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Match Recap: Denton Diablos break records against Katy 1895

The NPSL season is known for being relatively short in duration, with every team seemingly playing a large number of games in a short window of time at some point in the May-early July time period. To find yourself in a 12 day break in the very heart of your first season, let’s just say we were getting antsy to play some soccer.

With 3 games left in the season, a road trip to Conroe, Texas to face Katy 1895 FC was the first order of business. With five teams still mathematically possible to win the league championship, every game at this point in the season has huge implications. After two solid weeks of training, coach Rakestraw and the boys were excited for the trip and looking to finish this historic first season strong.

To say the boys came out ready would be an understatement. Using the same organized and connected defensive pressure, followed by an attack minded and oriented system, the Diablos jumped out to an early control of possession and wasted no time in establishing their intentions for the evening, when Brandon Cerda combined throughout the right hand side and midfield before serving a 40 yard switched through ball to a streaking Nick Taylor. Taylor collected calmly beat his defender to the outside and struck a low driving far post shot from his left foot into the side netting for the 1-0 lead in the 5th minute.

While most teams start to relax with an early 1-0 lead, this young Diablos team went right back to work, dominating the next 5 minutes, and after some hard work and nifty touches by Brandon Cerda in midfield, Nicky Hernandez collected, drove into the heart of the defensive third, and slipped a no look pass to Nick Taylor, whose left footed low driven shot was deflected by a diving keeper with a terrific save, only to have Gio MontesDeOca the main in the right spot, leaping and heading home the second goal of the day, solidifying the 2-0 Diablos lead in the 10th minute.

Unfortunately for Katy, we were just getting warmed up in the first half. After a dominate next 15 minutes of play, Harris Partain fought to win back a lost 50/50 ball, and after a quick give and go with Gio MontesDeOcca, found himself behind the defense. With a quick look up, he slips over a perfectly weighted pass for Nicky Hernandez to clean up for the tap in goal and the 3-0 lead on the day, with the third different scorer entering the books.

Only twelve minutes later, in the 37th minute, Brandon Cerda was rewarded for his consistent hard work all night, when he took a laid off pass from Carlos Flores roughly 35 yards from goal and hit a dipping shot into the right hand corner, giving the Diablos a 4-0 lead, while also making the 4th different player to score on the evening.

And not to let the final 10 minutes of the half go to waste, Carlos Flores jumped on what was seemingly a misplayed Diablos pass, beat his defender, and slipped an excellent cross through to an outstretched Harris Partain who redirected the pass into the net, providing the final goal of the half, and a 5-0 first half lead. Partain marked the fifth different Diablo to score on the evening.

The second half saw Chad Rakestraw empty his bench, utilizing all 7 subs. While it took nearly 30 minutes for the effort to pay off, the second half was filled with numerous goal scoring opportunities for Danny Evans, Robert Leonard, Chase Drackett and Wyatt Priest, as they all came in and provided immediate energy. In the 75th minute, after some continued high pressure, Danny Evans out raced the keeper and deftly touched a lofted ball to Chase Drackett, who calmly settled with his dominant left foot, before rifling a left footed shot into the upper left hand corner of the goal, nearly ripping the net out of the goal in the process. The Diablos lead climbed to 6-0 in the 75th minute. Chase Drackett was the sixth different Diablos player to score on the evening.

And finally, in the 88th minute, after more relentless pressure, Parker McClure stepped in front of a Katy pass, and hit a penetrating ball to Danny Evans, who beat a defender before laying off to Wyatt Priest, who played a perfectly weighted heel flick to an overlapping Matt Heffernan whose well struck shot found the back of the net for the 7-0 lead. Matt was the seventh different goal scorer, while Wyatt Priest was the sixth different player to assist a goal on the evening.

The win gives the Diablos an 8-2-0 record on the year, their 24 points good for 2.4 points/game, both of which are leading the Lone Star Conference, putting the Diablos on top of the conference table with just two games to play!

Our next home game is this coming Saturday June 29th at 7:00 PM at UNT Soccer Stadium at 1508 S Bonnie Brae Dr, Denton TX.

Saturday Night is Fan Appreciation night, with the first 200 fans receiving a Diablos Rally Towel courtesy of Jimmy Baker State Farm of Denton. We’re also giving away a 2019 Diablos Home Jersey autographed by all the players. To enter, all you have to do is purchase a ticket online before the gaem at the link below. Each ticket you buy is an entry. Tickets are on sale now for $10 Adults and $5 kid under 12; group tickets for 10 or more start at just $5!

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