BEL AIR, MD – In a commanding performance on Wednesday night, the No. 1 nationally ranked Harford Fighting Owl's men's lacrosse team maintained its undefeated season with a decisive 19–8 victory over in-state rival No. 3 CCBC Essex. The Fighting Owls (9–0, 4–0 Maryland Juco), showcased their offensive prowess and defensive tenacity in front of a home crowd at the Harford Sports Complex.
Harford asserted its dominance early. Eammon Donovan (Berwyn, Pa.) opened the scoring just 34 seconds into the match, setting the tone for the Fighting Owls. Kennedy Opie (Natick, Mass.) followed with one of his two goals, assisted by Will Goodwin (Cheadle, Manchester, England), 32 seconds later and Ryan Sweiderk (Kent Island) added an unassisted tally, propelling Harford to a 3–0 lead in the first five minutes of play.
CCBC Essex's Brian McGarvey momentarily halted the surge with a goal at 9:51 to pull the Knights within two, but Harford's Kohl Wesner (Lancaster, Pa.) responded with a man-up goal – the first of his game-high six – to conclude the first quarter with a 4–1 advantage.
The second quarter saw Harford extend its lead. Wesner added two more goals, Seth De La Ronde (Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) contributed with a goal assisted by Hugo Peel (Stockport, Manchester, England) and Opie netted his second of the game.
CCBC Essex (9-2, 2-1) never got closer than down two and Harford closed the first half on a 7-2 run to take a 10-3 halftime lead.
Harford continued the offensive onslaught in the third quarter. Liam Forsyth (Webster, N.Y.) emerged as a key contributor, scoring three of his five goals in the second half. George Shonfeld (Stockport, Manchester, England) also found the back of the net, his only goal of the game to go along with a game-high four assists.
The Knights managed to score three goals in the quarter, but Harford maintained a comfortable 13–6 lead heading into the final period.
The fourth quarter mirrored the earlier dominance. Forsyth continued his scoring spree and Dillon DiBattista (Essington, Pa.) contributed a goal, and the Fighting Owls' defense limited CCBC Essex to just two goals in the final quarter. Harford's balanced attack and staunch defense culminated in a 19–8 victory.
Statistically, Harford's offense was firing on all cylinders. Wesner and Forsyth combined for 11 goals, as Donovan and Opie added another two each. Overall, Harford had eight players contribute at least one goal.
The Fighting Owls took 51 shots in the game and 53% (27) were on goal. They were also 2-for-3 on extra man opportunities.
Defensively, the Fighting Owls were equally impressive. Sweiderk not only contributed offensively but also played a pivotal role in disrupting CCBC Essex's attacks. The team's cohesive defensive unit effectively neutralized threats and facilitated transitions to offense.
Jack Donovan (Loyola Blakefield) was stout between the pipes. The Towson native finished with 14 saves.
There's not much time for Harford to rest, as they prepare to host No. 2 Nassau tomorrow at the Harford Sports Complex. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m., $5 cash only entry at the gate.
