Several of the Region's Best Prepare for Nationals
ANNAPOLIS, Md – Many of the region's best will hit the road, or in some cases, air, as national championship season is here. By way of region or district qualification, or open invitation, Region 20 Champions and several member institution's elite individual's will compete for a national championship in their respective sport.
Division I
Men's Cross Country
Hagerstown Community College featured eight runners in the Region 20 Championship on October 28 at Westmoreland County Community College and their top three finishers will represent the institution at the national race. Sophomore Tommy Bildheiser and Freshman pair Noah Schappell and Jackson Mundey will partake in the Division I race at John Hunt Park in Huntsville, AL on November 11. Bildheiser's 28:15.30 at the region race was the best on his team and second overall for all runners. Schappell was seconds behind, running a 28:26.80, good for second on the team and third overall. Less than 30 seconds behind his teammate, Mundey ran 28:53.40. The three should pace each other well at the national stage.
For live race results for Division I Cross Country, visit the Championship Homepage, here.
Honorable Mention – Men's Soccer
While Montgomery College did not advance to the Division I national tournament, they played 19th ranked Monroe College to a double overtime 0-1 loss in the district championship. This was after yet another thrilling Region 20 championship in a contest where the Raptors and Harford Community College battled to a 2-1 final.
Honorable Mention - Women's Soccer
For the second consecutive year Harford Community College advanced to the East District final where they met Monroe Community College. Harford advanced to the contest after defeating Montgomery College 1-0 in the Region 20 final. The Fighting Owls played on the home field of the fifth ranked Monroe Community College Tribune's and despite cutting a 2-0 halftime deficit to 2-1 in the second half, dropped the contest 3-1.
Division II
Volleyball
After besting the competition in a very challenging Region 20 Division II Volleyball Championship, Harford Community College, 26-4, advanced to the Mid-Atlantic District Championship against Lackawanna College. Harford defeated Lackawanna in three sets and will represent Region 20 in Cedar Rapids, IA where the best 20 teams will meet for nationals. The Fighting Owls have been seeded 19th for tournament and will play 14th seed Wallace State on Wednesday, November 15 at 11:00 a.m. Wallace State, with a 43-5 record, advanced as the champions of the Gulf South district. The winner will advance to play #3 Parkland later that evening at 7:30 p.m. The loser will play on Thursday at 9:00 a.m.
To follow the Women's Volleyball Division II tournament, visit the Championship Homepage here.
Men's Soccer
With their 12th-straight Region 20 title, CCBC Essex will return to Tucson, AZ for the Men's Soccer National Tournament. In each of their last three trips to the Division II grand stage the Knights have made it to the final four, finishing as runners-up twice. CCBC Essex defeated WVU Potomac State College, Howard Community College, and College of Southern Maryland enroute to the region title. With a 17-2 record, and their only losses coming to Division I opponents, the Knights have earned the third seed and will compete in Pool C of the tournament with #6 Schoolcraft and #10 Heartland. Pool play begins on Sunday, November 12 with CCBC Essex playing Heartland at 3:00 p.m. They will then play Schoolcraft on Tuesday, November 14th at 3:00 p.m. The winner of each bracket, determined by points, will advance to the final four with single elimination play beginning on Thursday, November 16.
To follow the Men's Soccer Division II tournament, visit the Championship Homepage here.
Women's Soccer
CCBC Essex will also return their women's soccer program to the national stage for a second consecutive year after capturing both the Division II Region 20 and East District titles. In perhaps the most exciting game of the year, CCBC Essex defeated Anne Arundel Community College 2-1 in overtime in the region final. With three highlight goals in the game, Dayana Rivera Cordero connected on a beautiful ball to find the net and advance the Knights to districts. CCBC Essex hosted Essex County on November 4 for the East District Championship and easily controlled the game, cruising to a 9-1 victory, and punching their ticket to the national tournament. At 10-3-3 on the season, the Knights have garnered the 12 seed in the tournament and will play in Pool A. Their pool includes top seed Phoenix and 8th seed Southwestern Illinois. CCBC Essex and Phoenix will kickoff the tournament games on Sunday, November 12 at 10:00 a.m. The Knights will then play on November 13 at 10:00 a.m. against Southwestern Illinois. Each team with the best record in their pool will advance to the final four.
