On sophomore night for the Dragons last home game of the season, the #5 ranked Howard CC men's lacrosse team continued to show that the Dragons Lair is a fortress as they bamboozled the #7 Harford CC Fighting Owls 14-4. The victory improves the Dragons overall record to 9-2 and a conference leading 4-0 for MDJUCO matches.

Harford CC was able to get the early lead as the leading scorer in the NJCAA, Tyler Wagoner, scored a man-up goal 5 minutes into the game on his way to a 3 goal game before getting injured later in the first half. The Dragons responded quickly as Kevin Curcio (Lancaster, PA, Manheim Township) found the top corner followed by Luke Matanin (Ellicott City, MD/St. Paul's School) (Ellicott City, MD, St. Paul's School) scoring with the long pole on a coast-to-coast run. Zach Beard (Clarksville, MD, River Hill High School) capped the Dragons 3 goal streak with a man-up goal on a great feed by Austin Mitchell (Laurel, MD/Reservoir High School) (Laurel, MD, Reservoir High School). Mitchell started the 2nd quarter with a goal of his own on a great bull rush move that was sandwiched by a trio of Owls goals that tied the game at 4-4

That was the last of the Harford CC goals as the Dragons finished the game on a 10-0 run with Declan Whinnery (Middleton, WI, Middleton High School) scoring one in the 2nd quarter and another two in the 3rd and Jackson Downs (Olney, MD, Sherwood High School) scoring the last two goals of the first half. 

The third quarter was a near flawless 15 minutes for the home team as Curcio scored a couple of goals and an assist, one of the goals assisted by defenseman Matanin who was all over the field in this game. Scott Dagnanleach (Hazel Grove, UK/Hazel Grove High School) (Hazel Grove, UK, Hazel Grove High School) scored a goal and an assist as well with Beard putting in his 2nd of the game. The 4th quarter was much more tamed as both teams were complacent with the only goal coming from a Beard to Curcio fast break goal.

Along with his goal and assist, Matanin picked up an astonishing 11 ground balls and 5 caused turnovers in his most dominating performance of his brief Dragons career. Peter Emery (Ellicott City, MD/Howard High School) (Ellicott City, MD, Howard High School) added 6 ground balls and Matthew Jun (Clarksville, MD, River Hill High School) went 12-19 in the face-off circle and picked up 7 ground balls. Not to be out-shined was star freshman goalie Mark Bowser (Carlisle, PA, Carlisle High School) who tallied 9 saves on 13 shots on goal as he is currently 3rd in the NJCAA with a 64% save percentage.

Before the game started the Dragons honored their 10 sophomores who are Austin Mitchell (Laurel, MD/Reservoir High School), Peter Emery (Ellicott City, MD/Howard High School), Scott Dagnanleach (Hazel Grove, UK/Hazel Grove High School), Luke Matanin (Ellicott City, MD/St. Paul's School), Michael Russell (Silver Spring, MD, Springbrook HS), Bizabel Reyes (Silver Spring, MD, Springbrook HS), Ronald Carney (Baltimore, MD, Baltimore Civitas), Parese Williams (Wilmington NC, New Hanover HS), Daniel Chu (Columbia, MD, Wilde Lake HS), and Trey Lundelius (Bethesda, MD, The Landon School).

The Dragons will take on their most important regular season game of the year this Wednesday April 13th as they travel to CCBC Essex at 7 PM to take on the #3 ranked Knights in what will almost assuredly decide who wins the MDJUCO conference this year.