Hoggard Defeats Apex Friendship to Win NCHSAA 8a East Title

Hoggard secured the NCHSAA 8A East regional championship on Thursday, Nov. 12, after defeating top-seeded Apex Friendship in a dramatic penalty shootout.

The Vikings, entering the match as the No. 2 seed, overcame a late deficit to win the shootout 7-6. The victory follows a grueling contest that saw the teams remain deadlocked at 2-2 through four periods of overtime play in Apex.

The win preserves Hoggard’s impressive season record of 19-0-3. It also marks the second consecutive year the program has competed for an 8A state title.

Hoggard head coach Dwight Findlay talks team’s resilience in comeback win over Apex Friendship — HighSchoolOT

The momentum shifted late in the second overtime period. With just 2:18 remaining, senior Ari Tanner scored an equalizer off a corner kick, preventing Apex Friendship from securing the win and forcing the match into additional golden goal periods.

Drama unfolds in overtime

The match was a back-and-forth struggle that tested the endurance of both squads. Apex Friendship had briefly seized control when Noah Covington scored just 31 seconds into the first overtime period to give the Patriots a 2-1 lead.

Hoggard returns to 8A state finals with penalty shootout victory over Apex Friendship — HighSchoolOT

However, Tanner’s late heroics kept the Vikings alive. Despite two subsequent golden goal periods ending scoreless, the deadlock held, necessitating a penalty shootout to decide the regional championship.

Hoggard displayed clinical precision during the shootout, converting seven consecutive penalty kicks. The Patriots were unable to match the streak, missing their attempt and handing the title to the Vikings.

Hoggard goalkeeper William Nichols breaks down regional final victory over Apex Friendship — HighSchoolOT

Wilmington teams advance in 7A bracket

While Hoggard battled in the 8A division, New Hanover also secured a path forward in the 7A playoffs. The Wildcats defeated Chapel Hill 3-1 in their quarterfinal matchup at Legion Stadium.

New Hanover’s victory sets up a rematch of the 2025 NCHSAA 7A East regional championship. They are scheduled to face Cardinal Gibbons next week.

Playoff results and upcoming schedule

The following table summarizes the final scores from Thursday’s Wilmington-area playoff matchups:

Matchup	Result	Final Score / Method
Hoggard vs. Apex Friendship	Hoggard Wins	2-2 (7-6 PKs)
New Hanover vs. Chapel Hill	New Hanover Wins	3-1
Ashley vs. Cardinal Gibbons	Cardinal Gibbons Wins	1-4

The road to the state championship continues for the Vikings. Hoggard is scheduled to compete for the NCHSAA 8A state title against the Western champion, Providence, between Nov. 19 and Nov. 21.

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