O’FALLON – It was indeed a tough 4-0 loss for a very good O’Fallon team on Thursday night, Feb. 27, 2025, in the Mississippi Valley Club Hockey Association Class 2A final to Edwardsville, but in the end, the Panthers proved to be one of the best teams all year long in the MVCHA.
“I was very disappointed for our seniors, who just gave everything they could to the program,” said O’Fallon head coach Scott Loehring. “But also extremely proud. They left everything on the ice, the bounces didn’t go our way, but we’re a really good hockey team, and this doesn’t change that.”
Looking back at the entire season, Loehring knows there is much to be proud of at O’Fallon.
“I’m very proud,” Loehring said. “I think everyone should hold their heads up pretty darn high. They played really hard, and battled through some adversity, both on and off the ice. So, I’m very proud.”
Despite the Game One loss, and the overall series against the Tigers, the Panthers still had a magnificent season, and it’s one to be very proud of.
Loehring added: “We knew it was going to be difficult today, but tonight, I thought our team responded really well. We knew it was inevitable that we would wind up against Edwardsville. It’s an annual thing, it seems to be, but we just weren’t able to get over the hump, this year.”
As with the Tigers, the Panthers also have a very promising future ahead.
“We have a lot of really good players returning,” Loehring said. “I think the future’s bright, our numbers are good. It’s nothing but onward and upward for O’Fallon hockey.”
There is also much to look ahead to for the 2025-26 campaign for the Panthers.
“The next season will be here before you know it, so there is a lot of positivity surrounding the team,” Loehring said. “Thank you to our seniors, thank you to our fans, and thank you to everyone for coming out and supporting us, again.”
The Panthers end the season 22-6-0.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
