PACKING THE HOUSE
More than 3,000 fans watch Hickory FC win USL-2 home opener
Hickory FC and South Carolina players battle for position on a corner kick in Saturday's game in Hickory.
Hickory FC honored the memory of former player Fletcher Harris on Saturday before the game.
A Hickory FC player controls the ball early in the game against South Carolina Bantams on Saturday in Hickory.
SOCCER
Despite intermittent drizzle and game time temperatures in the upper 50s, 3,151 fans poured into Moretz Stadium on the campus of Lenoir-Rhyne University for Hickory FC's home opener on Saturday.
The club played South Carolina United FC Bantams in the game, winning 2-1 and improving their record to a perfect 4-0 on the season, 3-0 in league play. Leading up to the game, fans praised the team's success over last two years and said they had been looking forward to the opener since last season ended.
"What's not to be excited about?" Bruce Monks said. "It was a phenomenal season, and this is the first home game this year. You can't like this team and not be excited about this game."
The place to be
Mario Cruz, who helped found the 28601, Hickory FC's superfan group, said a Hickory FC game is the place to be in Hickory on a Saturday night.
"It's a lot of fun, family oriented," he said. "We have tailgates here with people from all around, people from England, from Mexico, Honduras. It's a multicultural event. Everybody has fun and you get to know people. The community gets together and has fun."
He said the club's step up to USL League Two makes the season even more exciting.
"It's a big game," Cruz said. "Not just because it's the home opener, but because we are playing our first home game in this new league. … We are hoping to get a great result, but we are going to support them no matter what."
Hickory FC played in the National Premier Soccer League in its first two seasons, and won the NPSL championship last year before moving into USL League Two.
On the field
Things started slowly for Hickory FC on the field, but it didn't stay that way for long.
South Carolina kept the ball in their attacking third early, but Hickory FC kept the Bantams from getting any meaningful opportunities. Hickory FC stayed focused on patience and possession, working the ball around and looking for striking opportunities.
South Carolina was able to disrupt that strategy for the most part in the first 30 minutes, but Hickory FC did get a few opportunities.
Hickory FC's patience finally paid off in the 34th minute. On a free kick, Martin Kozak curved it past the South Carolina goalkeeper and into the top of the net to make it 1-0 Hickory.
Hickory FC fans didn't have to wait nearly as long in the second half. A minute and 47 seconds in, Alvaro Maneiro found Ivan Morcillo who punched it past the South Carolina goalkeeper to give Hickory FC a 2-0 lead.
South Carolina got a goal back about 10 minutes later, but Hickory was able to hang on for the win.
Not just soccer
Paige Monks said the experience of a Hickory FC game is something to look forward to, even if you're not a huge soccer fan.
"You don't know what you're missing," she said. "It's not just soccer. It's our whole community, our whole area and they're coming together to support a great team."
Before the game, the team honored the memory of 2025 team member Fletcher Harris. Harris and his girlfriend, Skylar Provenza were killed in a head-on collision on Jan. 16 when their vehicle was struck by a drunk driver. Fletcher's No. 29 jersey was retired before the game.
Jason Koon is the Sports Editor for the Hickory Record and can be reached at jason.koon@lee.net.
