July 24, 2026

After a record setting 34-12 win over the Vegas Bighorns one week before, the San Diego Growlers finished the regular season with a 7-5 record and the #3 seed in the South Division Playoffs. San Diego traveled cross-country to take on the Carolina Flyers in a rematch of the Growlers 2026 home opener, which was a close 22-20 loss.

As the Growlers delivered the opening pull, a rainy mist started to fall, and the Flyers proceeded to hold on offense and break on defense. San Diego got on the scoreboard with a Max Combs assist to Marcel Osborne. On the next possession, Steven Milardovich recorded his 150th career block, and Khalif El-Salaam's backhand throw found Jonah Rominski for the break, 2-2. The Flyers held and deployed a sideline double-team that led to another break. San Diego struck back with a perfect Brandon Van Deusen forehand to El-Salaam, and after a Jonathan Lyle block, Bryce Lozinski fed Rominski for the break. The Growlers had a golden opportunity for another break but suffered an unfortunate drop in the endzone, and the Flyers eventually held. With time winding down, the Growlers had a solid chance to score, but Carolina pressure caused an incompletion as the quarter ended, 5-4.

San Diego started the second quarter on offense and after a throwaway, Osborne got the disc back with a huge layout block, leading to an El-Salaam connection with KJ Koo. The Flyers held and after a turnover and timeout secured a break to take a 7-5 lead. The Growlers steadied themselves with another Van Deusen flick to El-Salaam, but Carolina held, then broke again. Needing a goal to stay in the game, San Diego cashed in with a Daniel Brunker to Osborne score, 9-7. The Flyers closed out the quarter with an offensive hold and a break to take momentum and a 11-7 lead into halftime.

Carolina began with a hold, but San Diego punched back with a big highlight reel sky from El-Salaam. The Flyers doubled down with a hold and a break, then Koo dished to Lyle for the goal, 14-9. Carolina converted an easy hold and once again earned a block and a break. The Growlers stopped the bleeding with a Koo to Lyle goal, but the Flyers were undeterred and held for a 17-10 lead. The teams traded two scores each with Growlers goals from Max Gibson and Oliver Artus, but were unable to convert their last possession of the third quarter.

The Growlers needed to score quickly and generate turnovers, and executed with a goal from Gibson to Brunker. The Flyers were dialed in all night and held on offense, and San Diego countered with an Osborne to Travis Dunn score. With a big point cushion, the Flyers took complete control of the game with a hold and four consecutive breaks that consumed time off the clock and closed out a 25-14 win.

The Growlers were led by Marcel Osborne (2 assists, 2 goals, 1 block) with a +4 performance and Brandon Van Deusen (2 assists, 2 blocks) with a +3 game. Khalif El-Salaam, KJ Koo, Max Gibson, Jonathan Lyle, and Jonah Rominski all contributed +2 efforts as well. San Diego's season came to an abrupt end, while Carolina will travel to face the Austin Sol on August 7 in the South Division Championship.