By Michael Lindsay
Tuesday’s battle of top District 6-2A teams went to the Cumberland County Jets as they defeated DeKalb County, 1-0.
“We played well,” said Cumberland County head coach Cub Whitson. “The intensity was much better from our last game. We rose to the occasion and stepped up our game to challenge them.
The victory locked up the overall #1 seed for Cumberland County for the upcoming district tournament.
“It’s the pressure that we want; we want to finish at the top and stay at the top,” Whitson said. “Doing it in the regular season shows us where we are and should be.”
After a scoreless first half, the game’s lone goal came with 15:08 remaining as freshman Nikki Azzani scored off a Dylan Moedano free kick to give the Jets a 1-0 advantage.
“Dylan Moedano put a great ball into a dangerous area, and Nikki did exactly what we talked about,” Whitson said. “He’s a smart player and extremely coachable. As a freshman, to have that composure in that moment is incredible.”
The goal was enough for the victory as Cumberland County’s defense and keeper Jamie Perez shut out DeKalb County’s high-powered offense.
“Tonight really showcased how much we’ve come along this season to be able to shut out DeKalb,” Whitson said. “Jamie’s really been on it for the last few games. He’s peaking at the right time of the season.”
Tuesday’s 1-0 game was a stark contrast from each team’s usual formula for success as DeKalb averaged over 7 goals per game in district play while Cumberland County averaged 4 entering the contest.
“It’s always in the back of my head when we play Dekalb; ‘Can we outscore them?” Whitson said. “We stress that DeKalb has that capability, so we preach defense and the boys take it to heart. DeKalb tweaked what they did from last time and kept us to one goal. Both teams had a lot of good looks.”
With the #1 seed locked up, Cumberland County has a week off until their next contest. They’re scheduled to travel to Silverdale Academy next Tuesday while DeKalb County is set to travel to Murfreesboro Central Magnet on Thursday.
