Evans won the key region game early

Last soccer season, in the old-look Region 3-AAAA, spring break fell in the middle of the region tournament.

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The Greenbrier and Evans boys and Greenbrier and Lakeside girls waited 11 days between games to play for the Region 3-AAAA title. The Wolfpack were not crowned as region champions until April 15.

Things were decided much earlier this season.

There are no subregions in 3-AAAA this season, and therefore no region tournament. Evans and Lakeside were the clear boys favorites, and they met for the only time this season on Feb. 20 -- each team's first region game.

Evans pulled out a 1-0 win on penalty kicks, essentially earning the region's top seed, but having to endure eight more region games to make it official.

"It worked out really well," Evans coach Brian Killips said. "We surprised Lakeside there."

Killips said the game was probably his team's best of the season defensively. Evans players said the running Killips made them endure helped prepare them for the Panthers' numerous attacks.

Evans' prep work includes a 3.1 mile warm-up and "ladder runs," fast-paced running alternating 400 and 800 meters.

"He definitely, definitely runs us enough to where we're in good enough shape," Evans senior Bryce Cartledge said.

The Lakeside girls dominated the region in similar fashion. Their toughest game came against the Knights on Feb. 20, a 4-0 win. The Panthers, who finished their region schedule this past Tuesday, outscored region opponents 81-0.

Greenbrier, which swept the boys and girls 3-AAAA titles last season, faces a similar situation in Region 2-AAAAA. The regular-season champion earns the region's top seed, and both the Wolfpack girls and boys have rolled.

The Wolfpack girls had outscored region opponents 49-1 through March 21. The boys had allowed region opponents two goals.

Grovetown staff goes green

A few coaching slots are yet to be finalized, but Grovetown High School has filled all of its major positions. Most of the hires came from within Columbia County and among those, three were plucked from Greenbrier.

Former Greenbrier baseball coach and assistant football coach Rodney Holder is the Warriors head football coach. Wolfpack boys basketball coach Casey Dees had his transfer approved and will coach the Warriors boys next season. And Greenbrier baseball assistant Mike Jones earned his first head coaching gig when his transfer to Grovetown was approved by the Columbia County Board of Education Tuesday.

"It says volumes about those three guys as people," Greenbrier AD Garrett Black said.

Lions to play at Lake Olmstead

Augusta Christian's junior varsity and varsity baseball teams play Monday at Lake Olmstead Stadium.

The junior varsity will play the CSRA Crusaders at 5 p.m. The varsity will play Westminster following the first game.

The Lions varsity squad has won three consecutive region games. Lions coach Craig Johnson said his team should enjoy the different atmosphere.

"It's a chance to play at a minor league stadium, play the only rival that we have in town," Johnson said.