Mascenic’s miracle run to the field hockey finals finished in defeat Saturday, an anticlimactic end to one of the best seasons in Viking history. 

The No. 3 Vikings were hotter than anybody heading into the playoffs and built off their 11-game regular-season win streak with two thrilling double-overtime victories over Stevens and Hopkinton in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. What’s more, they’d been the first this season to beat Saturday’s opponent, No. 4 St. Thomas, surprising the Saints with a late 1-0 victory back in early October. But the nailbiters and last-minute triumphs were all used up by Saturday. 

Mascenic's Iris Traffie makes a break for the goal.
Mascenic’s Iris Traffie makes a break for the goal. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript

“We came out a little flat,” Mascenic head coach Selena Shaw said after the 4-0 St. Thomas win. “We were just a step behind, a little bit slow today, which is very unlike us. St. Thomas, they’re fast and they’re skilled and they’re very used to playing on turf. So when you’re a step behind, it doesn’t add up well for us. Throughout the season, there have been games when we started slow, but we’re able to build throughout the game, and today just wasn’t that day.”

The Vikings, sporting red, white and blue ribbons in their hair, bible verses written on their legs, and yellow ribbons on their jerseys in honor of the late Isaac Phillips, were riding high after Wednesday’s double overtime semifinal upset win over No. 2 Hopkinton, where Hailey Saari broke away for a one-on-one golden goal to propel Mascenic to the finals. But the Saints let the air out of the balloon quickly during Saturday’s championship match. St. Thomas senior captain Emma Massicotte scored early in the second period and fellow senior captain Talula Gregg followed up just minutes later to put the Vikings in panic mode for the rest of the game. Mascenic was far less aggressive on offense, going without a shot on goal until the final moments of the game and failing to execute a single corner. The Saints focused on shutting down Mascenic speedster Iris Traffie, who usually sets up the Viking offense, and it worked. 

  • St. Thomas' Emma Massicotte sneaks one past Mascenic's Evelyn Shippee for the game's first goal.
    St. Thomas’ Emma Massicotte sneaks one past Mascenic’s Evelyn Shippee for the game’s first goal. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript
  • Mascenic's Madison Farrey looks for a pass.
    Mascenic’s Madison Farrey looks for a pass. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript
  • Mascenic's Ellie Haavisto and St. Thomas' Talulu Gregg battle for the ball.
    Mascenic’s Ellie Haavisto and St. Thomas’ Talulu Gregg battle for the ball. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript
  • Mascenic's Hailey Saari dribbles around St. Thomas' Payton Baker.
    Mascenic’s Hailey Saari dribbles around St. Thomas’ Payton Baker. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript
  • Mascenic captain Ava Haavisto sends the ball out of the zone.
    Mascenic captain Ava Haavisto sends the ball out of the zone. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript
  • Mascenic's Lily Alix and St. Thomas' Mattie Williams chase after a ball.
    Mascenic’s Lily Alix and St. Thomas’ Mattie Williams chase after a ball. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript
  • A last-minute attack on the net for Mascenic comes up short.
    A last-minute attack on the net for Mascenic comes up short. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript
  • Mascenic's Kiahna Farrey with the ball in the midfield.
    Mascenic’s Kiahna Farrey with the ball in the midfield. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript

“Credit to St. Thomas,” Shaw said. “Their game plan worked out well … but really, I feel like we played with the ball too much. We slowed it down when we got into the circle. So our opportunities, we just didn’t get shots off.”It was an unfortunate end to one of Mascenic’s best-ever field hockey seasons. The Vikings made three straight trips to the finals in 1999-2001, winning in 2000 and 2001, and didn’t return to the championship game until this year; Shaw took Mascenic to the semifinals in 2022.

“Just making it to the finals is awesome,” Shaw said. “That’s not how we wanted it to end today, but the work that they put in all season — it’s just been such a fun journey with these guys, overall a great experience.”

Shaw summed up her 2025 Vikings with two words — “heart” and “compete.” 

Mascenic senior captain Brielle Krook walks to receive her medal.
Mascenic senior captain Brielle Krook walks to receive her medal. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcript

“They just put it out there every day and they just love to compete,” Shaw said. “We talk about cool heads, warm hearts, that’s our motto that we play with every game. We try to keep our heads in the game and play with passion. They’ve done that all year, so can’t be disappointed in the season.”The Vikings will graduate senior Deviny Viglione, senior captain Brielle Krook and captain Ava Haavisto and return 18 underclassmen – including huge contributors like Traffie, Saari, Kiahna Farrey, keeper Evelyn Shippee, and more. And, Mascenic will add players from this year’s Boynton Middle School team, which went undefeated and nearly unchallenged in their Tri-County League championship run.