Following a 1-1 boys soccer tie at Edmeston on Wednesday, all that separates Laurens from an eighth Tri-Valley League West Division title in 10 years is a victory at Gilbertsville-Mount Upton on Friday.
The Leopards (6-1-2 in league), who graduated 12 players off last season's 15-2-1 team _ including eight starters _ hold a one-game lead in the division over Edmeston. Each team has one league game left.
The Panthers (8-4-3, 5-2-2) would need to beat East Division champion Cherry Valley-Springfield at home Friday and have G-MU defeat Laurens the same day to force a tiebreaker. If a tiebreaker is necessary, it will be played at a neutral site some time next week, Edmeston coach Ed Wheeldon said.
The West Division champion will meet CV-S in the crossover final Oct. 18 at the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Edmeston kept its chances for catching Laurens alive when Nick DeGristina scored from inside the box with 1 minute, 15 seconds left in regulation.
The play began on a restart from the right side, where Adam Simmons played a ball to the far post. Teammate Alex Stevens headed the pass toward the net. It deflected back out, but Edmeston's Jared Hamm headed it back toward the goal. After another deflection, the ball came to DeGristina in the middle of the box and he finished from 5 yards.
"It was just a mass of bodies," Wheeldon said. "They were trying to clear it and we were trying to finish. Nick was Johnny on the spot."
Laurens, which was outshot, 16-4, scored 4:23 into play. A high ball was played to the top of the box that Edmeston defender Ryan Giordano and goalie J.T. Beckwith both called for. But the ball bounced and Pat Bullock took a quick shot from 16 yards to give the Leopards a 1-0 lead.
The Panthers had a goal called back in the first half on an offsides call.
Blake Pavelka took a shot that was cleared by Laurens, but the ball came right back to him and he scored.
"The official said he was in an offsides position and the other official said he saw and said it was the right call," Wheeldon said. "I thought the officials did a good job, but I didn't agree with that call."
Aaron Laing made 12 saves for the Leopards, who've won four Tri-Valley League titles since 2000, most recently a 2-0 victory over CV-S in the 2006 crossover final. Laurens lost to CV-S, 4-3, in last season's final.
Edmeston 1, Laurens 1
Laurens1 0 0 0 _ 1
Edmeston0 1 0 0 _ 1
Laurens (6-1-2, Tri-Valley): Pat Bullock 1-0.
Edmeston (8-4-3, 5-2-2): Nick DeGristina 1-0, Jared Hamm 0-1.
Shots-corner kicks: L 4-4; E 16-2.
Goalies: Aaron Laing (L) 12; J.T. Beckwith (E) 3.
Downsville 8, Gilboa 2
Five players scored for visiting Downsville, which took a 5-0 lead into halftime in a Delaware League victory.
Dalton Polomcean and Donald Jennings finished with two goals apiece for the Eagles, who also received goals from Colin Norwood, Paul Stein, Dustin Keesler and John Wren.
Justin Kovacevich and Stephen Voorhees scored second-half goals for Gilboa (1-16, 0-9), which plays host to Jefferson today.
Downsville 8, Gilboa 2
Downsville5 3 _ 8
Gilboa0 2 _ 2
Downsville: Dalton Polomcean 2-0, Donald Jennings 2-1, Colin Norwood 1-0, Paul Stein 1-1, Dustin Keesler 1-3, John Wren 1-0.
Gilboa (1-16, 0-9): Justin Kovacevich 1-0, Stephen Voorhees 1-0, Zak Engler 0-1.
Shots-corner kicks: D 15-3; G 13-3.
Goalies: T.J. Felter (D) 5, Brennan Tompkins 3; John Denora (G) 4, Joe Cooper 2.
{"HeadlineLight14"/}Cross Country
Jack Gariepy Invitational
Bainbridge-Guilford's Chris Burnett won a sprint to the finish line to beat Sullivan West's Greg Lewis and win the Jack Gariepy Invitational at Delhi.
Burnett finished the 3.1-mile course in 17 minutes, 33 seconds _ a second ahead of Lewis.
J.J. Padovani finished third in 18:25 for Delhi, which won the meet with 49 points _ 10 better than runner-up Afton.
Delhi's girls, led by winner Sarah Cummings, also won, compiling 23 points. Sullivan West was second with 34.
Cummings held off a charging Rianne Erlwein of SW to win by two seconds. Cummings crossed in 20:29, the fourth fastest time in course history. Harpursville graduate Kelly Billingiere ran the three previous fastest times, including a course-record 19:28 in 2006.
Delhi is at the Suffolk County Officials Invitational in Long Island on Saturday.
Jack Gariepy Invitational
at Delhi
Boys team scores: Delhi 49, Afton 59, Sullivan West 72, Unadilla Valley/Edmeston 122, Harpursville 126, Bainbridge-Guilford, Deposit, Livingston Manor and Unatego incomplete.
