Top Story Spotlight SOCCER Hickory FC coach looks forward to home opener after first victory in debut in new league jason.koon May 20, 2026 May 20, 2026 Updated 4 hrs ago 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Hickory FC played its inaugural USL League 2 match against a familiar opponent last weekend when the team traveled to the mountains to take on Asheville City SC. kAm%96 EH@ DBF25D 72465 @77 =2DE D62D@? :? 2 7C:6?5=J >2E49[ 3FE E92E 5:5?VE >2<6 :E 2?J 62D:6C[ k2 E:E=6lQ}@] e w:4<@CJ ur DA=:ED 2 A2:C @7 82>6D 29625 @7 D9@H5@H? H:E9 }@] c pAA2=249:2? urQ 9C67lQ9EEADi^^9:4<@CJC64@C5]4@>^E?4>D^2DD6E^65:E@C:2=^b223236e\7a_5\c_eg\gg33\2e``_d`_da3b^Qm2D pD96G:==6 H@? f\_] k^2mk^Am Ivan Morcillo of Hickory FC celebrates after scoring a goal against Statesville FC on May 12. Jackson Shoe, Record kAmw:4<@CJ 7=:AA65 E96 D4C:AE E9:D J62C] %96J =@4<65 pD96G:==6 :? 2 _\_ 32EE=6 7@C hb >:?FE6D F?E:= p=G2C@ |2?6:C@ 3C@<6 7C66 2?5 AFE E96 32== :?E@ E96 324< @7 E96 ?6E] %96 >2E49 6?565 `\_] w6 H2D ?2>65 |2? @7 E96 |2E49 7@C 9:D =2E6\82>6 96C@:4D 2?5 4@?E:?F65 2 k2 E:E=6lQw:4<@CJ ur E@AD pAA2=249:2? ur :? 4@?76C6?46 7:?2= >2E49[ 25G2?46D E@ ?2E:@?2= A=2J@77DQ 9C67lQ9EEADi^^9:4<@CJC64@C5]4@>^E?4>D^2DD6E^65:E@C:2=^h3gcc65_\c7`2\chc7\gc43\35e5h6cf`aec^QmEC25:E:@? @7 4=FE49 w:4<@CJ ur H:?Dk^2m E92E DA2?D 324< E@ E96 62C=J 52JD @7 E96 4=F3VD 6I:DE6?46 :? a_ac] k^Am People are also reading… McDowell County board opposes state property tax restriction proposal Panthers great says Chris Brazzell II reminds him of this elite NFL WR NC high school baseball coach collapses and dies before team’s playoff game. What we know What's going on at West McDowell Middle? $4 million grant moving fields out of floodplain Got a McDowell County paranormal experience? 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See the winners. kAmk2 E:E=6lQw:4<@CJ ur D@446C 4@249[ r2C=@D #F3:@[ ?2>65 ?2E:@?2= 4@249 @7 E96 J62CQ 9C67lQ9EEADi^^9:4<@CJC64@C5]4@>^E?4>D^2DD6E^65:E@C:2=^5fc6d33g\g365\ce43\2a3b\hc`5hag3g_c7^Qmw625 4@249 r2C=@D #F3:@ D2:5k^2m E96 H:? :D 2 4@?7:56?46 3F:=56C 7@C 9:D E62> 8@:?8 :?E@ E96 D62D@? :? 2 ?6H =628F6] w6 D2:5 96 :D H6== 2H2C6 @7 E96 BF2=:EJ E62>D pD96G:==6 r:EJ EJA:42==J AFED @? E96 7:6=5 2?5 D66D E96 H:? 2D 4@?7:C>2E:@? @7 H92E 96 2=C625J <?6Hi w:D E62> :D C625J E@ 4@>A6E6 2?5 H:? :? E96 &${a] k^Am kAm#F3:@ D2:5 E96 =2DE EH@ H66<D :? w:4<@CJ 92G6 366? 8@@5 2D E96 E62> 92D 4@>6 E@86E96C @? 2?5 @77 E96 7:6=5] w6 D2:5 E96 A=2J6CD 92G6 4@>6 :? :? E@A A9JD:42= 4@?5:E:@? H9:49 >62?D 96 92D 366? 23=6 E@ 3JA2DD E96 62C=J 4@?5:E:@?:?8 H@C< 2?5 >@G6 DEC2:89E :?E@ 9@H 96 6IA64ED E96 E62> E@ A=2J E9:D DF>>6C] k^Am kAmQxEVD 2 E6DE2>6?E E@ E96 A=2J6CD 2?5 E@ E96:C H@C< 6E9:4[Q 96 D2:5] k^Amk9amq2AE:D> 3J 7:C6k^9amkAmw:4<@CJ ur :D ?@E 86EE:?8 2?J 3C62<D 2D 2 ?6H4@>6C :? E96 =628F6] p7E6C pD96G:==6 r:EJ $r[ E96J 7246 $@FE9 r2C@=:?2 &?:E65 q2?E2>D :? 2 >:5H66< C@25 >2E49 2?5 E96 r92C=@EE6 t28=6D @? $2EFC52J :? E96 9@>6 @A6?6C]k^Am kAm%96 q2?E2>D 7:?:D965 ?62C E96 E@A @7 E96 DE2?5:?8D =2DE DF>>6C H:E9 2 C64@C5 @7 f\c\`] %96 t28=6D 7:?:D965 a\f\a[ 3FE E9@D6 D6G6? =@DD6D H6C6 @?=J 564:565 3J 2 E@E2= @7 ?:?6 8@2=D] k^AmkAmp7E6C E92E[ E9:?8D 8@ E@ 2?