Panthers Crowned Region Champions After Impressive Second-Half Display to Complete Conference and Region Double

Neosho County Community College added another historic achievement to its remarkable 2026 campaign, securing the NJCAA Region VI Championship with a 3–1 victory over Pratt Community College. The result sees the Panthers crowned both KJCCC Conference and Region Champions while maintaining their undefeated record.
The opening half developed into a fiercely contested encounter, with both sides creating opportunities in an entertaining, end-to-end battle. Neosho enjoyed large periods of possession, looking to establish control through purposeful attacking play, while Pratt remained a constant threat, particularly from set-piece situations.
The Panthers found the breakthrough early in the first half following an excellent passage of play. Ivan Rocha produced a perfectly weighted through ball to split the Pratt defense and find Rhys Brunton, who showed great composure to slot the ball past the goalkeeper and give Neosho a 1–0 advantage.
However, the lead proved short-lived as Pratt responded with an equalizer, bringing the contest level and ensuring both teams entered the halftime interval with everything still to play for.
The break provided Neosho with an opportunity to regroup, reassess and reinforce the importance of patience and discipline in a tightly contested championship encounter.
As has become a defining characteristic of the Panthers throughout the season, Neosho emerged for the second half with renewed focus, energy and attacking purpose.
Patience proved to be the decisive factor as the Panthers continued to move the ball with intent, searching for openings in the Pratt defensive structure. Their persistence was eventually rewarded when Rocha once again demonstrated his creativity, threading an excellent pass through the defense to find Dylan Parry-Jones, who finished superbly past the goalkeeper to restore Neosho’s advantage.
With momentum firmly in their favor, the Panthers continued to press forward and soon added a third. Keane Hazeldine delivered an excellent corner toward the back post, where Parry-Jones rose to direct a header into the net, completing his second-half brace and extending the lead to 3–1.
Neosho maintained its composure through the closing stages, managing the contest with discipline and determination to secure the victory and claim the regional championship.
The result represents another significant milestone in an exceptional season for the Panthers. Having already secured the KJCCC Conference Championship, Neosho now adds the Region VI title to its achievements, completing an impressive conference and region double without suffering a defeat.
The victory highlighted the qualities that have defined Neosho’s success throughout the campaign: resilience in difficult moments, patience in possession, purposeful attacking play and the ability to deliver decisive second-half performances.
Final: Neosho 3–1 Pratt CC