E. Lincoln, Foard, Hibriten still have shot a state 2A title
By CHRIS HOBBS
HobbsDailyReport.com
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR HHS FANS: A.C. Reynolds has provided this information about Saturday’s fourth-round state 3A boys’ soccer playoff match against Hickory at 6 p.m.:
— Follow signs and park and enter on the visitor’s side of the stadium.
— Tickets are available only online by going to https://gofan.co/app/events/284185
Hickory High’s boys’ soccer team is trying to do something special.
When the Red Tornadoes (13-1-0) face No. 13 A.C. Reynolds (12-2-2) on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the fourth round of the state 3A playoffs, they’ll be three wins away from winning it all as a No. 16 seed.
Hickory started this march until head coach Brian Jillings by sharing a Northwestern 3A-4A regular-season title with Watauga.
Watauga won a draw for the top seed, which meant Hickory would not be seeded in the 3A bracket until all league champions were seeded.
While Hickory was seeded 16th, Watauga got a No. 2 seed and is also still alive. The Pioneers (13-1-1) are at home on Saturday to battle No. 3 Weddington (13-1-1).
The West 3A final is Tuesday… and could it be No. 16 Hickory at No. 2 Watauga?
The four teams left in the East in 3A are No. 1 Greenville Conley (12-0-0), No. 4 Southern Alamance (12-1-0), No. 3 Clayton (13-0-0) and No. 2 Wilmington New Hanover (13-1-0).
So far, Hickory has road wins over top-seeded Forestview (5-4) and over No. 9 Marvin Ridge (2-0).
Area has 3 of final 4 in West 2A
Three of the four teams left in the West 2A bracket and preparing for fourth-round matches are from Greater Hickory area conferences.
On Saturday, it’s South Fork 2A champion East Lincoln (12-1-1) at Northwestern Foothills 2A champion Hibriten (16-0-0).
The other 2A battle on Saturday is No. 11 Fred T. Foard (13-2-0, Northwestern Foothills) at No. 7 Ledford (13-1-1).
If Hibriten and Foard get through, they’d play Tuesday at Hibriten. Hibriten won twice over the Tigers in the regular season, 3-1 and 5-4.
AREA TEAMS IN BOYS SOCCER BRACKET
2A
Third round results
No. 1 Hibriten 4, No. 8 Hendersonville 0
No. 5 E. Lincoln 4, No. 13 Salisbury 1
No. 11 Fred T. Foard 2, No. 14 Shelby 1
Fourth round, Saturday
No. 5 E. Lincoln (12-1-1) at No. 1 Hibriten (16-0-0)
No. 11 Fred T. Foard (13-2-0) at No. 7 Ledford (13-1-1)
3A
Third round results
No. 2 Watauga 5, No. 7 Cox Mill 0
No. 16 Hickory 2, No. 9 Marvin Ridge
Fourth round, Saturday
No. 3 Weddington (13-1-1) at No. 2 Watauga (13-1-1)
No. 16 Hickory (13-1-0) at No. 13 A.C. Reynolds (12-2-2)
STATEWIDE SCORES/PAIRINGS
WEST 1A
Third round results
No. 1 Starmount 1, No. 9 Pine Lake Prep 0
No. 3 Community School of Davidson 7, No. 6 Mount Airy 1
No. 5 Gray Stone Day 5, No. 13 Langstree Charter 0
No. 10 Thomas Jefferson Academy 3, No. 2 Polk County 0
Saturday’s fourth round pairings
No. 5 Gray Stone Day (8-0-2) at No. 1 Starmount (13-1-0)
No., 10 Thomas Jefferson Academy (12-2-1) at No. 3 Community School of Davidson (15-1-0)
WEST 2A
Third round results
No. 1 Hibriten 4, No. 8 Hendersonville 0
No. 5 E. Lincoln 4, No. 13 Salisbury 1
No. 7 Ledford 1, No. 2 Forest Hills 0
No. 11 Fred T. Foard 2, No. 14 Shelby 1
Saturday’s fourth round pairings
No. 5 E. Lincoln (12-1-1) at No. 1 Hibriten (16-0-0)
No. 11 Fred T. Foard (13-2-0) at No. 7 Ledford (13-1-1)
WEST 3A
Third round results
No. 2 Watauga 5, No. 7 Cox Mill 2
No. 3 Weddington 2, No. 10 Cramer 0
No. 13 A.C. Reynolds 2, No. 12 Concord 2 (A.C. Reynolds 3-1 PKs)
No. 16 Hickory 2, No. 9 Marvin Ridge 0
Saturday’s fourth round pairings
No. 3 Weddington (13-1-1) at No. 2 Watauga (13-1-1)
No. 16 Hickory (13-1-0) at No. 13 A.C. Reynolds (12-2-2), 6 p.m.
WEST 4A
Third round results
No. 1 Myers Park 3, No. 9 Lake Norman 0
No. 2 NW Guilford 2, No. 10 Raleigh Athens Drive 1
No. 5 S. Mecklenburg 2, No. 13 Providence 0
No. 6 Hough 4, No. 3 Durham Jordan 0
Saturday’s fourth round pairings
No. 5 S. Mecklenburg (10-6-0) at No. 1 Myers Park (10-2-1)
No. 6 Hough (9-2-1) at No. 2 NW Guilford (11-2-0)
