Baseball seniors are ready for next level

College baseball's early signing period starts Wednesday and runs through Nov. 18. Several Columbia County seniors expect to be playing baseball on a college campus next year.

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Greenbrier catcher/pitcher Shawn McCain has committed to Western Carolina. Wolfpack teammates Ben Morgan (Georgia Southern) and Chad Farmer (Appalachian State) also have made commitments. Former Greenbrier pitcher Pat McGowan, who was at Gordon College, is headed to USC Aiken. And Harlem senior Derek Beasley has committed to USC Aiken.

Former North Augusta pitcher Marty Gantt, who once planned to be teammates with Nolan Belcher at the University of South Carolina, is heading to the College of Charleston after playing a year at Spartanburg Methodist.

Morgan played shortstop and led off for the Wolfpack as a junior. Farmer, a left-hander, was Greenbrier's top pitcher. McCain committed to the Catamounts as a junior.

Travel ball news

Several local players competed in the World Wood Bat/Perfect Game Underclassmen World Championship, a showcase event for travel baseball teams held in Jupiter, Fla.

Greenbrier seniors Blake Ross, Farmer and Morgan participated, as did Harlem High senior Jay Aplin. Aplin played for the Diamond Devils, out of Mount Pleasant, S.C., and was the last local player out in the tournament. Aplin finished with two saves, 13 strikeouts and the Devils finished third in the tournament.

Columbia County-based travel baseball team Anarchy played in its first travel ball tournament Oct. 31. The annual Georgia-Lina Boo Ball tournament featured teams from Georgia and South Carolina. Anarchy, a 12-and-under team, placed first in the silver division after beating the Lewisville Bulldogs 7-6 in extra innings. The Bulldogs scored six runs the first two innings. But Anarchy tied the game in the sixth to force extra innings and pushed across another run in the eighth to win.

Rec department football league champions crowned

The Columbia County Recreation Department's youth football regular season ended last week with league champions from three age groups crowned.

The Panthers won the 9-year-old division with a 6-0 record. The Raiders finished 7-1 to claim the 10-year-old Bantam division title over the Bills, who also finished 7-1.

The Redskins rolled through their season with a 10-0 record to claim the league championship for the 11-12 boys.

The recreation department championship games will be held at Greenbrier High School's stadium next Saturday at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon.

Final league standings

9-year-old Junior Bantam Boys

Panthers 6-0

Steelers 6-1

Texans 4-2-1

Vikings 3-3

Chiefs 3-4

Jaguars 2-4

Broncos 1-5-1

Colts 0-6

10-year-old Bantam Boys

Raiders 7-1

Bills 7-1

Titans 5-3

Bengals 4-4

Patriots 3-3-2

Jets 3-4-1

Ravens 2-6

Dolphins 2-6

Chargers 1-6-1

11-12-year-old Midget Boys

Redskins 10-0

Seahawks 8-2

Saints 7-3

Falcons 7-3

Eagles 6-4

Bears 6-4

Packers 4-6

49ers 3-7

Cowboys 2-8

Giants 1-9

Lions 1-9