North Middle School’s A Team came out strong in their matchup against Cross Timbers, setting the tone early with both defensive grit and offensive firepower. Just three minutes into the game, Cross Timbers fired a powerful shot on goal. Goalkeeper Brooks Ford made an impressive diving save, knocking the ball away but leaving the goal momentarily exposed. Stepping up in a big moment, Oscar Martin quickly rotated back to the goal line to defend against the rebound and prevent a scoring opportunity.
North wasted no time turning defense into offense. On the very next sequence, Diego Cuberos delivered a perfectly timed assist—yes, he really did do this one—finding Sergio Exposito Perez, who finished the play with a goal to put North on the board.
As the half continued, Brooks stayed sharp in goal, coming up with another outstanding save with 12 minutes remaining. His effort kept Cross Timbers from gaining any momentum.
With 8 minutes left in the half, Emi Salas took a strong shot that was deflected by the Cross Timbers goalkeeper. Sergio was in the right place at the right time, collecting the rebound and putting it in the back of the net for his second goal of the game. Brooks added one more key save before halftime, anchoring a strong defensive performance.
At the break, North held a commanding 3-0 lead over Cross Timbers, fueled by clutch saves, smart positioning, and relentless attacking play.
North Middle School carried their momentum into the second half and wasted no time extending their lead. Just one minute in, Juan connected with Sergio for another goal—completing the hat trick and making it “hat trick city” for North’s leading scorer.
Cross Timbers responded with a goal of their own three minutes later, but North stayed composed and quickly answered back. Two minutes after conceding, Juan Murcia, controlling the midfield at center mid, drew a foul from about the 40-yard line. Diego Cuberos stepped up and delivered a beautiful free kick that sailed high and tucked just under the crossbar for his first goal of the season.
Late in the game, Cross Timbers looked to capitalize on a free kick just outside the box. However, Diego once again made his presence felt—organizing a strong defensive wall and jumping to help deflect the shot in the final three minutes, shutting down any chance of a comeback.
When the final whistle blew, North secured a 4-1 victory over Cross Timbers. The win carried extra meaning, as this was the first time this group of North players defeated Cross Timbers after coming up short last year. A complete team effort highlighted by clutch saves, key goals, and strong leadership sealed an impressive performance.
B GAME 2-2
North Middle School’s B Team faced early adversity in their matchup against Cross Timbers but showed resilience throughout a hard-fought game.
The Cougars conceded a penalty kick less than a minute into the match, as the shot slipped through the keeper’s hands to give Cross Timbers a quick 1-0 lead. Despite the early setback, North settled in and began to control possession as the first half progressed. They created opportunities and spent more time on the ball but were unable to find the equalizer before halftime.
Coming out of the break with renewed energy, North quickly made their move. Aaron Swone drew a foul inside the box and calmly converted the penalty kick to even the score at 1-1.
Cross Timbers answered with a well-executed corner kick that resulted in a strong finish, reclaiming the lead at 2-1. Once again, North responded. Austin Shelby earned a free kick just outside the box and delivered a beautiful strike to the bottom left corner, tying the game at 2-2.
North continued to push forward with several long attacking runs and scoring attempts, including strong efforts from Preston Boucher, but couldn’t find the go-ahead goal.
In the end, the match finished in a 2-2 draw, highlighting the Cougars’ determination and ability to battle back under pressure.
