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Two teams, 24 players penalized for South Carolina high school football game brawl

Lawrence Andrew Fernandezby: Lawrence Fernandez03/27/26lawandfern

A South Carolina high school football postgame brawl resulted in penalties for both teams and in the suspension of 24 players from the two sides. Lou Bezjak of The State first reported the decision.

The incident stemmed from a melee that broke out after Oceanside Collegiate Academy defeated Belton-Honea Path for the South Carolina High School League Class 3A state championship. Based on the video evidence, a Belton-Honea Path player walked toward an Oceanside player before throwing a punch.

Coaches from both teams jumped in to pacify the players. However, when cooler heads seemed to prevail, a Belton-Honea Path player tackled an opposing player and assistant coach John Drummond. Unfortunately, the tension escalated from there. Oceanside athletic director Mark Meyer saw a player getting physically attacked while shielding another player.

SCHSL officials and athletic leaders from both teams reviewed multiple videos of the incident. As a result, 12 South Carolina high school football players were identified as having thrown punches, eight of which came from Belton-Honea Path.

Of the 24 players penalized, 10 Belton-Honea Path players received suspensions ranging from 2 to 5 games from their next sport. Meanwhile, the SCHSL suspended one BHP player indefinitely.

Similarly, four Oceanside Collegiate players received multiple-game suspensions, while another four received one-game suspensions. Belton-Honea Path also suspended one of its players from athletic activities until the school year ends. The school also prohibited six players from attending the team’s football banquet, and they are ineligible for postseason awards.

Meanwhile, both Oceanside Collegiate and Belton-Honea Path must play their 2026 South Carolina high school football postseason games on the road. In addition to a $500 fine for each school, they will lose three practices and can only conduct two scrimmages.

Both schools are also on restrictive probation, resulting in harsher penalties if a similar incident occurs again. Likewise, they could appeal these penalties to the SCHSL. However, losing the appeal will result in a playoff ban in the upcoming season.