On October 4, the Hobart Brickies matched up against the Crown Point Bulldogs in the first round of boys soccer sectional play. Before the game, Hobart head coach Jamie Harris described how the team felt about playing in sectionals.
“I think if there are any words to describe tonight, excited is certainly one of them,” said Harris. “Nerves are something everyone focuses on, but what we need to do is make sure we translate those nerves from our brains down into our hearts and our feet and legs. After it gets down to that and we get rid of those first couple of minute jitters, it’s time to play some clinical soccer.”
Harris believes that his team has been overlooked in the soccer community and was excited for this program to prove the doubters wrong.
“We don’t get exactly the recognition think we should get from the soccer community,” said Harris. “They say we have an easy schedule, but tonight we’re going to come out and show everyone what we’re about.”
The Brickies would end the first half trailing the Bulldogs 2-1, but that didn’t mean they lost hope. Throughout the season, the boys on the team coined the phrase ‘Job’s not finished,' and the Brickies certainly were not finished tonight.
Hobart started the second half with a quick goal to even the score. Then late in the second Freshman #30, Adrian Stojkoski scored the game-winning goal to complete the comeback for the Brickies. After the game, Stojkoski described what scoring a goal like that meant to him.
"That felt amazing, the feeling is like you can't describe it, but you just have to be there,” said Stojkoski.
The Brickies will look to keep their season alive when they play Portage on Wednesday, October 5, in the next round of sectional play.