'I'm going to miss it a lot': Terrific journey ends for Shrewsbury seniors after playoff loss

WATERTOWN — As the Shrewsbury girls’ hockey team made its way off the ice surface Thursday afternoon, emotions poured out of the collection of Colonials.

Fresh off a 2-1 loss to St. Mary’s in a Division 1 state quarterfinal, Shrewsbury players shared hugs, tears and memories after their season came to an abrupt end at John A Ryan Arena.

“Being a Colonial and being a part of this team and playing with these girls every single day has been incredible,” Shrewsbury senior captain Risa Montoya said. “It’s literally been some of the best moments of my life, and I’m going to miss it a lot.”

A year after winning its first state championship in program history, No. 7 Shrewsbury finished its season with a 13-5-5 record while No. 2 St. Mary’s (21-3-1) moved on to play in a D1 Final Four contest on Sunday.

“It was a trying year,” Shrewsbury coach Frank Panarelli said. “We had injuries and stuff like that, and sickness, and these girls just never gave up, and that’s the biggest thing. That’s a sign of a winning team.”

Just one of those games

On the heels of a 4-1 win over St. Mary’s in the D1 state final last March, Panarelli wasn’t sure what he’d get from his team coming into this season.

The Colonials won just three of their first eight games and struggled to find a rhythm on offense.

“We had a really tough time putting the puck into the net,” Panarelli said.

But Panarelli felt like his team finally started to find their groove in the second half of the season and after a 4-1 loss to Algonquin on Feb. 14, the Colonials reeled off five straight wins — including two postseason victories over Bishop Stang (2-1) and Bishop Feehan (4-1).

“We started to put the puck in the net,” Panarelli said.

On Thursday, neither Shrewsbury nor St. Mary’s found the back of the net in the first period of their latest tournament tussle.

But halfway through the second period, a Shrewsbury turnover in its own zone led to a fastbreak opportunity for St. Mary’s freshman phenom Isabella Freitas, who buried the chance to give the Spartans a 1-0 lead.

“She’s a dynamic player,” Panarelli said.

Shrewsbury thought it tied the game less than two minutes later, however, when action inside St. Mary’s crease suggested the puck may have crossed the goal line.

But officials ruled that Spartans goaltender Gianna Tringale had control of the puck under her glove.

“That was a huge momentum (swing),” Panarelli said. “If we tie it up 1-1, it’s a different ballgame.”

With her team trailing 1-0 early in the final period, Shrewsbury’s Natalie MacCausland collected a pass from teammate Sadie Cusson and cruised up the right side of the ice. As MacCausland reached the outer red line of the faceoff circle inside the St. Mary’s zone, the Shrewsbury senior forward fired a right-handed shot that soared into the upper left corner of the net.

Tie ballgame.

“Nat just ripped one,” Panarelli said.

“That was a huge momentum change,” said Montoya, who made 32 stops in net — including a save on a penalty shot.

For the next eight minutes, Shrewsbury and St. Mary’s swapped opportunities before a checking penalty on the Colonials gave the Spartans a power play.

And with 3:24 to play, Freitas scored a goal for St. Mary’s — this time on a nifty backhand on the man-advantage — as the Spartans held on and exacted a little revenge on Shrewsbury.

“We knew they were going to come out strong, Frank (Panarelli) does a great job,” St. Mary’s coach Frank Pagliuca said. “They’re the defending state champions, they have a lot of pride in that locker room, and we knew they were going to give (their best).”

“It was just one of those games,” Panarelli said.

In a class of their own

Before Shrewsbury took the ice Thursday afternoon, Pam Panarelli presented each player with an empty journal and a blank puzzle piece inside the locker room.

The gifts from the wife of their head coach were meant to remind each player to write their own story and work together ahead of their MIAA playoff game with St. Mary’s.

“Our playoff tradition was to have Pam come into our locker room and give a little pep talk before the game,” Shrewsbury senior captain Paige Umile said. “Those are just things I’ll always keep with me.”

“She’s always told us that we could do great things,” Montoya said.

Although the Colonials eventually fell short in their quest to repeat as Div. 1 state champs, the mementos and memories from this season — and the past few — will last long after their final time wearing a Shrewsbury sweater.

From a shortened freshmen campaign due to COVID-19 concerns, to a Final Four appearance as sophomores, to winning a state championship as juniors, and now their latest playoff run, it has been a fun four-year journey for the eight Shrewsbury seniors.

With a wide array of emotions felt along the way.

“We were just saying after the game that we’re made up of four different towns, but it doesn’t feel like that in the locker room or on the ice,” said Umile of the co-op that includes students from Shrewsbury, Milford, Wachusett and Westborough. “We kind of just all come together and play as one. It’s just so cool to see each other grow over the years.”

Said Pam Panarelli: “I couldn’t be prouder of them, as if they were my own kids.”

“It’s a special class,” Frank Panarelli concluded. “They’re going to have a special place in my heart.”

—Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Shrewsbury girls hockey loses to St. Mary's in Division 1 playoffs