Zepeda boots Titans, coach to first win

[KFDM COOP]

Zepeda boots Titans, coach to first win

HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER

By Tom Halliburton

The Port Arthur News

Omar Zepeda's hat trick enabled Port Arthur Memorial to grab its season's first win as well as the initial head-coaching victory for Titans boss Brian Morgan.

  The left-footed senior scored three times and guided his team all the way back from an early 3-0 deficit to claim a 4-3 decision over Channelview on Tuesday night at the PAISD auxiliary field.

  Memorial (1-7-1 and 1-6-1) trailed 3-0 just 20 minutes into the game before Zepeda scored his first of three goals and pulled the hosts within 3-1 at half.

  "It was by far our best game of the year," said Morgan. "It felt good. We played good enough and all the players felt it (the win) was going to come because we had kept on getting better."

  A solid Titans defense paced by left fullback Mario Flores blanked Channelview in the second half. Zepeda scored the game-winning goal with 25 minutes to play, taking an assist by Juan Carlos Garcia and beating the Falcons' goalkeeper. A major turning point occurred when Memorial scored twice in the first five minutes of the second half, erasing that 3-1 deficit. Ruben Diaz tied the game five minutes into the half after getting an assist by Zepeda, who scored on an unassisted breakaway goal with two minutes gone in the half.

  Leading in shots on goal 13-12, the Titans dropped Channelview to 2-10 and 1-7. Memorial visits Atascocita on Friday at 7 p.m.

[Bon_Mot]

Great job Coach Morgan and all the players at Memorial.  All of you have taken a program that was...  :-[  well anyway, you turned a program around very quickly and you should all be very proud of yourselves.  Keep up the great work!

[12]

Is this Coach Morgan related to the Morgan girl that plays for PNG?

[Bon_Mot]

Is this Coach Morgan related to the Morgan girl that plays for PNG?

I don't know about that, but he is the Morgan who kicked for TJ or the early years of Memorial - I can't remember which - and then I think went on to kick in college, as well.  Whenever it was, Brian has done a great job.  I've heard nothing but good things about their style of play and their discipline.

[sharkfutbol]

Yes it is his sister at png...