The HCC men's soccer team had their season come to a heartbreaking end as NOVA defeated the Dragons 4-3 in double overtime in the Region XX playoffs quarter-finals. 

NOVA got the flood of goals started in the 10th minute of the game as a free kick in their own half by goalie Huber Letona bounced all the way into the Dragons box where the Nighthawks top scorer Romain Iff collected the ball and chipped it over goalie Brayan Czepinski (Ellicott City, MD, Marriotts Ridge HS) and into the empty net. 

For the first time in over a month, the Dragons were finally able to field a healthy roster as HCC has been held scoreless for the last 3 games with much of the starting line-up out injured. This streak was finally snapped in the 19th minute when three of those players returning from injury combined to score a goal as Neosystos Konstantinou (Cyprus, Ayios Antonios Lyceum) crossed it to the far post where Walter Gonzalez (Beltsville, MD, High Point HS) was able to head the ball back across goal to a wide open Emmanuel Wright (Columbia, MD, Mt. Hebron HS) who headed the ball into the goal.

NOVA was able to take the lead back just a minute and a half later when a free kick from just outside the box got by Czepinski in the far side netting. The Dragons were not to be down for long as it was Wright again making the big play, this time finding a wide open Pa Lung (Myanmar, Long Reach HS) who slotted home his 3rd goal of the season after only playing half the season with the team.

The score would remain tied all the way until the 77th minute when NOVA once again took the lead as Iff put a good through ball to Joshua Cornwell who scored his 1st goal of the season at a very opportune moment for the Nighthawks.

With time running out for the Dragons, it was Wright again who was able to make some magic happen. Nonstantinou got control of the ball in the middle of the field and slotted it over to Wright who dribbled around two defenders and saw his shot go between the legs of the NOVA goalie for a dramatic late goal to tie the game at 3-3.

The Dragons controlled the possession and agression for almost the entire late game as they accumulated 14 corner kicks with 10 of those in the 2nd half and two more in the second overtime. HCC also had 26 shots overall compared to NOVA's 12 and HCC forced the Nighthawks goalkeeper into 4 critical saves in the two overtime periods.

With time about to run out in overtime, the Dragons went to back-up goalkeeper Christopher-Jacob Bowen (Elkridge, MD, Howard HS) as the better option if the game were to go to penalty kicks. Unfortunately for the Dragons, that was not the case as Iff was able to get a run down the right side and crossed the ball to Josaphat Letona who beat Bowen on the near side with just 28 seconds left in overtime to end the game.

This was the final game for the Dragons this season and they will say goodbye to some great sophomores including Wright, Sam Rivera (Sykesville, MD, Chapelgate Christian), Eric Gonzalez (Beltsville, MD, High Point HS), as well as 2015 captains Tyler Costopoulos (Olney, MD, Sherwood HS) and Jonathan Horrocks (Clarksville, MD, Mt. Hebron HS).