Boys’ soccer: Dunbar trying to savor the moment as it pursues a fifth state title
Paul Laurence Dunbar’s boys’ soccer team kicks off its quest for the program’s fifth state championship Wednesday night against Elizabethtown in the Kentucky High School Athletic Association state tournament semifinals at Frederick Douglass High School.
The No. 5 Bulldogs (20-3-2) have to feel good about their chances as the second highest ranked team in the final four behind No. 4 Daviess County, who plays in the opposite bracket against Covington Catholic while Dunbar takes on No. 21 Elizabethtown.
This is Dunbar’s first semifinals appearance since 2016 and also a first under second-year coach James Wray, who led the team to an undefeated regular season last year but saw the Bulldogs bow out in the first round of the state tournament to Ryle.
“I told these guys, this doesn’t happen all the time even with a tradition-rich program like Dunbar. It’s so hard to get there,” Wray said. “I told them every second they wear this uniform is special. I want them to cherish what they’re doing right now and understand the importance of it and understand the legacy they’re leaving with this group.”
Dunbar punched its ticket to the semifinals with a comprehensive 4-0 victory over Boyd County at home on Thursday.
Though Issac Cano, by far, is the team’s leading scorer with 29 goals, four other players have hit the back of the net in the state tournament, so far. The Bulldogs out-possessed Boyd all night and got scores from Kobe Valdivia, Joany “Jio” Chavez, Grant Courtad and Cano.
Courtad scored via penalty kick and has taken his coach’s words about the postseason to heart.
“We’ve just (got to) work hard in practice and prepare mentally for what’s coming up. It’s been a great season. It’s meant a lot,” Courtad said.
Elizabethtown presents a different challenge than Boyd with a more prolific offense that includes two 30-goal scorers in Cole Varela and Dylan Barnes.
Though Boyd had to defend most of the night, it did so in the first half effectively and that similarly had Wray a bit frustrated with his team. Dunbar held a slim 1-0 lead at half.
“I didn’t think we played real smart. But we got our heads on straight at halftime and came back out and asserted ourselves and showed our dominance in the second half,” Wray said. “I’m proud of the second half. We’ve been a second-half team most of the year, and I guess we’re going to live on that, but it’s a testament to our depth and a testament to our fitness in that we just wear down teams.”
Dunbar and Elizabethtown have had two common opponents this season. Both beat West Jessamine. While Elizabethtown lost 3-0 to St. Xavier on Aug. 28, Dunbar got a 0-0 tie against the Tigers on Sept. 25.
Those games offer an interesting backdrop, but now all that matters is Wednesday night.
“They’ve been a great team all year, and it’s been our goal to get where we are now and keep going,” Wray said of his Bulldogs. “I’m just trying to keep them focused and keep them engaged and make sure they take each game one at a time and accomplish what we need to accomplish.”
Here’s a look at this year’s boys’ soccer semifinalists.
Covington Catholic (13-8-5)
Pedigree: 3rd Region champion. 2015 state champion.
End-of-season rankings: RPI - 73; Maher - 26.
Tournament road: Beat Montgomery County 3-2 and Somerset 2-1.
Team stats: 53 goals on 30 assists with 37 goals allowed.
Stat stuffers: Leading scorers are Coleman Middendorf (nine) and Colton Pieper (nine). Jacob Brandenburg leads in assists (five).
Common opponents with Daviess County: Lost to North Oldham 6-3 on Aug. 21 and lost to Ryle 2-1 on Aug. 28.
Notes: CovCath entered the postseason with a 6-8-5 record and has won seven straight. The Colonels have played five out-of-state games, the most among this year’s semifinalists and a partial explanation for the team’s low RPI due to losing two and tying two of those games and the system’s low weighting of out-of-state opponents. In the only other meeting on record with Daviess County, CovCath lost to the Panthers 2-1 (6-5 PKs) in the 2016 state championship game.
Daviess County (22-1-4)
Pedigree: 3rd Region champion. 2016 state champion.
End of season rankings: RPI - 4; Maher - 3.
Tournament road: Beat South Warren 4-1 and North Oldham 1-0.
Team stats: 95 goals on 67 assists with 23 goals against.
Stat stuffers: Leading scorers are Sean Higgs (16), Tanner Anderson (15) and Dax Sandifer (12); Anderson and Carson Thomas share the assists lead (eight).
Common opponents with CovCath: Beat North Oldham 1-0 in the state quarterfinals on Oct. 21 and tied Ryle 1-1 on Sept. 4.
Notes: This is Daviess County’s eighth straight trip to the state tournament. It has reached the state championship game three times in that span under Coach Doug Sandifer. The 3rd Region has nine teams. CovCath’s 9th Region has 13. By contrast, Dunbar’s 11th Region has 18.
Elizabethtown (22-3-3)
Pedigree: 5th Region champion.
End-of-season rankings: RPI - 21; Maher - 14.
Tournament road: Beat Henderson County 2-0 and Butler 2-1.
Team stats: 123 goals on 105 assists with 24 goals allowed.
Stat stuffers: Leading scorers and assists men are Dylan Barnes (33 goals, 22 assists) and Cole Varela (32 goals, 20 assists).
Common opponents with Dunbar: Beat West Jessamine 3-2 on Sept. 12; Lost to St. Xavier 3-0 on Aug. 28.
Notes: According to KHSAA records online since 2000, this is Elizabethtown’s fifth state tournament appearance and fourth straight under Coach Corey Yates. The Panthers have not advanced past the first round until this season.
Paul Laurence Dunbar (20-3-2)
Pedigree: 11th Region champion. Four-time state champion (1992, 2001, 2005, 2013).
End-of-season rankings: RPI - 5; Maher - 5.
Tournament road: Beat Corbin 4-1 and Boyd County 4-0.
Team stats: 83 goals on 62 assists with 32 goals allowed.
Stat stuffers: Leading scorers are Issac Cano (29 goals, nine assists) and Concepcion Torres (eight). Reese Calhoon (seven, goals, eight assists) is the second-leading assist man
Common opponents with Elizabethtown: Beat West Jessamine 3-0 on Aug. 19; tied St. Xavier 0-0 on Sept. 25.
Notes: This is Dunbar’s second straight trip to the state tournament under Coach James Wray and its first semifinals appearance since 2016 when the Bulldogs were eliminated by eventual champion Daviess County. Wray is a 1996 Dunbar graduate. According to KHSAA online records, Dunbar and Elizabethtown have played twice in the last 20 years. Dunbar won 6-0 in 2005 and lost 2-1 in 2006.
Boys’ soccer state tournament
At Frederick Douglass High School
Wednesday’s semifinals
4 p.m.: Covington Catholic (13-8-5) vs. Daviess County (22-1-4)
7 p.m.: Elizabethtown (22-3-3) vs. Paul Laurence Dunbar (20-3-2)
Saturday’s finals
4 p.m.: Championship
This story was originally published October 26, 2021 at 7:00 AM.
