BE soccer squad mounts title return
Bishop England High School boys’ soccer coach Brandon Costa’s message to his 2026 squad just might be “Once is not enough.”
Last spring, the Bishops captured their first state championship in nine years with a 2-1 overtime victory over Daniel High School. Costa, who is in his third year as coach, played on three state championship teams at BE, 2007-09, so he knows that it takes talent, commitment and the right frame of mind to succeed.
“This season has been a learning process,” Costa said of his team, which began the season as the No. 2 team in Class AAAA in the state soccer coaches poll and entered play this week with a 6-3 record. “Some of our guys are satisfied with winning the state championship last year. But our goal is back-to-back. We are striving to come together as a team – that’s the goal. We have to process things physically and mentally.”
Costa is pleased with the team’s progress. The Bishops lost their season opener to Fort Dorchester in a match that was decided on penalty kicks. The Bishops also dropped close encounters to Lucy Beckham (2-0) and May River (1-0).
But the Bishops have gained momentum with three consecutive victories heading into play this week.
The Bishops defeated Daniel 2-1 last May to win their 18th state championship, most in state history. The team lost two of its top scorers: Lucas Loor, who tallied 13 goals on the season, and Rowan Pernell, who scored nine goals including a most memorable golden goal against Daniel in the 99th minute of the state championship match to give the Bishops the title.
The Bishops averaged three goals per contest last spring, but the output has dropped by more than half to just 1.4 goals per match.
Junior Gabe Williams has the potential to play at the college level, Costa said. He hasn’t committed just yet, but he’ll draw coaches’ attention. He had a breakout sophomore season last year with 10 goals. He leads the team with three goals in 2026. Finn Thompson has scored two goals. Midfielder Trey Hall is another scoring threat with five goals last spring and one this season.
Junior Patton Lyttle, an all-state selection last year, is one of the top backline defenders in the state while senior fullback Dominic Smith will matriculate to Mercyhurst University in Erie, Pennsylvania.
While the offense has sputtered early in the season, keeper Joed Rentas is having an impressive senior season. He averaged 4.3 saves a match in 2025 and has been even more effective in his senior season, recording 5.4 saves a contest. He’s allowed only four goals this spring with six shutouts, including three in a row entering this week.
The Bishops were scheduled to play T.L. Hanna and Colleton County this week. A challenging six-day stretch is on the horizon. The Bishops play Gray Collegiate on April 17 at Jack Cantey Stadium in a rematch of last season’s Lower State Championship. The Bishops host May River on April 21 in a match that will go a long way in deciding the Region 6-AAAA championship. The River Sharks are undefeated in league play and topped the Bishops in their first meeting of the season.
Finally, the Bishops travel to Wando April 23. The Warriors are one of the premier programs in the state with a 34-3 record the past two seasons, including 12-1 this season.