By MONTE DUTTON

Down in the soccer holler, where the Raiders practice football, it’s exciting.

Greg Porter and his staff are agitating a bunch of kids previously aggravated.

A whole lot of shaking was going on, not to mention grunting, yelling, cheering and that inimitable sound of pads popping.

Porter has seen this movie. He’s starred in it. He has every reason to know how it ends. He won a state championship at Hillcrest, the only one ever, and came close at Greenville.

Man, I’m excited. I think every team in the county is better. This time of year, we believe until proven otherwise.

Laurens was 2-9 last year. No matter that a jaded scribe looks at the schedule and thinks 5-5 is going to be a hell of a season.

“I love this opportunity,” Porter said. “I love this challenge.”

Then he said, “There is no challenge like this challenge that we are dealing with right now because [of] the mindset of what they’ve been through over the past couple years. They’re trying to get focused and learn a whole lot. They’re trying to learn how I do things and erase how things were done in the past.”

The Raiders have to learn how to win. It can’t be drawn in X’s and O’s. It must take place on a practice field, where teams learn how to compete, and in a stadium, where they learn how to win.

Will Thompson, the incoming quarterback from Hillcrest, faces his old school on Aug. 23 in the season opener. That ought to be a rip-roaring scene at K.C. Hanna Stadium. Coincidentally, last year’s Laurens quarterback, Nick Danciu, transferred to LDHS … from Hillcrest. Nothing against Danciu, who transferred after the season started, but this one’s better.

Josh Goodwin, last seen patrolling outfields, looks like a dangerous deep target for Thompson’s missiles.

That being noted, the defense looked better on Tuesday.

The new staff is building confidence. Everything is more animated. Football coaches are prone to laryngitis in August heat, but this staff appears to have been vaccinated.

“I think we’re going to do well. I hope so. I really, really think so,” Porter concluded.

I noticed Monday night that Laurens Academy is playing a volleyball tournament at Pelion High School.

This made me realize that I am presumptuous regarding people knowing where places are.

It could be because my father was both an auctioneer and a fertilizer salesman.

I’ve been to Pelion, though I don’t intend to for a volleyball tournament, or a championship fight, for that matter.

I’ve watched a horse race in Smoaks. I’ve pulled a horse trailer to pick one up in Oakway. By myself. I mean, I was 16.

Later in life, I chased race cars in a gypsy band of scribes.

I’ve been everywhere, man. Crossed the desert bare. Breathed the mountain air.

Where I was, mainly, on Tuesday, was Laurens District High School.

I hesitate to mention this, but I can’t help myself.

Many writers are nitpicky about language, and I am guilty.

The foul pole should be the fair pole because, if a batted ball hits it, it’s fair.

A threepeat should be a twopeat because the team or person only repeats twice.

Mano a mano means “hand to hand,” not “man to man.”

If it’s a near miss, it hits.

The apparent nut who took a shot at former president Trump really did have a near miss.

Most everything in English has an exception.

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