Region's baseball best might be Evans

Don't let the records fool you. Evans High School could still be the best baseball team in Region 3-AAAA.

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As I write this, there is a logjam atop the region standings. Perennial powers Harlem and Westside each has just one loss in region play, as does Lakeside.

The Panthers seem to have hit their stride after a pair of losses to Greenbrier and a setback against Evans. Lakeside has notched impressive wins over Harlem and Westside to stake its claim as top dog in 3-AAAA.

Harlem has certainly been as good as any team in the area. The Bulldogs have losses to Lakeside and Greenbrier, but they have also beaten the 'Pack and knocked off Evans.

And if we are arguing all of Columbia County, you have to mention Greenbrier as well.

The 'Pack, who participate in Class AAAAA, have settled in under first-year coach Chris Wilkins. They suffered early losses to Evans and Harlem but have been outstanding since. They have two victories over Lakeside, a win over Harlem, wins over solid opponents including South Aiken and are unbeaten in Region 2-AAAAA.

Harlem and Greenbrier have both earned spots in the gasports.com Top 10 poll. Each hold the No. 9 spot in their classification.

So as people start to debate which team is the best in Columbia County, it seems Evans hasn't been in the conversation much.

The Knights started the year in the Top 10 but dropped out after four losses. The Knights are a respectable --but very un-Evans-like -- 7-4 and 5-2 in region play.

If you look a little deeper, however, you would see Evans might be the best of the bunch.

The Knights have wins over Greenbrier and Lakeside and a 12-4 pasting of a solid Statesboro team. Though they do have losses to Harlem and Westside, each loss was by one run.

Furthermore, the Knights' other two losses are nothing to hang their heads about. They were beaten 9-3 by Effingham County -- which has a perfect record and holds the top spot in the AAAA poll -- and dropped a heartbreaker 2-1 to South Effingham, the No. 3 team in all of AAAA.

So while the debate over who the best baseball team in the area rages on, make sure you include the Knights. You may just wind up looking like a genius at season's end.