AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Authorities say 18 players on a high school soccer team in east Georgia have been suspended and removed from the team after they were accused of drinking alcohol while on a school-sponsored trip.

Columbia County schools Superintendent Charles Nagle said the Greenbrier High School students on the boys' team either admitted to or were implicated by others that they drank on the trip.

Officials said the students are on a 10-day suspension pending a school disciplinary hearing, which Nagle said is expected to be held next week.

The Augusta Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/15rwP) that the incident came to the attention of school administrators through posts on a Twitter account.

Authorities said the trip was for a tournament in the Jekyll Island area.