Greenbrier girls off to a fast start at Jamboree

By Billy Byler | Columbia County Bureau

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Soccer season kicked off this weekend with a pair of boys and girls jamborees at Greenbrier High School

The boys took the field Friday night and battled rain, wind and cold weather. Saturday's girls jamboree came with sunny skies.

It was Greenbrier's girls who came first Saturday afternoon. Although the half-hour long scrimmages don't count toward regular season records, the Lady Wolfpack went a perfect 3-0 in scrimmages against Harlem, Lakeside and Evans and didn't give up a single goal.

"I'm very pleased with where we are right now," Greenbrier girls soccer coach Alex Heider said. "We look like we're already a couple of games into the season."

Greenbrier, ranked preseason No. 7 in Class AAAA, still has almost two weeks before regular-season play begins, but region rivals Lakeside and Evans have much less time to prepare. Both schools begin play on Tuesday.

First-year Evans girls soccer coach Bill Madigan must find a starting goalkeeper before Tuesday's season opener. The soccer jamboree produced an ideal environment for a goalkeeper tryout.

"This is the best way to get them in a game-time situation and see what they can do," he said.

Boys soccer squads from Greenbrier, Evans, Lakeside and Aquinas battled the cold, wet weather conditions Friday night to find out what last minute adjustments must be made before the season begins.

Evans boys soccer coach Brian Killips was pleased with what he saw.

"It's what's to be expected for the first time out," he said. "One thing we talked about is relaxing on the field. Once they relax and settle down a little I think they've got a shot to be pretty good."

Along with Greenbrier's No. 7 ranking in the girls Class AAAA preseason poll, Lakeside's Lady Panthers came in ranked No. 8.

Greenbrier's boys are ranked No. 2 in Class AAAA. Aquinas came in at preseason No. 3 in Class AA/A.

Reach Billy Byler at (706) 863-6165 or billy.byler@augustachronicle.com.