Knights Fall in Regional Championship 18-10

COLUMBIA, MD - The NJCAA Region 20 championship match saw the undefeated #1 seed Harford Fighting Owls hold on to win the title as the #2 seeded Knights' valiant effort fell just short by the score of 18-10.

Harford came into the game having won every game in the regular season by at least 10 goals as the Knights looked to upset the #1 Fighting Owls like they did in the 2024 championship game between these same two teams.

After Harford scored first, the Knights enjoyed a dream 60 second stretch starting with Kyle Morrison driving to the net and scoring between the legs of the Harford goalkeeper. Jacob Bieschke gave Essex the lead 12 seconds later off a face-off win by Brian McGarvey with a ground ball pick up and quick shot. Essex took doubled the lead 40 seconds later when defenseman Eric Smith picked off a pass and ran the length of the field to score for a 3-1 Essex lead. 

Harford answered back with a trio of goals late in the first quarter to take a lead, but that lead was short lived as Peyton Moritzen scored on a Conner Anderson feed to tie the game up early in the second quarter. Morrison scored his second a minute later with Moritzen providing the assist. Moritzen continued his hot streak as he spun through three Harford defenders to score in traffic and put the Knights ahead 6-5.

Ezekiel Lomax made a great individual effort late in the second quarter as he dodged his defender and rifled a shot into the net, but it was the Fighting Owls who went into the halftime break with a 9-7 lead.

The third period proved the difference as Harford scored six goals to pull away with Matthew Benzing scoring the lone goal of the quarter for Essex. Lomax and Benzing both scored in the fourth quarter on man-up goals to cut into the Harford lead, but it was the Fighting Owls who took home the trophy.

Goalkeeper Colin Parker made seven saves in the contest while the face-off specialists of Essex won their battle 19-13 with McGarvey winning 10-15 of his battles in the circle. Smith and Thomas Barton led the defensive efforts for the Knights with two caused turnovers each with nine groundballs combined between the two stalwarts.

CCBC Essex earned an at-large bid into the NJCAA national tournament and earned the #3 seed. The Knights will host the Howard Dragons on Saturday, May 3 at 1 PM in the quarterfinals with the winner earning a place in the final four of the tournament hosted by Harford Community College. Essex and Howard have met up twice already, with Essex winning the regular season game 17-5 followed by a 16-13 Knights victory in the Region 20 tournament semifinals.