Coach Tommy Key’s Harlan County High School boys soccer team has won four consecutive 50th District Tournament championships and has already secured one of the top two seeds when the 2025 postseason event begins Oct. 6 at Knox Central High School.
The Black Bears’ seeding will be officially determined based on the outcome of Monday’s 6 p.m. match against rival Middlesboro at the James A. Cawood Elementary School field.
Undefeated in district play with two games remaining, Middlesboro defeated HCHS 4-2 earlier this season, marking the Black Bears’ lone district loss. In order to earn the No. 1 seed, the Black Bears would need to defeat Middlesboro by at least three goals.
Harlan County (6-2 overall) is currently riding a four-game winning streak, following a pair of 8-0 shutout victories earlier this week over Belfry and Barbourville. All six of the Black Bears’ victories this season have come via shutout.
Junior Luther Gross scored five times in the Black Bears’ victory Wednesday over Belfry and added a single tally Thursday in the win at Barbourville. Gross has scored 18 goals and recorded five assists this season to lead the team in scoring. Sophomore Austin Tye scored twice against Belfry, and senior Trevor Farley also added a goal.
Tye and Farley each recorded a hat trick Thursday against Barbourville, with freshman Mason Howard notching the other goal for the Black Bears.
Tye ranks second on the team in scoring this season with 10 goals and four assists, while Howard has tallied six goals and a team-high eight assists to rank third. Farley has also been a key contributor on offense, notching seven goals and four assists.
Ten Black Bears have scored at least one goal this season, and the team has outscored its opponents by a 49-13 margin.
Freshman goalkeeper Wesley Greene and sophomore Christion Smith have shared duties on four shutouts this season, while each has been credited with a solo shutout.
Following the home match Monday against Middlesboro the Black Bears will wrap up their regular season with road games at Whitley County (Sept. 30) and Letcher Central (Oct. 2).