Dylan Garrison’s first varsity goal couldn’t have come at a better time. With about four minutes remaining and the game scoreless, Garrison ran onto a through ball, beat two defenders, and shot back across his body as he fell — then watched it strike the back of the net for a 1-0 Republic win over Northwest (Cedar Hill) at home Thursday night.
“It was crazy. It was actually my first ever varsity goal,” Garrison says. “I’m loving it right now.”
The goal rewarded a defense that earned a shutout under pressure. Northwest outshot Republic 14-8 and took eight corner kicks to Republic’s none. Keeper Koal Williams made six saves, and Republic’s defenders blocked six shots in front of him — two of those by Maddox Aldridge.
Republic had chances of its own in the first half. Isaiah Redman and Micah Wright each forced saves, and Garrison sent a shot high in the final minutes of the half. But the game stayed scoreless deep into the second half, with Williams turning away Northwest chance after chance to keep it that way.
Garrison took the ball around midfield, played it off a shoulder, then worked his way through the defense before finding the winning angle.
“I just cut in and I saw the goal, so I just shot it. That’s really all I did. I was laying down on the ground watching it go in,” Garrison says. “It was amazing.”
The win is Republic’s second in a row and improves the Tigers to 4-3. They’re back in action Saturday at 10:30 am against Summit Christian Academy.
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