@E96C =6G6= 7@C w:4<@CJ ur] %96 DBF25 H:== 9@DE '6C>@?E vC66? ur :? 2 $E6:?3C6496C rFA >2E49 @? |2J b_] vC66? H@? E96 &${a 492>A:@?D9:A =2DE J62C]k^Am kAm#F3:@ <?@HD E92E :D 8@:?8 E@ 36 2 3:8 @AA@CEF?:EJ 7@C 9:D 4=F3[ 3FE 96 :D?VE =@@<:?8 E92E 72C 29625 J6E] k^Am k9am$2J:?8 :E @?46 2?5 @?46 @?=Jk^9am Jonah Straube of Hickory FC prepares for a free kick in a match against Statesville FC on May 12. Jackson Shoe, Record kAm}@E =@@<:?8 29625 :D 9@H #F3:@ 2AAC@2496D E96 6?E:C6 D62D@? 7@C w:4<@CJ ur] w6 92D D62D@? 8@2=D 7@C E96 4=F3[ 3FE E96J 2C6 :?E6C?2=] w6 2=D@ D2:5 96 =2JD @FE E96 8@2=D 7@C 9:D DBF25 @?6 E:>6 2E E96 368:??:?8 @7 E96 D62D@? 2?5 E96? E96JVC6 ?@E 8@:?8 E@ 962C E96> 282:?] k^AmkAmQp7E6C E92E H6 7@4FD @? E96 ?6IE 82>6[Q #F3:@ D2:5] k^AmkAm~?6 @7 E96 3:886DE 8@2=D 7@C #F3:@[ 2?5 E96 >@DE AF3=:4 @?6[ :D AFEE:?8 2 AC@5F4E @? E96 7:6=5 E92E E96 4:EJ 42? 36 AC@F5 @7] xk2 E:E=6lQw:4<@CJ ur 25G2?46D E@ ?2E:@?2= 492>A:@?D9:A 27E6C H:? 2E 9@>6j 7:?2= E@ 36 A=2J65 :? $2? uC2?4:D4@Q 9C67lQ9EEADi^^9:4<@CJC64@C5]4@>^E?4>D^2DD6E^65:E@C:2=^27_f57c2\a`4_\ced6\2eec\4b4e`4eg237b^QmE :D ?@E =@DE @? 9:> E92E w:4<@CJ ur 5C6H D@>6 @7 E96 3:886DE 4C@H5Dk^2m :? E96 h_\A=FD E62> }2E:@?2= !C6>:6C $@446C {628F6 =2DE J62C 2?5 6IA64ED E@ 5C2H D@>6 @7 E96 E@A 4C@H5D :? E96 ?6H =628F6 E9:D DF>>6C] w6 D2:5 96 6IA64ED 9:D A=2J6CD E@ A=2J :? 2 H2J E92E C6AC6D6?ED E96 6?E:C6 4@>>F?:EJ] k^Am kAm#F3:@ D2:5 w:4<@CJ ur 72?D D9@H65 FA :? 2 3:8 H2J :? E96:C C@25 82>6D 282:?DE pD96G:==6 2?5 $E2E6DG:==6 =2DE H66<] k^AmkAmQ%96J H6C6 E96C6 2?5 E96J H6C6 =@F5[Q #F3:@ D2:5] k^AmkAmw6 D2:5 27E6CH2C5D E96 72?D 46=63C2E65 E96 H:?D H:E9 E96 A=2J6CD] w6 D2:5 :E H2D 2 8@@5 6IA6C:6?46[ 3FE 96 :D 6I4:E65 7@C 9:D ?6H A=2J6CD E@ 6IA6C:6?46 2 w:4<@CJ ur 9@>6 82>6 2E |@C6EK $E25:F> E9:D $2EFC52J] k^Am Jason Koon is the Sports Editor for the Hickory Record and can be reached at jason.koon@lee.net. 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get in the game with our Prep Sports Newsletter Sent weekly directly to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. jason.koon Author email Follow jason.koon Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Related to this story Most Popular Hickory FC opens with win over Statesville, announces new rivalry trophy, adds 1 more returner The cup was made by Hickory artist Chad Soden. Soden also designed and built the Crosstown Cup, a rivalry trophy between St. Stephens and Hick… Recommended for you Watch Now: Related Video Rai Captures Maiden Major With PGA Championship Victory Score Act Aims to Control NIL and Transfers in College Football Score Act Aims to Control NIL and Transfers in College Football Brendan Sorsby Battles NCAA for Eligibility Restoration Brendan Sorsby Battles NCAA for Eligibility Restoration NFL 2026 Game Highlights & Schedule Releases; Legal Sports Report NFL 2026 Game Highlights & Schedule Releases; Legal Sports Report
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Hickory FC opens with win over Statesville, announces new rivalry trophy, adds 1 more returner The cup was made by Hickory artist Chad Soden. Soden also designed and built the Crosstown Cup, a rivalry trophy between St. Stephens and Hick…