gaspar</strong> opened the scoring with a gorgeous 40-yard catch in stride in the opening quarter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Anchored by a rock-solid performance by lineman <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='139300' first='Ben' last='Britton']</strong>, the Landsharks played opportunistic defense and forced a key turnover early on. With Hampton County quarterback <strong>Chris Terry </strong>scrambling in the pocket, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='589056' first='Miles' last='Robinson'] </strong>anticipated his throw to the left sideline and returned it the distance for a 14-0 Oceanside lead. Britton had his fingerprints all over this one, showing nonstop grit down the stretch to create pressure on Terry and pick up a crucial sack. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='809745' first='Max' last='Moorman']</strong> put his electric quickness and footwork on display from his spot at linebacker, and sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='816747' first='Michael' last='Jones'] </strong>stepped up with a couple textbook stops close to the line of scrimmage. Oceanside's secondary was terrific late in the ballgame, closing up room for Terry to fit balls in thanks to excellent one-on-one defense from junior Nate Sturm and terrific heads-up play all night long from Freeling and Moskos.<br>It was a memorable final act for Hampton County running back <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='239076' first='Zion' last='Dobson']</strong>, who completed a spectacular season with a stellar night in Charleston. The highlight-reel machine added to his mixtape one final time, going for 197 yards and all three Hurricane touchdowns on 25 carries. He sparked the ‘Canes comeback effort with a vicious 39-yard run on a pitch to the outside to set up his first scoring run of the night before finding paydirt again on a six-yard burst up the middle. But his last scoring run of the night topped them all, melding all of his elite traits together in an eye-popping 77-yard scamper early in the third quarter. Dobson's improved vision, impeccable agility, and lethal quickness were all on display to break free from a pack of Landsharks to give his Hurricanes a 21-14 lead. He finishes the year with an absurd 2,417 rushing yards for an even 40 touchdowns. <strong>Ka'Von Chisholm </strong>was a menace on the defensive line in his final game, leading a swarm of Hurricane tackles for loss and sacks to get his team back in the game. His consistent energy and dynamite athleticism spurred an exceptional Hampton defensive unit in his senior year. <strong>Malachi Green </strong>produced in his final game of his high school career, showcasing outstanding instinctiveness and physicality to make explosive plays in the backfield. The Canes will lose many of their leaders defensively but will retain reliable and physical linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='809743' first='Mandrell' last='Sanders'] </strong>alongside dynamic two-way standout <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1165165' first='Jaylen' last='Singletary'] </strong>to anchor the unit in 2024.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->