All-Area Boys Soccer: New Hanover's John Franck leads Wildcats to unpredicted success
In a senior season filled with triumph and defeat, New Hanover boys soccer player John Franck emerged as one of the area's most dominant threats.
Franck led all Mideastern Conference players with 62 points (26 goals and 10 assists) on his way to becoming the 2023 StarNews All-Area Boys Soccer Player of the Year.
But even with the success that came Franck's way this fall, things got off to a slow start. With a new coach in William Page and a much younger squad than 2022, the Wildcats started the season 2-4-1.
"Going into this year, me and my whole team were concerned," Franck said. "Bringing in a new head coach and a lot of new faces, we were a little worried about how the year would turn out."
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The road ahead wouldn't get easier, as New Hanover won seven of its final 14 regular season games. Even so, the Wildcats earned a spot in the state playoffs as the No. 25 seed, going on to upset Willow Springs and New Bern before falling to Leesville Road in overtime in Round 3.
"Everyone was saying that we were going to lose, and to upset a Raleigh team like that was huge for not only our team but for all the Wilmington teams," Franck said of the team's win over Willow Springs. "Teams for sure overlooked us coming into the playoffs, and that gave us a big advantage in terms of confidence.
As New Hanover's No. 1 threat this fall, Franck was honest about dealing with high expectations.
"When you don't perform good, it gets in your head a little bit," he said. "I had to look back at all the times people saw me as that good of competitor that they needed to put more pressure on me, which helped lift my spirits."
The Wildcats were knocked out of the playoffs in a devastating 1-0 overtime loss to Leesville Road, something Franck remembers vividly.
"I was trying my best to help my team win, and every time I got the ball, I had two or three guys on me. Being in that situation where it's hard to score, and it ends like it did, is heartbreaking," he said.
Franck scored 44 goals over the final two seasons of high school, but even with that success, winning was always his number one priority.
"I was never like checking over my stats or making sure I scored in any game," he said. "Me personally, I was just trying to do the best thing I could for my team and help them win.
2023 StarNews All-Area Boys Soccer Player of the Year: John Franck, New Hanover
Not missing a beat in his senior season, Franck showed his skill as one of the Mideastern Conference's best players by scoring 26 goals and dishing out 10 assists. The Wildcats leader led New Hanover to two playoff upsets and was also named to the N.C. Soccer Coaches Association's All-State team.
2023 StarNews All-Area Boys Soccer: First Team
Alan Acree, junior, Laney: Acree led Laney to two playoff upsets and finished the season with 17 goals and 15 assists.
Clark Beery, junior, Hoggard: Despite a late-season injury, Beery still managed 13 goals for the Vikings.
Cameron Berry, sophomore, Ashley: The defender led all MEC players with 20 assists while also scoring six goals.
Nick Cenatiempo, junior, Ashley: Cenatiempo scored 12 goals, providing some outstanding moments as Ashley finished second in the MEC.
Jack-Henry James, senior, Hoggard: James' 18 goals and five assists helped Hoggard claim its second straight Mideastern Conference title.
Jesus Juarez, senior, Hoggard: Juarez recorded 11 goals and 10 assists as one of Hoggard's top players.
Maddox Kelly, junior, Topsail: Kelly scored 46 points through 24 games. The junior found the back of the net 18 times and provided 10 assists.
Aiden Murray, junior, Pender: Murray led all area players this fall with 30 goals and 26 assists. The junior averaged 1.4 goals through 22 games as Pender won the Waccamaw Conference and advanced to the third round of the NCHSAA 1A state playoffs.
Myron McKoy, senior, Trask: The three-sport athlete poured in 17 goals and eight assists as Trask finished third in the Waccamaw Conference.
Cameron Steven, junior, Cape Fear Academy: Steven led all Hurricane scorers with 18 goals and 14 assists.
Levi Lancaster, Wilmington Christian: Lancaster led the Patriots with 17 goals.
Ryan Kromke, senior, Hoggard: As Hoggard allowed just 15 goals, Kromke made 67 saves.
2023 StarNews All-Area Boys Soccer: Second Team
Aidan Lawrence, Ashley; Conorly Preston, Hoggard; Mason Israel, Laney; Deyson Castillo, New Hanover; Dallas Story, Ashley; Addison Woodcock, Laney; Council Lancaster, Cape Fear Academy; Aiden McDonough, Wilmington Christian Academy; Max Cribbin, Laney; Josh Jernigan, Ashley; Irving Garcia, Trask; Layton Ohmer, North Brunswick.
2023 All-Conference Teams
Mideastern Confernece
Player of the Year: John Franck, New Hanover
Coach of the Year: Dwight Findlay, Hoggard
Team Sportsmanship: South Brunswick
First Team
Nick Cenatiempo, Ashley; Aidan Lawrence, Ashley; Cameron Berry, Ashley; Jesus Juarez, Hoggard; Jack Henry James, Hoggard; Conerly Preston, Hoggard; Ryan Kromke, Hoggard; Alan Acree, Laney; Mason Israel, Laney: Deyson Castillo, New Hanover: Maddox Kelly, Topsail
Second Team
Dallas Story, Ashley; Josh Jernigan, Ashley; Aidan Kamaris, Hoggard; Addison Woodcock, Laney; Max Hager, Laney; Owen Hurley, Laney; Tony Reyes, New Hanover; Luke Carter, New Hanover; Holland Miller, North Brunswick; Diego Dominguez, North Brunswick; Fisher Batts, Topsail; Tully Dugan, Topsail; Tyler McVeigh, Topsail; Hunter Lofland, West Brunswick
Honorable Mention
Ashley: Luke Tierney, Kingston Hroncich, Clark Marriot
Hoggard: Chris Patsalos, Clark Beery, Dylan Lewis
Laney: Fisher Minneci, Max Cribbin
New Hanover: Johnny De Paz, Oliver Cook
North Brunswick: Leyton Ohmer, Alberto Rodriguez
South Brunswick: Collin Peattie, Crayton Dail, Gabriel Arce, Kyle Robins
Topsail: Tripp Dugan
West Brunswick: Osler Aguilar, Melvin Bausti
Waccamaw Conference
Coach of the Year: Jack Bradshaw, Pender
Co-players of the Year: Aidan Murray, Pender; Jamie Delgado, East Bladen
Players
Pender: Aidan Murray, J.B. Pierce, Elvis Hernandez, Hayden Beaver, Hunter Bullard
South Columbus: Cole Edge, Kyon McCray
East Bladen: Jamie Delgado, Lee Barnes, Fernando Rebollar, Tevin McClean
West Columbus: Drake Grainger
Trask: Myron McKoy, Nicholas Rodriguez
East Columbus: Erick Garcia, Noah Dibbler
Whiteville: Parker Bass, Grayson Creech
Honorable Mention
South Columbus: Bryan Gonzalez
East Bladen: Chace Butler, Zac Metz
Trask: Diego Gomez
Pender: Irvin Garcia, Owen Davis, Ryan Todd
West Columbus: Jose Cruz
Whiteville: Lim Pham
East Columbus: Reginald Shufford
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: 2023 StarNews All-Area Boys Soccer: New Hanover's John Franck
