WOBURN — Sometimes a team can surprise everybody.

Newton North has played that role flawlessly, and the Tigers continue to make history with each passing day.

Senior goaltender Gabino Talisayon delivered a heroic performance in net, and sophomore Lorenzo Grimaldi sniped the game-ending goal in penalty kicks (4-2), as No. 31 Newton North continued its miraculous Cinderella run in the Div. 1 boys soccer tournament with a stunning 2-1 upset of No. 14 Xaverian.

“After the start we had to the season, our goal for the season was adjusted,” said Newton North coach Row Dow. “Let’s try to host a play-in game, because it became clear that the only way we were going to get in (the tournament) was if we finished in the top 32. The vibe they’ve got going on is palpable. No, no (I didn’t expect this) on one hand. But on the other hand, I’m not surprised, because they love each other, and they’re willing to do the hard stuff unlike any other.”

Facing a Xaverian (13-6-3) squad in the midst of its own hot streak, the Tigers (9-9-5) played with physicality, grinding things into a defensive dogfight for the entirety of the first half. Despite some chances, the schools were still deadlocked in a scoreless affair at intermission.

When things resumed however, Xaverian played like an entirely different team. After creating a few chances to open the second half, Drew Logie snapped the scoring drought for the Hawks, as he hurdled past a diving goalkeeper before slipping a shot into a wide open net to make it a 1-0 game in the 45th minute.

However, Newton North didn’t get this far in such a tough field based on pure luck. The Tigers have been opportunistic all postseason, and were again in the 62nd minute as Juan Ceballos stripped the ball in Xaverian territory. He proceeded to tee up a shot from about 20 yards out, which soared into the bottom left corner of the net for a stunning goal as Newton North drew even at 1-all. Suddenly, the Tigers faithful had newfound life as they erupted in the stands.

From then on, neither team was able to find the winning tally, forcing the game into a shootout.

Then, it was up to Talisayon to shine with the spotlight on him. The senior stopped two Xaverian shots to set his school up with a 3-1 lead in the session.

“I was pretty confident,” said Talisayon. “You look at the eyes, but sometimes they deceive you, so you also have to look at the hips. It’s a combination of that. We take pens all the time in practice. I’ve gotten used to it, and I’m good at saving penalties.”

Newton North’s Bishrelt “Giga” Bat-Erdene, left, battles for the ball with Xaverian’s Sean Keevan in first-half action in Woburn. (Jim Davis/ Boston Herald)

As Grimaldi stepped up to take his attempt, Talisayon strolled to the side of the net, and turned toward the roaring crowd.

“That’s my tradition in PKs,” laughed Talisayon. “It makes me too nervous to watch my teammates taking pens, so I look at the fans, and it calms me down.”

Grimaldi finished the job, sniping his shot to win the game as the Tigers stormed him.

Since the start of the statewide system, it has become almost unheard of for a low seed to advance this far within the playoffs in any sport. Playing as the No. 31 team in a loaded Div. 1 field, the Tigers are now one step away from ultimate glory.

“We started the season off 1-7,” said Talisayon. “Because we won this game, we are now .500 for the entire year. This is something that doesn’t happen. Our coach keeps on saying it. Roy keeps on saying it. This doesn’t happen. But we do it. This happens with us. That’s what special. Whether we win or lose on Saturday, nobody can deny that from us.”