Arnold, MD – A fast start allowed the #4 ranked Dragons to jump ahead on the Anne Arundel Riverhawks and hang on for a 13-8 victory in the season opener for Howard CC.

It took just three minutes of play for the Dragons to get on the scoreboard as the electric Drew Goode (Gambrills MD/Arundel) dodged his way into the first Howard CC shot and goal of 2021. Fellow sophomore Jackson Krasny (Hagerstown, MD/Saint Maria Goretti) scored midway through the first quarter then Caleb Tatum (Kingswood, TX/Kingswood) netted a shot just 14 seconds later. The Dragons continued to barrage the Riverhawks netminder as Jordan Swoyer (New Market, MD/Linganore) set up Nick Hinton (Sykesville, MD/Liberty) to give the Dragons a 4-0 lead after the first quarter.

Howard CC drew an early second quarter penalty and Kaden Ross (Westminster, MD/Winters Mill) took advantage with the man-up goal, but Anne Arundel answered back with a man-up goal of their own to finally get on the scoresheet. Nik Pinto (Sykesville, MD/South Carroll) made a nice defensive play for Howard which led to Brennan Treacy (Woodbine, MD/Saint Pauls) setting up Swoyer for the counter attack goal to extend the Dragons lead to 6-1. It was Jason McElroy's (Frederick, MD/Oakdale) turn to make an interception for the Dragons and fed Hinton for his second goal of the game on the quick strike. Hinton was able to complete his hat trick just before halftime as the Dragons took a comfortable 8-1 lead into the intermission.

Anne Arundel came out firing in the start of the third quarter with successive face-off wins and goals, but Danielo Parkinson (Roosevelt, NY/Hyde School) bull rushed his way to the front of the net to score for Howard and slowing down the Riverhawk momentum in the process. After goalkeeper Evan Hock (Sykesville, MD/South Carroll) was penalized for unnecessary roughing, Liam Collins (Frederick, MD/Tuscarora) stepped in between the pipes and made a big save at the end of the third quarter as Howard took a 9-4 lead after 45 minutes of play. Collins would go on to complete the game as the Dragons netminder and racked up four saves.

With the game being too close for comfort. Howard came out strong in the fourth quarter with a flurry of shots that culminated in a goal by Cole Blanche (Mount Airy, MD/Linganore) set up beautifully by Krasny. Anne Arundel won the ensuing face-off and scored an immediate answer, but a great dodge by Swoyer from behind the net extended Howard's lead back to six.

The Riverhawks continued to chip away at the Dragons' lead and got it to a four goal advantage before Adem Tekmen (Lewes, DE/Cape Henlopen) came through with a huge goal to settle the nerves down for the Howard faithful.

Hock was credited with the win, accumulating six saves while face-off man Brendan Tscherne (Baltimore, MD/St. Pauls) went 11-23 in the circle. The early season jitters were apparent as the two teams combined to have 54 turnovers and 12 minutes of penalties.
The Dragons will return to Columbia for their home opener on Tuesday, April 6 at 4 PM against the #5 ranked CCBC Essex Knights led by former Dragons head coach Shawn Burke.