Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Perez hopes to bring title back to Northside
Cesar Perez remembers exactly where he was when Fort Smith Northside won its last soccer state championship in 2018.
The senior was a seventh grader watching from the stands, daydreaming of being on that field one day.
“I remember coming to a couple of games that year when I was growing up playing here,” Perez said. “And here I am now. I was really just imagining my future here and really wanting to play at that level. I could see early on this program was special. I wanted to be a part of it all.” Perez has been a part of it and then some. He put together a junior season of 31 goals and six assists to solidify himself as one of the best players in the entire state. He helped guide the Grizzlies to a runner-up finish in the 6A state tournament, losing 3-1 in the finals to Conway. With Fort Smith Northside and Southside set to host the state tournament this season, Perez is no longer daydreaming of winning a state title. He wants to make it happen in his final year as a Grizzly.
“Hosting state just makes everything two times better,” Perez said. “Knowing we are going to play on our home field, we know what the goal is. We want to get back to the finals. We will hopefully win some games in Fort Smith then bring the trophy back.”
If the Grizzlies are able to make another deep run with nine starters returning, Coach Mauricio Maciel knows they will get there behind the right and left feet of Perez.
“He is a natural game-changer,” Maciel said. “If you do not defend him properly, he will get behind you and use his powerful and accurate shot. That combination is close to none. The guys know that he is different and they feed off that energy. Just in practice, he makes everyone around him better because he goes full speed all the time.
“He encourages his teammates and really cares about them.”
As much as Perez, now a fouryear starter and a team captain, is dreaming big of winning Northside’s third-ever state title, he said he wants to enjoy the journey as well. There have been many highs and lows for him in his high school career.
Perez’s father, Cesar Perez Sr., tragically passed away during the summer of Perez’s junior year. Perez said his teammates were there for him at the toughest part of his life and now he wants to be there for them as 11 other seniors embark on their final high school year.
“There is so much excitement for this season with 11 other brothers out here finishing our last season,” Perez said. “I grew up with these guys and we’ve played together since club soccer when we were six. They’ve had my back big time since the situation with my dad. They are family to me. For us to go out here and try to win state with these guys, it means everything to me.”