Cavaliers have help heading into playoffs

The Augusta Prep boys basketball program had been all but a one-man show during the past two seasons. Cavaliers senior Jim Hull has routinely led the area in scoring and led Augusta Prep as far as his shooting could carry the team.

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There was pressure to handle the ball, pressure to get free on his own and create shots, and pressure to score enough to overcome the Cavaliers lack of balance.

But, as Prep prepares for the Georgia Independent School Class AAA tournament, which begins Thursday, Augusta Prep has found it has more to lean on.

Sophomore John Paul Lynn has emerged as another scoring threat and ball-handler. Senior guard Joseph Hall has also taken over ball control duties. The Cavaliers might still be Hull's team, but others have stepped up to buy shares, and Augusta Prep has benefitted.

Lynn shined during a first-round region tournament win over Central Fellowship on February 10. The Lancers devoted much of their defensive attention to Hull, who burned them for 39 points the first time the teams met before being held to six points during the Cavaliers' loss in the next meeting.

Hull drew the defense at the top of the key and passed off to Lynn, who slashed to the basket from the wing.

Lynn finished with a game-high 19 points and Hull added 18, with 11 coming in the fourth quarter.

After entertaining hopes of controlling the region, Augusta Prep finished the regular season as the No. 4 seed. But however the Cavaliers finish, their opponent in the state tournament will have to account for more than Hull.

"It always makes the game easier when Jim's on your team," Lynn said. "They pay so much attention to him they kind of forget about you sometimes. So I just played."

Greenbrier soccer player signs with West Georgia

Greenbrier senior Stormi Childs didn't know much about West Georgia when the school first watched her play soccer last May.

But Childs knew the Wolves were interested, and that was enough for her to send coaches a video. Childs visited the Carrollton, Ga., campus in August 2008.

"The campus was gorgeous," Childs said.

"Everything is within walking distance. I won't even have to use my car."

Childs was offered a scholarship during the visit and gave the Wolves a verbal commitment. She signed her scholarship on Feb. 4.

Childs said she had also talked to a coach at Tennessee Tech and said she was supposed to visit. But when she contacted the school about her itinerary, she was told they had forgotten she was coming.

"So I stopped talking to them," Childs said. "I think that was too far for me anyway."

Childs said she likely will play defender at West Georgia, a position she has played the past few years. She was swapped between defense and forward at Greenbrier last season.

She wants to be a dentist and plans to enroll in West Georgia's pre-professional dentistry program.

"That kind of excited me," she said.