Essex, MD - The #3 CCBC Essex Knights took the #2 Dragons by surprise with a 19-13 win in the Region 20 tournament semifinals.

Essex shocked Howard right out of the gates, with four quick goals in the first three minutes of the game. After giving up another goal to make it a 5-0 deficit, Chase Noah (Darnestown, MD/St. Andrews Episcopal) scored a man-up goal to finally get on the board. Zane Dalpe (Belle River, ON/Saint Anne) added another goal late in the first quarter as Howard trailed 6-2. 

Cole Blanche (Mount Airy, MD/Linganore) and Dalpe scored midway through the second quarter, but still trailed 11-4 as the Knights seemed to have an answer to each Dragon goal. Howard finally made their big run late in the second as Philip Petersen (Vail, CO/Eagle Valley) scored followed by a couple of Kaden Brennan (Kingsville, ON/Kingsville District) power play goals. Caleb Tatum (Kingswood, TX/Kingswood) and Brian Zajac (Brookeville MD/Good Counsel) added goals to cut it to an 11-9 deficit thanks to the 5-0 run.

Dalpe scored with five seconds left in the third quarter and Zajac added another early in the fourth quarter as Howard looked to be within striking range of the Knights. That would be the closest Howard would get as Essex scored seven goals in the fourth quarter to pull away and close out the upset victory.

Chris Peterson (Saline, MI/Saline) made 11 saves as he tallied double digit saves for the eighth time this season.

The Dragons will now have to wait and hope they receive an at-large bid into the national tournament to keep their season alive.