Greenbrier's 6-0 victory puts Pack on the playoff path
There was no long celebration - just a few smiles, some high-fives and an occasional woo-hoo.
But the moments following Greenbrier's 6-0 win against Lakeside on Thursday, giving the Wolfpack the Region 3-AAAA title, were fairly ordinary.
After all, coach Ed Williams said, one season is finished. Another is set to begin.
"Believe me, me and the guys are happy to win," Williams said. "But the region title was our first goal at the beginning of the season. It was to win the region, and we've reached that goal. Now, we have to set more goals."
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Like getting deep into the Class AAAA playoffs, which begin Friday when the Wolfpack host the No. 4 seed from Region 4.
Last year's team did it, going to the state semifinals before falling to Marist.
Scott Wandless (7-2) said this season's squad can pull a repeat performance - and perhaps contend for the school's first state title since 1999.
"We're a better-hitting squad than we were last year," said Wandless, whose .477 batting average barely edges Ben Tankersley (.474) for the team lead. "We don't have any home-run hitters, but we make contact. Me and Tank are always competing for the best batting average."
But perhaps more importantly for the Wolfpack (20-4), they have pitching depth.
Last season, Greenbrier used Nick Wandless and ... that was pretty much it.
Now, though, Scott Wandless, Michael Newman, and Brooks Robinson are capable starters.
"It just gives us more time to rest, more than 24 hours between starts," Wandless said. "Nick pretty much had to ice his arm 24-7. Now the starters can relax a little bit more."
The same can't be said for Lakeside (13-9).
After Thursday's loss insured a No. 4 seed for the postseason, the Panthers likely will have to travel to top-seeded Northgate in the first round.
Suddenly, their season is looking shorter and shorter.
"We're all happy we made it this far," Lakeside coach Jimmy Smith said. "I thought we'd be competitive, but at this point last year, I didn't think we'd be able to make it into the playoffs."
His team proved him wrong - thanks, in part, to senior pitcher Craig Arrington and junior infielder Jonathan Crawford.
But in order for the Panthers - who lost all of their starters from last year to graduation - to upset the Vikings, they'll have to overcome their vast inexperience.
"I'm not ashamed of the way we've played, but sometimes, we'll come out and go crazy," Smith said. "We just don't know how to win yet."
Reach Josh Katzowitz at (706) 823-3216 or josh.katzowitz@augustachronicle.com.