Hickory FC Defeats Mint Hill FC 6-1 in Friendly
May 3, 2025
By Owen Chapman/Hickory FC
After a historic inaugural campaign in 2024 that included a Southeast Conference championship and a run to the South Region Semifinals, Hickory FC kicked off its 2025 season with a preseason friendly against Mint Hill FC on Saturday night at Helen & Leonard Moretz Stadium at Lenoir-Rhyne University.
Although the match was labeled a preseason friendly, Hickory FC head coach Carlos Rubio made it clear before the match that his team wasn’t treating it as such.
“Once our team takes the pitch, this won’t be treated as a friendly,” Rubio said.
His message came to fruition almost immediately.
By the time Mint Hill FC registered its first shot on goal—just past the 10-minute mark—Hickory FC had already built a 2–0 lead. The opener came in the 4th minute, when Harri Rowe delivered a well-placed cross into the box that Antonio Pineda finished with ease.
Just two minutes later, a deflected ball landed in the lap of defender Jonah Straube, who calmly headed it into the back of the net to extend Hickory FC’s lead to 2-0.
To make matters worse for Mint Hill FC, a mishandled pickup by goalkeeper Nick Cutlip in the 19th minute allowed Hickory FC’s Ignacio Juanche to pounce on a loose ball and extend the lead to 3-0.
Mint Hill managed to respond in the 25th minute, pulling one back to make it 3-1. But any hopes of a comeback were quickly dashed early in the second half, as Hickory FC wasted little time reasserting control.
Just four minutes after the restart, Straube struck again — this time with a clean finish off a corner kick to push the lead to 4-1.
Straube’s performance stood as a standout moment for Hickory FC in this match, showcasing not just his presence as a defenseman, but the club’s ability to be dangerous in all areas of the field. It served as a reminder that Hickory FC isn’t relying on just a few key players to get the job done.
The versatility across this experienced roster should be a key factor as the team looks to build on last season’s success and take the next step in 2025.
Hickory continued to dictate the pace throughout the remainder of the match, keeping Mint Hill on the defensive. In the 82nd and 86th minutes, Jaheim Smith and John Osadolor each found the back of the net, capping off a dominant team performance and sealing a 6-1 victory.
An opening performance like this — friendly or not — will only continue to build momentum and raise expectations for a club that captured a conference championship and earned a spot in the NPSL postseason during its inaugural season.
As players and fans turn their attention to the upcoming 2025 season, Hickory FC made it clear early — they’re not just looking to simply repeat what they did last year, they’re looking to build on it.
But with heightened expectations comes the need for balance.
We’re going to take it one game at a time,” Rubio said in his postgame comments.
Photo Credits: Bryson Smith/Hickory FC
