@JasCav
Here is something to put you in the right direction.
Maybe someone can edit where needed.
// args
$args = [
'post_parent' => $post->ID,
'post_type' => 'page',
'posts_per_page' => 8,
'paged' => get_query_var( 'paged' ),
'meta_key' => 'team_school',
'meta_value' => $school_type,
'orderby' => 'wpse_last_word', //<-- make filter for ordering!
'order' => 'ASC'
];
// query
$the_query = new WP_Query( $args );
add_filter( 'posts_orderby', function( $orderby, \WP_Query $q )
{
if( isset( $args['orderby'] ) && 'wpse_last_word' === $args['orderby'] )
{
global $wpdb;
$orderby = " SUBSTRING_INDEX( $wpdb->postmeta.meta_value, ' ', -1 ) ";
}
return $orderby;
}, PHP_INT_MAX, 2 );
Referenced from https://wordpress.stackexchange.com/a/198624/29133