Lewis Mills comes so close but NW Catholic advances to Class M title game

Players on the Lewis Mills girls soccer team gather before Tuesday night’s Class M semifinal in New Britain. (Photo courtesy Steve Barlow)

By STEVE BARLOW
Special to The Collinsville Press

NEW BRITAIN, Nov. 11, 2025  – It was the kind of full frontal assault unseen since the Mexicans’ charge overran the Alamo.

The Lewis Mills High School girls soccer team fired shot after shot at the Northwest Catholic goal in the second half Tuesday night, but this time the wall was never breached.

The Lions refused to wave the white flag and instead left chilly Veterans Memorial Stadium with a 1-0 victory and a second straight trip to the Class M state championship game.

The only goal the No. 8-seeded Spartans gave up in the tournament denied them a chance to defend their state title. It also meant Northwest Catholic, which fell to Mills in last year’s all-Central Connecticut Conference state final, captured two out of three meetings this season.

“It’s definitely frustrating knowing we had possession most of the time. Some days, the shots don’t finish,” said Mills senior striker Lily Castle.

The Spartans (16-5), who had won their first three CIAC tournament games by a combined score of 11-0, surrendered their first goal of the playoffs with 12:10 left in the first half.

Northwest senior Maeve Staunton collected the ball and fed senior Mya Montoney, who planted a shot from 15 yards out.

It was one of only three shots on goal by the 12th seeded Lions (15-5-1) in the first half while Mills was taking six. In the second period, the disparity in the attacks mushroomed with Mills taking 10 shots to Northwest’s three.

And some of the Mills attempts were oh, so close:

–        A point-blank shot by freshman Leah Najman from 5 yards out smothered by Northwest keeper Abby Casper.

–        A free kick by junior junior Sadie Aston that was deflected out of bounds.

–        A point-blank shot by senior Jill Tiso also smothered by Casper.

–        A header by Castle, off a terrific center by senior Payton Hallet, that spun only inches wide of the far post.

The Spartans’ barrage didn’t end until the final gun when Najman’s knuckleball header was batted away by Casper, who needed all of her 6-foot height to make the play.

“Both teams played hard. We got unlucky,” said Hallett. “We tried to go at them again and again. We just got unlucky.”

“We dominated except for the goal we gave up,” said first-year coach Quentin Lux. “We played well. It’s tough when you don’t score.”

The Spartans will lose seven seniors, including Castle, who this season became the third Mills player to score 100 career goals. She will suit up for Lafayette College next season, but will never forget how close this team was.

“One thing that helped our team is we are best friends. We all love each other so much,” she said, wiping some tears away. “It’s definitely my favorite team I’ve ever had. I’m definitely going to miss playing with all of them.”

A perennial contender, Mills will still return a veteran team in 2026.

“We’re losing a lot of talent and awesome captains (Castle, Hallet and Samantha Harding) and leadership, but the girls we have coming up are terrific. We had a terrific freshman class this year,” Lux said. “The success doesn’t stop. We’re going to be really good again.”

NW Catholic 1, Lewis Mills 0
At New Britain
Northwest Catholic (15-5-1)   1   0 – 1
Lewis Mills (16-5)                    0   0 – 0
Goals: Montoney 1. Assists: Staunton 1. Goalie saves: Casper (NW) 12; Anna Henry (LM) 5. Of note: This was a rematch of last year’s Class M championship game that Mills won