NPSL South Region Semifinal - Columbus United v. Hickory FC
It was a Wednesday night classic as Columbus United FC traveled up to Hickory, North Carolina to face league newcomers Hickory FC in an NPSL South Region Semifinal match up. In a contest where Hickory FC had to answer back twice to push the game to extra time, the battle between the bricks of Lenoir-Rhyne University’s Moretz Stadium turned into an intense showdown filled with physicality. Ultimately, Hickory FC went out on their shield in front of a record crowd as they gave everything they had through to the final whistle.
In a 3-2 finish that sees Columbus United FC advance to the NPSL South Region Championship, it was their captain center back Bruno Garcia that secured the win in the 107th minute. The Peruvian defender joined Columbus United from the University of the Cumberlands in the NAIA after being awarded the MSC Defensive Player of the Year and MSC All-Conference First Team honors. He formed a solid center back partnership with Damean Dominguez as the two were able to contain much of Hickory FC’s vertical attack all evening as both players completed the match. Dominguez plays his college soccer at nearby Georgia South Western after a freshman season with Florida Atlantic University in 2021.
It was another defensive player in the unit that stood out the most though. Left wing back Mouhamed Tucker was very active on both sides of the ball and showed his quickness and combination passing as he moved up and down the flank. He brings a lot of solid experience despite only now becoming an upperclassman at Virginia Commonwealth University. The Richmond native has accumulated 2,317 minutes and 4 assists in his first two seasons with his hometown Rams while helping them become the 2023 Atlantic 10 Regular Season Champions.
Columbus United opened the scoring in the 19th minute after another VCU player provided a diagonal through ball for Sy Fontenot to finish. The left side triangle for Columbus that consisted of Mo Tucker, Xavi Csato and Jonathan Kanagwa worked well together as they went from end-to-end in a passing combination that turned lethal as Kanagwa found Fontenot. Kanagwa was VCU’s points leader last season with 4 goals and 5 assists. The center midfielder came from Uganda to attend a high school in Long Island and he has since collected All-Rookie Team (2020-21) and All-Conference Second Team (2023) awards during his time in Richmond. His midfield partner in the double pivot also impressed me. Despite not appearing for Campbell University last year as a freshman, I assume that might change for Evans Dapaah as the Ghanian goes into his sophomore season.
Sy Fontenot scores to make it 1-0 in the South Region Semifinal against Hickory FC. Goal was assisted by Jonathan Kanagwa.
After conceding the opening goal, Hickory FC needed to find an answer and it eventually came right before half time. In the 43rd minute, the referee gave the penalty as Diego Fernandez was brought down in the box while he was in the process of finding a shooting lane. Roger Sanguinetti stepped up and placed his shot perfectly in the top right corner to tie the game heading into the break. Fernandez attends Mars Hill University where he’ll now head into his sophomore season. Sanguinetti also won’t have to travel too far now that his summer season is over. He was a part of the UNC Asheville team that made it to the Big South Conference Championship last year and will now be a senior with the Bulldogs.
In the second half, Hickory FC brought more intensity and I felt as though Camilo Salazar really took his game to the next level. The advanced playmaker showed great work ethic as he became the main catalyst for the attack. It appeared that one of the objectives coming out of half time was to gain more control in the midfield. Salazar defended high up the field and won back possession on the edge of the attacking third on a few occasions. He plays in NCAA Division II with Francis Marion University.
There weren’t too many threatening chances in the early stages of the second half, but at the hour mark, Columbus United struck again as substitute Carter Berg showed his ability on the dribble before playing a dangerous low ball across the face of goal for a streaking Rafa Kawata to capitalize. Berg has been quite the goal scorer in NCAA Division III with the University of Mary Washington. Over the past two seasons, he’s had 23 goals and 14 assists in 41 starts and has won consecutive conference titles holding a combined record of 31-7-6.
Rafa Kawata with the second goal for Columbus United FC. Assisted by Carter Berg.
Once again, Hickory FC needed some magic. Similar to the first response, a goal came 20 minutes after Columbus United scored. In the 81st minute, another substitute impacted the match, but this time, it was Jorge Jimenez from 25 yards out.
Jorge Jimenez scores the crucial equalizer to push the match into extra time.
It all came down to extra time where the first period didn’t produce much in terms of clear chances, but only a couple minutes after the break in the 107th minute, Columbus United had a corner kick opportunity. Xavi Csato regained possession from the punched clearance and laid it off for Rafa Kawata to serve back into the box. It turned out to be the perfect cross for Bruno Garcia as he hit a glancing header and found the back of the net.
Throughout the match Xavi Csato showed why he was named the ASUN Freshman of the Year last fall with Stetson University. He’s a confident and ambitious winger that really tries to make things happen. The consistent threat he provided helped give his team an edge in my opinion, but part of me wonders how this roster had only a 4-3-3 record because it was a well-rounded group.
The man of the match has to go to Rafa Kawata though. It wasn’t just the goal and the assist, but for the full 120 minutes, he never went missing and he worked hard to help ensure his team would see at least another game in the playoffs. As another one of the NAIA players within NPSL this summer, Kawata scored 9 goals and provided 7 assists as a freshman at the University of Rio Grande. His Red Storm finished fourth in the country in goals scored (82) leading to a 14-2-3 record.
It was a great inaugural season for Hickory FC. There were many successes that this organization will be able to look back on as they approach the off-season. Between the club leadership, the head coach and his staff, and the incredible fan base, this club could be on to something big in the coming years.
Kawata and Columbus United now shift their focus to the NPSL South Region Championship as their dream run continues.