Raptors Win NJCAA Region XX Championship

Rockville, MD - In a rematch of the 2021 NJCAA Region XX Championship game, the Montgomery College Raptors hosted the Harford Community College Fighting Owls. For the fifth game in a row between the two teams, the outcome would be decided by a single goal, with the Raptors winning in overtime 3-2.

Earlier this month, Harford defeated the Raptors 1-0. In that games, the Owls defended deep and looked for counterattacking opportunities. In the final, they adopted a similar approach. From the start, the Owls allowed the Raptors to build out of the back before applying pressure in the midfield. The Raptors managed to possess the ball, but found it difficult to break through the Owl's defensive shape, taking a series of shots from outside that failed to challenge the goalkeeper. In the 33rd minute, the Owls found their opportunity, as Diego Almonte Martinez pounced on a rebound from Raptor's goalkeeper Thomas Mauro. Martinez took one touch around Mauro and deposited the ball in the net for the 1-0 lead. Despite outshooting the Owls 8-4 in the first half, the Raptors went into the locker room down a goal. 

After the break, the Owls looked to stay even more compact and prevent a Raptor's goal. The strategy worked until the 83rd minute, when a foul near the corner flag set up a free kick for the Raptors. Raptor's back Sota Matsuo swung in a cross to the far post looking to find Brian Noutchang. Noutchang's header was challenged and the ball popped into the air away from goal. Greg Sprenkel won the second ball and headed back into the center of the box, where it fell to Deric Pocasangre. Pocasangre's left footed strike managed its way through a crowded box and found the far post to tie the game 1-1. Both teams would press for a late winner but regulation time ended 1-1. 

In overtime, the Raptors would quickly find the game winner. In the third minute, midfielder Caio Braga challenged a clearance from the Owl's backline and Noutchange pounced on the second ball. Noutchang found Kevin Gomez on the right wing and Gomez occupied the Owl's left back before playing the ball back to Ishwarpreet Singh. Singh took one touch and whipped in a cross to the Raptor's leading goal scorer, Andres Javitt, at the far post. Javitt headed the ball down and into the back of the net and the Raptor bench exploded on to the field to celebrate the win. 

The 2-1 victory gives the Raptors back-to-back NJCAA Region XX championships and grants them an automatic bid and second seed into the NJCAA East District Semifinal. The Raptors will host third seed the Monroe Community College Tribunes on Saturday, October 29th at 3:00 PM. 

Raptor Bites 

• This Region XX Championship is the fifth Region XX title in six seasons under Head Coach Pedro Braz.
• This is the 14th Region XX Championship in program history, dating back to 1977.
• Andres Javitt's game winner was his 17th goal of the season. He is currently tied for second in the country with teammate Abdoul Anounkou.