Chanute, KS -  The Neosho County Men's Soccer team suffered their first loss in 18 games in the Region 6 Championship game over the weekend to #15 Johnson County. Johnson came out with a lot of energy early in the first half and grabbed an early lead with two goals propelled by a strong tail wind and Neosho dealing poorly with some defensive clearances in and around the box early in the game that lead to 11 early shots and 8 corner kicks fired off by Johnson. Despite the challenging first half conditions the Panthers increased the energy of the game to close out the half. Callum Niven managed to slot home a chip shot over the goalie late in the first half with a hard drive and nice assist from Chris Armitage to pull the Panthers to within 1 score.

The Panthers with the assist of the the tailwind in the second half kept the pressure on Johnson creating 4 more shots on goal. What seemed to be a late goal by the Panthers with just under 10 minutes to play was wiped off the board after an offsides call took it away. Strong late pushes by the Panthers kept the game alive all the way to the final seconds, the Panthers just couldn't equalize. Johnson's corner-kick production and early execution proved decisive.

The Panthers wait to see their fate for the NJCAA National Tournament. The team has a strong case for an at-large birth to the Tournament as 1 of only 5 teams in the Country with a single loss or fewer on the season. The team boast 3 wins against top 15 teams, was 1 of 3 teams who finished the regular season undefeated and holds a 1-1-1 record this season vs the #15 Johnson County team who just beat them in the playoffs. Unfinished business and the burning feeling of defeat will have the team primed and ready for a National Tournament appearance and the Ultimate goal of a National Title.