BARRE – Quabbin Regional High School varsity field hockey coach Shelly Zalneraitis hopes to field a competitive squad this fall.

“I want my team to compete and build their confidence with each game,” said Zalneraitis, who has coached the Panthers varsity team since 1994 and has been with the program since 1989. “I hope that we grow and improve each day. I hope that we play and compete well in our league play and then in Central MA playoffs and in the State Tournament.” 

Senior captains Shelly Tremblay and Jorji LaViolette are returning to the team this season. Zalneraitis expects them to make key contributions. She said they will “will make a tremendous impact on the team with their leadership and level of play.” 

In their 2020 Central Massachusetts Fall I pod assigned schedule, which also included Fitchburg, Oakmont Regional, Gardner, Narragansett Regional, and Murdock, the Panthers went 9-0. They were assigned to this pod as a result of COVID restrictions. “We did not have any pod playoffs, and we only played some teams in our pod once,” Zalneraitis said. In 2019, the team, “which Tremblay was an important part of” went 14-2-3 overall and 7-0-1 in pre-COVID Midland Wachusett C league play.

Zalneraitis also said juniors Sydney Giorgi and Abbey Ramsey; sophomore Kylie Casey; freshman Madylan Alves; and seventh-grader Makenzie Casey “will also make a tremendous impact for the team this season. Madylan was one of our leading scorers last season as an eighth grader … Madylan Alves and Makenzie Casey are two young players that will emerge as major contributors this season.”

Senior Meadow Taylor joins Tremblay and LaViolette as the Panthers’ standout tri-captains. “They all are super patient with the younger players and show a lot of compassion for their teammates,” Zalneraitis said. “They lead by example and are great role models.” Tremblay is the team’s lone returning all-star. She has been a league all-star every year since her freshman year.

Other key roster members include senior Emma Langelier; sophomores Camryn Orsini, Madylin Breault, Riley Bassette, Julianna Stanger, Annabelle Magill; and freshman Gracie Talbot.

Quabbin Regional Field Hockey

At a Glance

Nickname: Panthers

Affiliation: Midland Wachusett Division C

Colors: Blue and Yellow

2020 (Fall II) Record: 9-0

Coach: Shelly Zalneraitis (27th year)

Assistants: Pam Dickson, Jill Casey 

Captains: Jorji LaViolette, Meadow Taylor,

      Shelly Tremblay and 

Schedule

Sept. 10 – Groton-Dunstable at Quabbin home field – 4:00 pm 

Sept. 17 – Shepherd Hill Regional at Quabbin home field – 3:30 pm

Sept. 20 – North Middlesex Regional at Quabbin home field – 4:00 pm 

Sept. 22 – Oakmont Regional at Oakmont in Ashburnham – 7:00 pm

Sept. 24 – Leominster at Leominster High School – 4:00 pm

Sept. 27 – Marlborough at Marlborough High School – 4:00 pm

Sept. 29 – Westborough at Westborough High School – 4:00 pm