To follow the Women's Soccer Division II tournament, visit the Championship Homepage here.
Men's Cross Country
In a field of four teams in the Division II Region 20 Men's Cross Country Championship, CCBC Catonsville raced to the title, besting CCBC Essex by two points. Keynaud Randolph placed second overall, Ronak Rami seventh, Gamaliel Adejo eighth, Ethan Bush 10th, and Ralph Petion 25th with results totaling the team 44 points. CCBC Catonsville will send Randolph, Rami, Adejo, and Bush to John Hunt Park in Huntsville, AL on November 11 for the championships.
Several individual men's runners will join the region champions in Huntsville.
Division II Region 20 Men's Cross Country Individual Champion Will Hanna-Leverett and sixth place finisher Josh Brown from CCBC Essex will travel to Alabama to race for the Knights. Hanna-Leverett's 27:29.50 paced the race for Division II men and was also best across all three divisions in participation at the October 28 region meet. Teammate Josh Brown, sixth place finisher, ran at a 30:35.90 pace.
WVU Potomac State College runners Griffin Paugh and Will Haberlein have already departed for the race. Paugh was the third-place finisher at the Region 20 Championships with a sub-30-minute time and Haberlein placed 14th with a time of 32:27.
Harford Community College's Alan Tyo will represent the Fighting Owls at nationals after placing fourth at the Region 20 Championships with a 29:42.40 performance.
For live race results for Division II Cross Country, visit the Championship Homepage, here.
Women's Cross Country
WVU Potomac State College captured the Division II Region 20 Women's Cross Country title with five finishers in the top seven. The Catamounts top three finishers were separated by 21 seconds and their fifth finisher, seventh place Hannah Hardy was just 65 seconds behind first place Alexandra Kile. Between Kile (22:00.80) and Hardy (23:05.60) were Arrisyn Amtower (22:13.20), Minka Amtower (22:21.20), and Averi Everline (22:53.60). Alexa VanMeter placed 15th overall, running 24:35.50 and Leah McKenzie ran 25:18.10, placing 18th. All seven runners will represent WVU Potomac State College in Huntsville.
Harford Community College will also send their full women's team to the championship meet after a second-place finish in Region 20. Sophie Trimble and Samantha Burns placed 4th and 8th with times of 22:36.90 and 23:08.40 respectively. Emily Persuhn, Natalie Kaminsky, and Kellie Simon posted times of 23:30.10, 23:47.30 and 24:42.00 for positions of 11th, 14th and 16th respectively. Meghan Berczkik and Emma O'Neil will complete the team for the Fighting Owls.
For live race results for Division II Cross Country, visit the Championship Homepage, here.
Division III
Men's Cross Country
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Cross Country runners Chase Brenneman, Christian Haberkorn and Connor Haberkorn will represent Region 20 in the Division III race in Huntsville, AL. Brenneman ran a strong time of 30:08.70 at the Region 20 Championship race on October 28. Christian Haberkorn placed right behind his teammate with a 32:44.20 time and Connor Haberkorn clocked a 39:13.80.
Honorable Mention – Volleyball
Butler County Community College (BC3) remains atop the Division III Volleyball mountain in Region 20, winning another championship. BC3 defeated Pennsylvania Highlands and Community College of Allegheny College in the Region 20 Tournament to advance and host the Mid-Atlantic District Championship. Butler hosted Caldwell Tech on October 28 and the match did not disappoint, playing to five sets. Butler won the first set 25-22, lost the second 25-17 and recovered immediately, taking set three 25-21. In a pivotal fourth set, Caldwell answered and forced a fifth set with a 25-22 victory. Caldwell carried their momentum into the final set, defeating Butler to capture the match and district victory.