By Monica Holmes
Sports Editor

[dropcap]O [/dropcap]ne goal. The difference between winning it all or a dream deferred.

The 2013 season for the men’s soccer team started with three goals: First, have an undefeated regular season. Second, take each game one game at a time. Third, finish strong and play for a state championship.

The team reached its first goal by winning the Northeastern Coastal Conference title, earning the number one seed in the east with a record of 18-0. FFHS was the only undefeated team in the state playoffs, a record that included seven mercy-rule wins in the regular season. (The mercy rule is enforced once a team is up by nine points.)

The last of the team’s original goals was achieved when the Nighthawks defeated Carrboro in the fifth round of the playoffs to advance to the state championship game.

With a record of 23-0, the eastern region champions faced Salisbury, the number one seed from the west in the 2A title game with one final goal in mind: A perfect season and a state championship.

But it was not to be.

The Nighthawks were defeated 2-1 in the championship game by Salisbury, a team that picked up its second state title in three years. A team with 10 seniors that outscored its opponents 30-3 in the playoffs.

“I do feel like it was a disadvantage for our team because (Salisbury) knew what to expect when they got there, having played in championship game before,” sophomore Issac Eckard said.

For the first 12 minutes of the game, neither team looked to have an advantage. That is until junior Jay Cueva slipped past both Salisbury’s defender and keeper to score, giving the Nighthawks a 1-0 lead.

With 33 minutes left in the first half, Salisbury tied the game on a goal by Emmy Turcios off an assist from Bobby Cardelle. Turcios was the MVP of the 2011 state title game.

Just eight minutes into the second half, Cardelle knocked in the game-winning goal for Salisbury. It was the 45th goal of the season for Cardelle and 105th of his career. He was also named the game’s MVP.

The Nighthawks had a chance to even the score with 3:30 remaining on the clock when Graham Smalley’s free kick hit the right goal post and rebounded away. Smalley, the  Northeastern Coastal Conference Offensive Player of the Year, had 33 goals and 24 assists on the season for the Nighthawks.

When all was said and done, Salisbury’s strong defense and considerable size advantage kept the Nighthawks from scoring again.

“It was tough playing against such a big team when our team is so small,” senior Noah Breit said. “We were much faster and physical but their size seemed to be too much for us.”

Players said they were proud of the team’s effort in the team’s first trip to the state title game.

“It was awesome being able to go 23-1 and play in a state championship game, even though I wish the outcome of that would have been different,” senior Joey Staten said. “However, I wouldn’t have asked for another group of guys to be with along the way. Our team chemistry was great and that’s one of the reasons we did so well.”

They also have future goals.

“Being a sophomore and getting to play in a state championship game is a life-changing experience,” Eckard said. “We are a young team, and these next two years we are going to train hard because now we know what it feels like to play in a state championship game and losing makes us not want to experience that ever again. The whole thing was a great learning experience. “

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