Columbia, MD - Howard Community College's phenomenal men's soccer season came to a heartbreaking end last Saturday, as the Dragons fell 1-0 to the CCBC Essex Knights in the Region 20 championship match.

A tough, defensive battle saw both teams fail to score in regulation, with overtime necessary to break the stalemate. With second left in the extra period, Essex scored off a free kick to win their 15th consecutive Region 20 title, leaving the Dragons shocked and heartbroken.

Injuries proved to be the achilles heel for the the Dragons, as star midfielder Kiar Sani (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia/St. Ragueal Church) would miss Saturday's contest with an ankle injury. Howard's other major midfield presence, Yeabsira Tesfaye (Addis Ababa, Ethiopia/St. Ragueal Church), exited the contest early with a leg injury, leaving the Dragons short-handed at the front. Despite this, Howard's defense clamped down and kept Essex out of the net throughout the contest. Goalkeeper Jonathan Sanchez (Ellicott City, MD/Mount Hebron) made six incredible saves to keep the Dragons in the game.

Frustration began to set in for the Knights in the second half, as four yellow cards were given to Essex. The Dragons had few chances to score in the second due to mounting pressure from the Knights, but still fired off four shots on goal. With 90 minutes not enough to determine the champion, the game moved to overtime, where Essex finally broke through to win the title.

Despite the loss, the Dragons had three players named to the all-tournament team, with Sanchez, Bryan Barrientos (Catonsville, MD/Catonsville), and Donnie Frayer (Odenton, MD/Annapolis Area Christian) getting the nod. Howard finished it's incredible season with a 15-2-1 overall record, with Tesfaye finishing the season as the Dragons leader in goals, assists, points, and shots on goal. Sanchez led the team with wins, saves, and goals against average, while backup goalie David Whitehurst (Columbia, MD/Long Reach) led the team in save percentage.

The Dragons will part ways with sophomores Kevin Rubi (Columbia, MD/Long Reach), Rafa Benitez (Hyattsville, MD/Eleanor Roosevelt), Bryan Barrientos (Catonsville, MD/Catonsville), Sebastian Fonseca (Columbia, MD/Oakland Mills), Donnie Frayer (Odenton, MD/Annapolis Area Christian), and Alfonso Argueta (Columbia, MD/Wilde Lake) this offseason, and will look to continue their dominance next year as they aim to dethrone Essex and win their first Region 20 title since 2019 (DIII).