Browns Summit, NC — It was three years in the making for Hickory’s boys soccer seniors. It was 17 years and 400 wins in the making for their coach.
Hickory claimed its second state championship on Saturday, defeating Jacksonville 2-1 for the NC High School Athletic Association 3A title at MacPherson Stadium in Browns Summit.
The Hickory seniors went one round further in each of the last four years: West regional semifinalist, West regional runner-up, state runner-up, and state champion.
Coach Brian Jillings, after finishing runner-up three previous times, won his first title in what was also his 400th win to conclude his 17th season.
“You couldn’t ask for a better 400th win,” Jillings said. “I’m just so proud of this group of guys. … When we came off the field last year they said ‘Coach, we’re going to do it for you’ and they just had that mindset the entire season that they wanted to win a state championship.”
After a scoreless half, Hickory freshman Braeden McCourt had a hand in two of the biggest plays en route to MVP honors.
In the 49th minute, Jacksonville’s Jack Leary had a breakaway open-netter after heading it over the keeper to himself, but McCourt chased down the play and blocked the ball before it crossed the goal mouth.
It was the best chance all afternoon for the Cardinals (18-8-2), who had won 14 of their last 15 games after starting the season 4-6-2.
“I felt like it was just my job,” McCourt said. “I’ve got to protect my goalie, I’ve got to protect my goal. The goalie made the right decision coming out there, it was nobody’s fault, it was just an opportunity for me. God gives those opportunities.”
Seven minutes later, in the 56th minute, McCourt was in the attacking third and hit the game’s first goal following a scrum in the box.
“That was an important goal to start off the scoring,” McCourt said.
In the 61st minute, Hickory (22-2-3) doubled its lead as a free kick from the left of the box by Josue Leal went past the Cardinals’ wall and skipped into the net without being touched.
A late would-be goal by Hickory was waived off for a handball on the other side of the midfield, creating confusion as the play continued.
In the 74th minute, Jacksonville’s Tyler Gregory got the Cardinals on the board with a rebound following a corner kick to cut the lead to 2-1 late.
Both teams were making their sixth appearances in the state championships. Hickory had just one prior title, coming in 2001, while Jacksonville won titles in 2005 and 2012 — the latter of which came against Hickory (both teams were coached by the same head coaches and close friends, Hickory’s Jillings and Jacksonville’s David Miller).
Jacksonville was the eighth seed out of the East, while Hickory was the 10th seed out of the West.
Prior to the game, the NCHSAA’s sportsmanship award winners from each team were Jacksonville’s Jack Leary and Hickory’s Alex Annas.
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