Kings Season Ends in Semi-Finals, But Inaugural Campaign Raises the Bar

Columbia, SC – Coastal Kings FC’s historic first UPSL playoff run came to an abrupt end on Saturday afternoon, falling 6–0 on the road to SCU Heat in the Mid-Atlantic South semi-finals at South Carolina United FC Fields. It was a night when little seemed to click for the visitors. SCU Heat, one of the conference’s established powers and the No. 2 seed in the South, showed exactly why they’ve built a decade-long pedigree in the region—punishing mistakes, controlling tempo, and taking full advantage of their chances.
For a Kings side coming off a statement 3–1 road win over Pro-Finish Management FC, the No. 1 seed from the Mid-Atlantic North, the result stung. Just one week earlier, Coastal had secured the first playoff victory in club history and added another milestone to a landmark inaugural season.

A Brutal Night in a Brutal Conference

As difficult as the scoreline was, the semi-final round once again highlighted just how unforgiving the Mid-Atlantic South has been all year. In the other semi-final, Charleston United knocked off previously unbeaten Soda City FC, setting up an all-South conference final between Charleston and SCU Heat. All four South teams—Soda City, SCU Heat, Charleston United, and Coastal Kings—had already swept their Northern counterparts in the opening round, underscoring the depth and balance of the division.

For the Kings, the semi-final loss becomes another data point in a season-long pattern of razor-thin margins among the South’s top four:

A 0–1 mid-season loss to Soda City
A 2–3 mid-season loss to SCU Heat
A 0–1 mid-season loss to Charleston United
Late-season wins over both Heat and Charleston to secure fourth place and a playoff berth
A first-round upset over Pro-Finish Management FC, champions of the Mid-Atlantic North

On any given weekend, the gap between winning and losing in the South has been a single play, a single moment, or a single mistake. Saturday’s result, as harsh as it was, came in that same context.

Inaugural Season: From New Badge to Semi-Finalists

Stepping back from one difficult night, the full body of work from Year One remains something to be proud of.

In their first UPSL Premier season, the Kings:

Finished 4th in the Mid-Atlantic South, behind only Soda City, SCU Heat, and Charleston United in one of the league’s toughest conferences.

Qualified for the playoffs in their inaugural campaign—an achievement that stands out in a region where other new clubs have taken longer to find their footing.

Earned the first playoff win in club history with a road upset over the No. 1 seed from the North.

From announcing the franchise in April to winning their first match, climbing the table, clinching a playoff berth, and stepping onto the field in a conference semi-final, Coastal Kings FC have laid a strong foundation for what comes next.

Coach’s Note

Head Coach David Koebler didn’t sugarcoat the disappointment of the night, but his message to the group was grounded in both honesty and perspective:

“Simply put, we are not satisfied with how our season ended with tonight’s performance, but we are proud of our season.

This is the Mid-Atlantic South. All teams are dangerous to play on any given weekend. Take the other semi-final game: Charleston beats Soda City. Take a second to consider that. We lost to Soda 0–1 mid-season, lost to Heat 2–3 mid-season, lost to Charleston 0–1 mid-season. Heat and Charleston both dropped games to Soda, and Charleston dropped a game to Heat.

We beat Heat and Charleston in the tail end of the season, we knock off the No. 1 team from the North, and all four teams from the South advance to the semis, knocking off the North teams pretty easily. Now we have Charleston and the Heat heading to the conference finals.

It just goes to show you that the Mid-Atlantic South is an absolute dog fight every time you step on the pitch. I doubt any other conference in the US is this tight.

Again, we are proud of what we accomplished this season and are eager to get back to it in a couple weeks because our guys are thirsty for more.”

The scoreline in Columbia will fade. The standard set in Year One—and the hunger to raise it again—will not.