Wheatmore senior Ellie Garrison breaks NCHSAA record for goals in a career
ASHEBORO, N.C. — Ellie Garrison sits alone. No other girls soccer player in N.C. High School Athletic Association history has scored more goals in a career.
Garrison tallied five goals in Wednesday's match at the Zoo City Sports Complex's Rotary Field in a match against Uwharrie Charter. She needed one to tie the previous NCHSAA record of 226 set by Woods Charter's Isabel Pearce and two to break it.
Her first goal came on a quick kick through ball that she turned into a 1-v-1 with the goalkeeper, scoring it low and away in the 31st minute, and the record-breaker came in the 42nd minute on a penalty kick.
She added three more — a 30-yard rip from the right side into the far-side netting, a low-and-away strike from the top of the box, and an Olimpico (a score on a corner kick) — in a 6-1 win.
As she entered her senior year, Garrison knew she was close to the record. Rather than ignore the record, she embraced the chase.
On a tape wristband, she'd write how many goals she needed before every game.
"Now I guess I don't have to write on it anymore, I can just keep on going," Garrison said.
This is not Garrison's first NCHSAA record.
The Appalachian State recruit ended last year with 96 goals in 24 games breaking the old state mark of 80 that had also been set by Pearce.
The career record list for goals now reads Garrison first (230 and counting), Pearce second (226), South View alumna Carolyn Lindsay third (217).
"Her determination and her drive and passion is just hard to stop. I'm just a lucky coach," Wheatmore coach Ricky Maness said. "She just lives, eats, and breathes soccer. It's 365 soccer for her. If she ain't touching the ball, she's in the weight room working out and making herself stronger, and that's what it takes to be those elite players — being committed to your sport."
Wheatmore won the NCHSAA 2A title during Garrison's sophomore year and was runner-up last season. Garrison had 29 goals in 12 games as a freshman (a year shortened by the pandemic), followed by 77 as a sophomore and the 96 from a year ago.
She is a two-time first-team HSOT all-state player, earning spots in 2023 and 2022.
Wheatmore nearly set the state record for consecutive wins between her sophomore and junior year, winning 49 straight before finishing runner-up in last season's 2A title.
Wheatmore has nine more regular season games scheduled before playoffs begin in May. The Warriors are 6-3 on the season after the win against Uwharrie Charter (the two were tied for the PAC-7 Conference lead entering the night) and are 66-5 overall dating back to the 2021 season.
