Oceanside seems to have turned a few more skeptics into believers.
The Landsharks climbed two spots to No. 6 in the latest Class AA state rankings, released this week.
Oceanside began its regular season last Friday with a 58-12 win over Baptist Hill — then the fifth-ranked team in Class A. As dominant as the 46-point Week 0 rout may have appeared, Landsharks head coach Chad Grier believes his team is still capable of more.
“That was the sloppiest 58 points we’ve ever scored. We left a lot of things out there,” Grier said. “I thought we did some good things at times too but we still have a long way to go.”
Abbeville, Barnwell and Timberland remain, in order, the top three teams in AA. Timberland defeated AAAAA Stratford, 21-14, last Friday. Bamberg-Ehrhardt rose from sixth to fourth without playing a game. Saluda jumped from ninth to fifth with a 22-21 win over Strom Thurmond — then ranked fifth in AAA. Saluda is the only team other than Oceanside in the top six to play a ranked team in Week 0.
Gray and Southside Christian entered the season tied for fourth in AA. Gray fell to eighth after a 62-47 loss to AAAA No. 4 Greer. Southside Christian slipped to seventh despite a 70-14 win over AHOP Christian (N.C.).
Oceanside (1-0) next travels to Savannah Christian (Ga.) on Friday. The Raiders (0-1) are slotted seventh in Georgia’s Class A private school rankings following a 35-7 season-opening loss to No. 2 Athens Academy last week.
The Class AAAAA rankings remained the same with Fort Dorchester holding steady at No. 3 after beginning the season with a 31-6 win over Glynn Academy (Ga.). Berkeley and Summerville both remain just outside of the top 10, continuing to receive votes for the second straight week. Berkeley topped Stall 56-12, while Summerville won at Woodland 51-26 in Week 0.
Wando opens its season at home against Summerville on Friday.
Chester, Dillon and Chapman, one after another, remain atop Class AAA. Hanahan continues to receive top 10 votes for the second straight week. The Hawks will open their regular season against AAAA No. 1 and defending state champion Myrtle Beach on Friday.
St. John’s worked its way into the Class A top 10 with a 14-13 win over Philip Simmons last week. Baptist Hill slid from fifth to seventh.
Hammond remains the top-ranked team in SCISA AAA, even after a 36-0 loss to Southern Columbia (Penn.) on Sunday.
First Baptist follows in second, 2-0 this season with a win over AA No. 2 Trinity Byrnes and Florida defending state champion North Florida Christian, who finished last season fifth in the nation in the AAAA private school rankings.
Porter-Gaud remains third, with a season-opening win over AA No. 1 and defending state champion Florence Christian last Friday.
SCHSL
Class AAAAA
1. Dutch Fork (14)
2. Gaffney
3. Fort Dorchester
4. Byrnes
5. Dorman
6. T.L. Hanna
7. Sumter
8. Blythewood
9. River Bluff
10. Greenwood
Others receiving votes: West Florence, Berkeley, Carolina Forest, Summerville
Class AAAA
1. Myrtle Beach (14)
2. Hartsville
3. Daniel
4. Greer
5. North Myrtle Beach
6. South Pointe
7. Belton-Honea Path
8. Wilson
9. North Augusta
10. Ridge View
Others receiving votes: Wren, Marlboro County, Greenville, York, Walhalla, Eastside, AC Flora
Class AAA
1. Chester (13)
2. Dillon (1)
3. Chapman
4. May River
5. Union County
6. Camden
7. Strom Thurmond
8. Wade Hampton (H)
9. Woodruff
10. Gilbert
Others receiving votes: Fairfield Central, Newberry, Manning, Aynor, Hanahan, Pendleton, Cheraw, Marion
Class AA
1. Abbeville (14)
2. Barnwell
3. Timberland
4. Bamberg-Ehrhardt
5. Saluda
6. Oceanside Collegiate
7. Southside Christian
8. Gray Collegiate
9. Carvers Bay
10. Whale Branch, Andrew Jackson (tie)
Others receiving votes: Blacksburg, Batesburg-Leesville, Hannah-Pamplico, Woodland, Central, Lee Central
Class A
1. Lamar (6)
2. Green Sea-Floyds (7)
3. Wagener-Salley (1)
4. Lake View
5. Blackville-Hilda
6. C.E. Murray
7. Baptist Hill
8. Ridge Spring-Monetta
9. St. John’s
10. Hemingway, Dixie (tie)
Others receiving votes: Great Falls, Williston-Elko, McCormick, McBee, Cross, Ware Shoals
SCISA
Class AAA
1. Hammond (6)
2. First Baptist
3. Porter-Gaud
4. Laurence Manning
5. Cardinal Newman
Class AA
1. Florence Christian (6)
2. Trinity-Byrnes
3. Robert E. Lee
4. Hilton Head Prep
5. Hilton Head Christian
Class A
1. Thomas Heyward (6)
2. Pee Dee Academy
3. Dillon Christian
4. Carolina Academy
5. Bethesda Academy
Eight-Man
1. Beaufort Academy (5)
2. Clarendon Hall, Andrew Jackson Academy (tied)
4. Jefferson Davis
5. W.W. King
