100th goal ‘just like any other’ for High Point’s record-setting Andrew Cox

The countdown began after the first goal. That was No. 97. 

Everyone on the bench knew Andrew Cox needed three more, at least four in the game, to earn a spot in Berks boys soccer history. For most players that’d be hard to achieve in one afternoon. The way Cox has been scoring it seemed inevitable.

High Point’s senior put home five goals and raised his career total to 101 in a 7-1 victory over Alliance Christian at Pottstown Tuesday.

“To be honest, in the moment it was like any other goal,” Cox said. “Afterward it was kind of cool. All of my teammates came over to congratulate me.”

Cox has placed himself in an exclusive club. Although records are incomplete, it’s safe to say not many county players have crossed the century mark.

Fleetwood’s Troy Snyder owns the Berks record at 208. That’s the second most in Pennsylvania history. Wyomissing’s Matt Torok is next with 135. Antietam’s Corey Hertzog scored 107 and Fleetwood’s Doug Moyer 103. 

No one had reached 100 in 14 years ago. Until Thursday.

“It was surreal watching from the sideline,” said High Point coach Jim Cox, Andrew’s dad. “His team was excited for him. They cheered when it happened. The players carried him to the bench and celebrated for a few minutes.”

Cox took a free kick from Aleb Spacek from about 40 yards and flipped it over the goalkeeper. It was his 24th goal of the season. He now has 25 in eight games.

It was fitting that No. 100 came from Spacek. Those two are the centerpieces for High Point, which is 8-0 and atop the District 3 Class 1A power rankings. Cox plays attacking mid and Spacek plays holding mid.

“He’s my guy,” Cox said. “He probably has 10 assists to me this year. He provides great passes and he’s one of the best players I’ve played with in high school. He’s a really good playmaker.”

Cox lives in Sinking Spring and plays for FC Revolution. His club teammates include Antietam’s Christian Bowles, the active Berks League leader with 59 goals, Fleetwood’s Malachi Herndon, Gov. Mifflin’s Joey Petricoin and Tulpehocken’s Brayden Evans.

The thought of reaching 100 goals didn’t cross Cox’s mind during his first two seasons. It wasn’t until he scored 42 goals in 11 games as a junior that the milestone was within sight.

Jim Cox said he saw his son improve while playing for Lancaster Elite in UPSL over the summer. That advancement has continued in the fall. Andrew recently committed to Lancaster Bible College.

All of this success has been a lifetime in the making. No one knows that better than Andrew’s dad.

“We’d hear him on summer mornings, he’d get out before the sun got too hot and he’d be dribbling the ball through cones,” Jim Cox said. “We knew we had somebody who’s not just in it for fun. He truly enjoys the game but he’s also dedicated to it. He takes it very seriously. He’s very focused. We just tried to follow that.”

Andrew Cox said his mission over the final few weeks is to help High Point win the conference and contend for a district championship and PIAA berth.

Along the way he’ll keep climbing the career scoring list. He’s already in a place few players have reached.