By Rob Centorani

Staff Writer

LAURENS _ Defense is dirty work.

Maybe that’s why the Laurens boys soccer team seemed so comfortable practicing on a mud-caked field Thursday at the Laurens Rec Center.

Contributed photo by Cheryl Clough Carter Bailey holds up the Section Four Class D championship trophy while fellow Laurens senior captain James Warren smiles at the National Soccer Hall of Fame Campus on Nov. 4. The two have keyed the defense of an undefeated Leopards team that will play a state semifinal this Saturday.

The Section Four Class D champion Leopards seemed to hardly notice the driving rain and heavy winds while executing drills on a pitch that seemed more suited for pigs and worms. Led by an active, aggressive, experienced defense that has shut out its last nine opponents, Laurens appears to be ready for anything this weekend.

"It’s just awesome," said senior defender Carter Bailey, whose team will compete in the Class D state semifinals for the second time in three seasons Saturday at the National Soccer Hall of Fame Campus.

"We’ve waited a long time for this," he continued. "Obviously, we’ve been here before, but the second time around is completely different. I think we’re in a better situation going into the final four and we’re looking to do some damage."

Bailey helped Laurens reach this round two years ago, when the Leopards fell, 4-2, to Genesee Valley. Simply getting to the state semifinals doesn’t seem to be enough this time for Laurens (16-0-2), which plays Section 10’s Colton-Pierrepont (14-3-3) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. A victory would push Laurens into its first state-championship appearance, which would give the Leopards a chance to make some serious history Sunday.

"We’d love to be the first team to (win a state title for Laurens)," Leopards coach Dave Miller said.

It’s safe to say that Laurens will rely heavily on its defense when it meets C-P. Saturday’s winner advances to the state championship game at 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the Soccer Hall, against Section Six’s Panama (13-4-2) or Section Nine’s S.S. Seward (20-1).[an error occurred while processing this directive]

"We definitely take tremendous pride in (the shutout streak)," Bailey said. "Defense is taught well here, and we definitely start with that."

In their last two victories, the Leopards have shut down two big scorers _ South Kortright’s Justin Townsend (43 goals) and Poland’s Jeff Hazard (36 goals).

"They had a tough defense," Hazard said after Poland fell, 4-3, in a shootout that followed six periods of scoreless soccer during last Friday’s state Class D state quarterfinal. "Time and time again, they’d beat us to the ball. They won most of the 50-50 balls. They just did a good job shutting us down. We weren’t able to play our possession game most of the time."

For most of last Friday’s game, Laurens senior James Warren shadowed Hazard. However, Warren drew two yellow cards, the latter leading to his ejection with 1 minute, 47 seconds left in regulation. Because of his ejection, Warren is not eligible to play Saturday.

After Warren left last Friday’s game, junior Andrew Parsons marked Hazard and helped keep the Poland senior scoreless for the remaining 31:47.

"I have total faith in Andrew because he’s been here almost as long as everyone else," said Warren, is eligible to play Sunday if the Leopards make it that far. "I believe he can take care of it."

Miller said Parsons will be assigned to Colton-Pierrepont leading scorer Jeremey Dunning, who has a team-best 14 goals.

"I’ve played (Warren’s) position a couple times and I’ve played a lot in the midfield," Parsons said. "I’m used to it. It’s pretty exciting."

Senior James Coryat and freshman Matt Struckle, along with the goaltending of sophomore Aaron Laing, also have contributed to Laurens’ success on defense.

"We have six or seven guys who can come back and play D, and I feel comfortable back here," said Laing, a 6-foot-3 keeper whose armspan seemingly reaches from post to post. Laing stopped two shots in the shootout victory over Poland.

"I don’t know if it’s something they focus on," Miller said of the team’s scoreless streak, which dates to a 3-2 victory over Edmeston on Sept. 28. "I think Aaron is really proud of that fact. He just knows if nothing gets past him, our chances of winning are that much greater. He’s really stepped up."

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Rob Centorani can be reached at rcentorani@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext, 209.