The U19 soccer team made the trip down to Albany over the weekend and left with a near-spotless record: 3 wins, 0 losses, and only 1 goal conceded. To go undefeated and concede just 1 goal is indicative of a very successful weekend. The scorelines are testament to the team’s success. While at heart, soccer is a team sport, individuals sometimes deserve the spotlight.
Andres Castro ‘27 – Striker
Andres Castro ’27. Photo provided.
The top performer in Albany was Andy Castro. The Costa Rican came into Albany with 1 goal to his name; he left Albany with 4. Andy has been playing at a high level all season, with goals the only thing lacking. From minute one in Albany, you could tell he was on a mission to change that. On Friday night, he opened the scoring late in the first half to grab the lead and later put the game to bed by making it 3-0. He followed up his Friday night with an important equalizer on Saturday, in a game where the team struggled in the first half. To top off his 3-goal weekend, Andy added an assist to his attacking returns.
Thiago Cesar ‘26 – Midfielder/Attacker
Thiago Cesar (middle) has helped Northwood School to an undefeated start this season. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.
The Brazilian began the weekend as the leading goal scorer on the team and built on that momentum again this weekend. He got himself a goal while also adding 2 assists – bringing his tally to 5 goals and 3 assists on the season. Thiago attributed his success to his teammates: “I mean, I wouldn’t have had those 2 assists this weekend if it weren’t for my teammates. So, I am thankful for them, because they are the ones who allow me to deliver goals and assists.”
Tziyon Morris ‘26 – Defender
Tziyon Morris ’26. Photo provided.
Having only conceded one goal across three games, the entire backline could be included in this list. However, Big Z deserves to be included in this list. Having played the most minutes of any player in the squad, one could reasonably assume that his level of play may have dipped ever so slightly toward the end of the weekend; that was not the case. He instilled a sense of safety at the back, and his control and composure were contagious.
