Athletes sign off on commitments to schools

A pair of Columbia County's top athletes put their names on the dotted lines last week. Greenbrier's Nolan Belcher and Augusta Prep's Lee Knox committed to their colleges of choice months ago, but both athletes made it official Thursday.

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"It's a complete weight off my shoulders," Belcher said. "It's a big decision. I don't think it's sunk in yet. It probably won't until I go to school there."

Belcher signed with the University of South Carolina. He'll play baseball there next year after he wraps up one of the best high school baseball careers in Columbia County history.

At Belcher's afternoon signing, a slide show cycled through photos of more than a decade's worth of pitching dominance.

It included a shot of Belcher's first pitch thrown off a mound on May 1, 1997, and ran all the way through last season's state championship win at Greenbrier High School.

Another display, boasting four rings from three state championships and a Dixie World Series title, capped off a signing ceremony dcor most high school athletes could only dream of showing off.

AT AUGUSTA PREP, senior Lee Knox went against the family grain by signing with the University of Alabama. A portrait of his extended family could double as a University of Georgia yearbook.

"My whole family went to Georgia, and I've always wanted to go to Georgia, but I'm at a point where I wanted to experience new things," Knox said.

Former Augusta State University golf coach Jay Seawell leads the Alabama golf team. Knox said he looked forward to working with Seawell.

"It's always been my goal to play Division 1 golf," he said. "I liked the coach and made my decision."

Jeff Knox, Lee's father and golf coach at Augusta Prep, is one of many in the Knox family with a degree from the University of Georgia.

Though it might be difficult, Jeff Knox said he was certain about his allegiance.

"I'll cheer for my son over the Bulldogs any day," he said.