Greenbrier scored as county's top sports program

After a second straight Class AAAA baseball state championship, Greenbrier High School can officially claim the title of top public school sports program in Columbia County.

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The designation didn't come by opinion or speculation. It came from the Georgia Athletic Directors Association and the GADA Dodge Director's Cup standings.

"We didn't really follow where we were in the county, but we were looking at our state ranking," Greenbrier Athletics Director Scott Chadwick said. "It's something that we're proud of."

The Wolfpack program finished in sixth place in all of Class AAAA and was No. 3 among public schools. Their final total of 470 points came up short only to Marist (990), Starr's Mill (820), St. Pius X (740), McIntosh (616.66) and Woodward Academy (540). The other 73 Class AAAA teams fell in behind the Wolfpack.

"I think it says a lot about three or four groups of people here," Chadwick said. "It's our coaches ... our strength program with Kevin Hunt ... our parents and our athletes. It shows the depth of our overall program."

Greenbrier knocked off defending county Director's Cup champion Lakeside. The Panthers program was tops in the county in 2005-06 with a fifth-place overall finish in Class AAAA with 430 points. This year, Lakeside finished in a tie for ninth place in Class AAAA with 350 points. The Panthers took second in the county in front of Evans High School. The Knights program finished at No. 38 in the state with 140 points.

Harlem, in Class AAA, finished in 54th place in the state with 90 points.

The GADA Dodge Director's Cup points system is based on the number of state playoff teams each school fields along with how far the team goes in the state playoffs. Greenbrier got 100 points for their baseball state title win and 60 points each for taking top four state finishes in boys soccer, cheerleading and softball.

Overall, 14 Greenbrier teams earned Dodge Director's Cup points for their postseason play. Of the 14 possible region championships, Greenbrier claimed nine of them in the 2006-07 school year.

"I think a lot of it has to do with our strength program and not just the guys. Between the guys and girls we had 170 kids in there yesterday," Chadwick said. "It was good to begin with, but Kevin Hunt has taken that program to a whole new level."

Marist won the Class AAAA Dodge Director's Cup Championship for the seventh straight year.

Director's Cup Final Standings

Class AAAA

1. Marist, 990

2. Starr's Mill, 820

3. St. Pius X, 740

4. McIntosh, 616.66

5. Woodward Acad. 540

6. Greenbrier, 470

t9. Lakeside, 350

t22. Glynn Academy, 230

t38. Evans, 140

t46. Ware County, 110

t51. Richmond Acad. 100

t58. Statesboro, 80

t65. Effingham Co. 50

t71. Brunswick, 30

t76. Wayne County, 10

Class AAA

1. Westminster, 1000

2. Blessed Trinity, 780

3. Oconee County, 710

47. Wash. Co. 106.66

t54. Harlem, 90

57. Thomson, 86.66

71. Glenn Hills, 43.33