Clayton State favored to win Peach Belt men’s soccer title
Lakers garner 47 points, including five first-place votes, in conference preseason poll

AUGUSTA, Ga. — AUGUST 8, 2006 — For the second straight season, the Clayton State Lakers have been selected as the favorites to win the 2006 Peach Belt Conference men’s soccer championship, according to the vote of the conference’s eight coaches released on Tuesday. In the closest voting since 2002, the Lakers received five of the possible seven first-place votes for 47 points, narrowly edging out USC-Upstate, which received 45 points and three first-place votes.

UNC-Pembroke was selected third with 34 points, followed by Lander in fourth with 31 points. Rounding out the poll is North Georgia in fifth (26), Francis Marion in sixth (21), USC-Aiken in seventh (12) and Peach Belt newcomer Georgia Southwestern finished up the poll in eighth with eight points.

Clayton State is coming off arguably the most successful season in program history in 2005. Head coach Pete Petersen’s Lakers finished 13-4-4 overall and won both the Peach Belt regular season and tournament championships with a 5-0-1 mark in the conference. The Lakers also advanced to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Division II National Tournament.

The Lakers return seven starters, headlined by All-Southeast Region standouts Heath Padgett at goalkeeper and Kevin Crooks at forward. Other key returnees for Clayton State include All-Peach Belt midfielder Johnny Lara and Peach Belt Tournament Most Valuable Player Jarrid Nicholson.

Clayton State opens the 2006 season on Aug. 24 at 7 p.m. at Rollins.