Boy's Tennis | 5/12/2025 12:48:00 PM
Columbia, SC – The Oceanside Collegiate Academy Boys' Tennis team faced its biggest challenge of the season on Saturday in the SCHSL Class AAA state title match.
The challenge wasn't so much their opponents from Clinton High, who the Landsharks dispatched 6-0, it was in finding a place to play the match.
Play began at 10 a.m. at the Cayce Tennis Center, but rainy weather suspended play less than 15 minutes after the start of play. Play eventually resumed at the University of South Carolina's indoor tennis facility.
Saturday's SCHSL state championships in boys' tennis was affected by weather and a venue change, but that didn't affect Oceanside Collegiate's drive for a fifth consecutive state title.
The Landsharks made quick work of Upper State champion Clinton in the Class AAA finals 6-0. The finals began at the Cayce Tennis Center but moved to the indoor facility at the University of South Carolina for the finish.
Oceanside, which lost just four individual matches all season enroute to a perfect 16-0 record, were never seriously challenged by the Red Devils in the championship match.
"Our team was ready and excited to have a chance to win a fifth straight title," OCA coach
Shawn Harris said. "With only losing one senior, our co-captain
Alex Lozano, who is a Citadel commit, the future is very strong for this team.
The Lancdsharks earned straight-set victories from senior
Alex Lozano (6-0, 6-1) at No. 1 singles over Nathan Meade, junior
Luke Skillman (6-1, 6-2) at No. 2 over Edwin Orr, freshman
William Claus (6-2, 6-0) at No. 3over Matthew King, freshman
Ollie Pfarr (6-0, 6-0) at No. 4 over Jacob King and junior
Huck Reynolds (6-0, 6-0) at No. 5 singles over Cooper Stinson.
The No. 2 doubles team of sophomore
Carter Heath and junior
Helms Sander won their match 6-0, 6-0 over the duo of Jake Meyer Holtz and Malakye Brewer.
"This team is special," Harris said. "They set this as a goal before the season. We aren't the most popular sport at OCA, but we have a tradition of winning region and state championships, and this group of student-athletes doesn't want that to change."
During their run to the 2025 state title, the Landsharks defeated Academic Magnet, Green Sea Floyds and Philip Simmons, all by scores of 6-0.
Five of the Landsharks were selected to participate in the SCHSL Individual state tournament next week, on May 19-20 at the Lexington County Tennis Complex. Pairings will not be announced until the morning of the 19th. Lozano, Skillman, Claus and Pfarr will all compete in the tournament. Junior
Jackson Nichols was also selected to play, but will not be able to compete due to a prior commitment.
About Oceanside Collegiate Academy: Oceanside Collegiate Academy (OCA), located in Mt. Pleasant, S.C., serves high school students in a safe, small and family-centered setting. Our students seek the opportunity and challenge of rigorous curriculum, high academic standards and elite athletics while earning up to two years of college credit. OCA serves students in grades 9-12 using an honors curriculum in 9th and 10 grades with a dual enrollment curriculum in 11th and 12th grades
Learn more about OCA by visiting our website at OceansideCollegiate.Academy and by following us on social media on Facebook, Instagram and X. For video content, visit our YouTube channel.
