Athlete Spotlight

Lakeside's Emily Brandenburg and Evans' Scott Hartenstein have a few things in common.

Both are athletes in their senior year of high school. They're also both goalkeepers on their varsity soccer team.

After last week, they have one more thing in common: They've both beaten Greenbrier.

Hartenstein accomplished the feat in goal for the Knights on April 13 with a 3-2 win in a shootout. Brandenburg matched the performance by shutting out the Lady Wolfpack 1-0 last week. Both Greenbrier teams were ranked in the top 10 in the state and came into the games favored to win.

Both said a win over a rival is a highlight, but it doesn't make a season.

"I don't think beating Greenbrier makes the season a success. It's disappointing that we couldn't play like that the whole time," Hartenstein said.

The Knights' win over Greenbrier was one of only a few positives in an up-and-down season for Evans. The Knights finished the year at 9-8 and missed the state playoffs.

Hartenstein led an Evans boys team that saw two overtime shootout wins. After losing five out of six games in early March, the Knights finished the season by winning five out of their past eight games.

Evans coach Brian Killips said Hartenstein's value to the team was evident off the field.

"Scott is one of the most mature and classy kids that I have ever dealt with," he said.

With his high school career now over, Hartenstein said his future will include either the Air Force or the naval academy.

Brandenburg's college choice was already made earlier this spring. The Lady Panther senior committed to Francis Marion University in February.

The senior came into the 2006 season touted as one of the best goalkeepers in the county. She didn't disappoint.

"Emily leads our defense," Lakeside coach Chris Newman said. "She knows when to push them up or step them back- whatever we need to do."

Brandenburg did just that last Thursday when the senior goalkeeper shutout the No. 7 team in the state. After making nine saves to lift Lakeside to 11-5-1 on the year, Brandenburg said the win came at an ideal time.

"That put us in a high going into the state playoffs," she said. "It just goes to show you all our hard work paid off."

Lakeside, the regular season Region 2-AAAA champion, will play its first-round state tournament match at home at 5:30 p.m. today against Region 1-AAAA No. 4 Americus-Sumter (7-8-2).

Photo by J. Scott Trubey