Westfield, IN - The Howard Community College Dragons wrapped up the 2026 NJCAA JUCO Kickoff Classic with a bang, drawing 0-0 with the #5 team in the country, the Northeast Community College Hawks.
Behind a defensive masterclass, the Dragons played a conservative game, holding onto the ball for long stretches to prevent Northeast from getting meaningful chances. Howard's startegy worked, as Northeast tired themselves trying to break the stalemate while Howard remained fresh throughout the game. The Dragons only needed one substitute the entire game, compared to eight subs for the Hawks.
Offensively, the Dragons had plenty of chances, but a strong Northeast defense made life difficult.
Angel Giron-Ramos had three shots on goal, but couldn't break through.
Yeabsira Tesfaye managed five shots against the Hawks, but stout goalkeeping from Cas Frehe kept the scoreboard empty by games end.
Howard's defense, led by
Daniel Barrett,
Alan Gutierrez, and
Nicholas Mirecki played a brilliant game, closing out Northeast opportunities and making life difficult for the Hawks attackers. Newcomers
Alonso Aguilar and
Gabriel Alejandro Vasquez proved crucial on the wings, preventing Northeast from getting the ball to their outside shooters.
Goalkeeper
Julian Gugino had a game to remember. Gugino made four saves against a relentless Northeast attack, especially in the second half. The save of the game belonged to Barrett, who leaped in front of a loose ball to save a shot that had gotten past Gugino.
Howard's defensive stand puts them in a great position to make the top-10 in this week's rankings. They next play Carroll Community College on Tuesday, August 25 at 2:30 PM.
