Oceanside Collegiate Academy won the 2A State Championship in high school boys soccer, Saturday. The Landsharks defeated Gray Collegiate Academy of West Columbia by a score of 2-0 at Irmo High School. 

Gray played much of the game defending its goal and War Eagles goalkeeper Joey Sullivan saved several scores from an aggressive Oceanside team. 

"Tremendous effort by our goalkeeper, sophomore Joey Sullivan," Gray Coach Kevin Heise said. "He was an absolute animal back there today and kept us in it. We just couldn't find any offensive punch."

Heise also described nationally-ranked Oceanside as "powerful."

"They are arguably the best soccer team of all classifications in South Carolina," Heise said. "We knew we had to play an A-plus game today and that just wasn't going to be in the cards."  

Jacob Comedy scored the first goal for the Landsharks from Mt. Pleasant in the first five minutes of the first half. Ethan Duncan sored Oceanside's second goal about midway through the second half. 

Oceanside Coach Collin Phillips was proud that his team kept Gray's offense at bay.

"I told the guys all season that great defense wins championships," he said. "Teams win games. I'm so, so proud of them. I couldn't ask for anything better this season.” 

Heise also said Oceanside's experience may have been a factor in his team's loss.

"I think we got a little bit out-seniored today. We started three seniors and six sophomores," he said.  He said he thinks Oceanside started six or seven seniors.  

It was another near miss for the War Eagles. Gray and Heise made it to the State Championship in 2022, losing to Christ Church 2-0. 

Heise has won more than 500 high school soccer games and he's been to the state championship game five times. He said he is optimistic about the future. 

“We're building a program. It's a program we're proud of," he said, and he's already looking forward to next year.