Greenbrier defeats Evans a third time

Greenbrier High School boys soccer coach Chip Warren was not looking forward to facing Evans for a third time.

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The Wolfpack beat the Knights twice during the regular season, but Warren thought Evans might be a little too familiar with his team if they met again.

He was unable to avoid another meeting with Evans, but his Wolfpack team sneaked by with a 3-1 win against the Knights on Tuesday to claim its fourth consecutive Region 3-AAAA title.

"We were fortunate to get the win," Warren said. "(The Knights) were really fired up and ready to play."

The match was scoreless at halftime, but both teams scored early in the second half to knot it at 1.

Warren declared what followed a season-saving play. With the match still tied, Evans earned a penalty kick and a chance to take the lead.

Wolfpack keeper Johnny Paletar stopped the shot, and Greenbrier closed with two more goals.

"The momentum seemed to be going their way at that time," Warren said. "If they had scored right there, it could have been a different outcome."

Instead, the Wolfpack finished with a 9-1 region record and secured the region's top seed heading into the state playoffs. They'll open with Americus-Sumter at home Tuesday at 6 p.m.

Wolfpack girls catch Lakeside players sleeping

Chris Newman saw familiar symptoms from his Lakeside girls team Tuesday.

The Panthers were blitzed early by top-seeded Greenbrier and lost 6-0 in the Region 3-AAAA girls title game.

"Our girls were asleep and ball-watching during the first 10 or 15 minutes," Newman said. "Greenbrier took advantage of it and scored quick goals. It was too big of a deficit at halftime to where we could come back."

The Panthers faced similar problems the last time they played the Wolfpack, losing 6-0 to the team on March 11.

Lakeside finished as the region's second seed and will open the state playoffs at home against Americus on Wednesday. Greenbrier finished region play with a 10-0 record, the region's top seed, and has a home date Wednesday in the first round of the state playoffs.