Second-seeded Harper wins third Region IV crown in four years

PALATINE, ILL. - A first period goal turned out to be the difference in the 2018 NJCAA Region IV Division III Men's Soccer Championship as second-seeded Harper College defeated fifth-seeded Elgin Community College by a 1-0 final on Saturday. The win gives the Hawks their third Region IV crown in the last four years and returns Harper to the top of the region after a one-year hiatus.

The game's lone goal came in the 25' from freshman Matthew Austin, who would be named the Region IV Tournament Most Valuable Player. Harper, who eliminated Milwaukee Area Technical College and Madison College en route to the final, attempted five more shots than the Spartans, who upset top seed Triton College following a win over Rock Valley College prior to falling in the title match.

First year coach Andre Watson was named Region IV Coach of the Year and will take his squad to the NJCAA District C Tournament to face Region XII winner Schoolcraft College (MI) for the right to play host Anoka-Ramsey Community College (MN) in the final. The semifinal will be played Friday, October 26 at 5:30 p.m. at Augsburg University. Harper enters with an 11-5-2 record and having won five straight matches.

(Picture courtesy of HarperHawks.net)