Montera Middle School tops United For Success for OAL boys soccer title
Video: Montera captured crown in penalty kicks
By Max Espinoza
OAKLAND HIGH SCHOOL — Montera Middle School defeated United for Success Academy 3-1 in an overtime penalty shootout Saturday to win the OAL Middle School Boys Soccer Championship.
The game started meticulously as both teams found ways to penetrate the defense and emphasized ball possession. But neither team was able to find rhythm offensively and went into the half tied at 0-0. Entering the second half it was still a defensive battle between Montera and UFSA, though UFSA found some great looks toward the end of the second half.
Montera’s goaltending was elite in this game, which helped the Toros run down the clock against United for Success Academy. Both teams played great throughout the game but since the game ended with both Montera and UFSA still tied at 0-0, the game went into a winner-takes-all penalty shootout for the OAL Middle School Championship.
Montera started the shootout by scoring its first two penalty kicks, while UFSA scored on its first penalty kick, but with UFSA missing on their next three kicks Montera scored its third penalty kick on its fourth shot which gave the Toros the victory against UFSA and the OAL Boy’s Middle School Soccer Championship.
Max Espinoza, an Oakland High senior, is a writer and videographer for OAL & Fam1st Media. The students meet Tuesdays and Thursdays at West Oakland Youth Center.