Individual: 1, Chris Burnett (B) 17:33 over 3.1-mile course: 2, Greg Lewis (L) 17:34; 3, J.J. Padovani (Del) 18:25; 4, Justin Osorio (UV/E) 18:30; 5, Casey Mohrien (A) 18:30; 6, Noah Apthorpe (Del) 18:41; 7, Chris Anthony (A) 19:21; 8, Russell Bryan (SW) 19:31; 9, Zach Dockstader (UV/E) 19:35; 10, Sean O'Connell (De;) 19:37.
Girls team scores: Delhi 23, Sullivan West 34, Unatego 87, Harpursville 104, Afton, Walton incomplete.
Individual: 1, Sarah Cummings (Del) 20:29; 2, Rianne Erlwein (SW) 20:31; 3, Morgan Hawkins (SW) 22:04; 4, Gabriella Rollo (Del) 22:05; 5, Joanna Wheatley (Del) 22:17; 6, Bethany Althaus (Del) 22:19; 7, Hannah Backus (Del) 22:31; 8, Dani Myers (SW) 23:10; 9, Kendra Barker (SW) 23:17; 10, Kajee Quick (Una) 23:18.
at Ilion
Ben Resnick's second-place finish paced Cooperstowns boys , who beat Ilion (22-33) and Adirondack (24-31), and lost to Oriskany (21-37).
Resnick completed the 3.1-mile course in 18:47 _ 49 seconds behind winner Zach Yates of Oriskany.
Cooperstown is 14-3.
Sarah Fanion placed fourth for the Redskins girls (8-7), who beat Oriskany (19-36) and lost to Ilion (19-38) and Adirondack (27-29).
Fanion finished in 23:28.
Cooperstown is at the Bill Coughlin Invitational at Rome Free Academy on Saturday.
at Ilion
Boys team scores: Cooperstown 22, Ilion 33; Oriskany 21, Cooperstown 37; Cooperstown 24, Adirondack 31.
Winner: Zach Yates (Or) 17:58 over 3.1-mile course.
Cooperstown runners: 2, Ben Resnick 18:47; 6, Paul Kennedy 19:25; 7, Will Reis 19:44; 19, Clark Dickson 21:07; 23, Zach Fanion 21:45; 25, Dashiel Kieler 22:12; 29, Henry Bauer 24:13; 30, Matt Burch 24:16; 31, Keith Camel 24:44; 32, Ryan Bennett 25:44.
Girls team scores: Ilion 19, Cooperstown 38; Adirondack 27, Cooperstown 29; Cooperstown 19, Oriskany 36.
Winner: Crista Johnson (Il) 22:22.
Cooperstown runners: 4, Sarah Fanion 23:28; 5, Nichole Wischoff 23:37; 13, Anna Weber 26:43; 15, Julia Robinson 27:27; 19, Dierdre Donnelly 29:21.
{"HeadlineLight14"/}Field Hockey
Walton 1, Deposit 0
Erin Butler controlled a ball off a free kick 25 yards out and maneuvered around two defenders before scoring from 10 yards with three minutes remaining in Walton's Midstate Athletic Conference win at home.
Walton (8-7, 6-6) plays host to Delhi on Friday.
Walton 1, Deposit 0
Deposit0 0 _ 0
Walton0 1 _ 1
Deposit: None.
Walton (8-7, 6-6): Erin Butler 1-0.
Shots-penalty corners: D 2-4; W 11-9.
Goalies: Jen Newman (D) 10; Brooke Spencer (W) 2.
Herkimer 1, Cooperstown 0
Despite taking seven more shots than the visitors, Cooperstown fell in the Center State Conference.
Sarah Meszler scored with about six minutes left for Herkimer, which received 10 saves from Mary View.
Cooperstown (6-7) plays at Ilion on Friday.
Herkimer 1, Cooperstown 0
Herkimer0 1 _ 1
Cooperstown0 0 _ 0
Herkimer: Sarah Meszler 1-0.
Shots-penalty corners: H 3-3; C 10-7.
Goalies: Mary View (H) 10; Alison Weber (C) 2.
{"HeadlineLight14"/}Volleyball
Owego 3, Oneonta 0
Valerie Ridgway had seven kills and Calla Losie contributed 13 assists for host Oneonta, which lost, 25-18, 25-22, 25-15, in the Southern Tier Athletic Conference.
Kim Cordova had 17 digs for the Yellowjackets (4-7), who play at Johnson City today.
Owego 3, Oneonta 0
Game scores: 25-18, 25-22, 25-15.
Owego: Becca Horton 17 assists, 5 aces; Hannah Manning 2 blocks, 8 kills; Kelly Lavender 8 kills.
Oneonta (4-7): Calla Losie 13 assists; Valerie Ridgway 7 kills, 4 blocks; Macey Quackenbush 2 aces; Kim Cordova 17 digs.
JV score: Oneonta, 2-1.
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