STONEHAM, MA — The quest for back-to-back state championships took a sharp turn Friday and Saturday as the Wilmington Midget AAA squad suffered three difficult defeats in play at the Massachusetts U18 State Tournament at Stoneham Arena.
Entering the weekend with confidence and high expectations, the Wildcats aimed to defend last year’s title. The road was immediately proved to be very challenging as Waltham, Barnstable, and Tri County each delivered commanding performances.
Wilmington opened its title defense Friday against a fast, physical Waltham team.
Despite an early push from the Wildcats, Waltham took control midway through the first period and never looked back, skating to a decisive 7–1 victory. Wilmington’s lone goal came late in the third by sophomore at Malden Catholic Mark Cataldo.
By then Waltham had firmly locked up the game.
Barnstable Shuts Out Wildcats, 6–0
Saturday morning’s matchup brought no relief for Game 2, as Barnstable delivered a dominant 6–0 shutout.
The Wildcats struggled to generate sustained offense and spent much of the game defending against Barnstable’s relentless puck movement and forecheck. Wilmington’s ability to penetrate the scoreboard was blocked by the stingy goalie and defensemen.
In the final game of Wilmington’s of the schedule, Tri County matched Barnstable’s effort with another 6–0 win, capitalizing on turnovers and persistent defensive pressure.
Tournament Format & Outlook
This year’s state tournament featured 10 elite programs divided into the Olympic Division (Andover, Stoneham, Canton, Hyde Park) and two crossover brackets: the American Division (Natick, Parkway, Wilmington) and the National Division (Tri County, Waltham, Barnstable).
Canton went on the beat Waltham in the finals 6-1 after the Hawks beat Barnstable 2-1 in the semifinals.
The team leadership of captains Derek Perault (Sr.), Justin Thibert (Sr.), and Ryan Archer (Jr.), who have anchored the Wildcats with resilience and heart throughout the season.
While the tournament and Midget team has presented challenges, Wilmington’s senior class has remained a source of strength and identity for the program over the last couple of years. This group, including Ben Gibbons, Derek Perault, Isaac Tavares, Justin Thibert, Roman Dizoglio, Steven Constantine, and Tim McManus, have played a crucial role in elevating the Wildcats over the past several years.
Many of these seniors will be moving on after this season, some pursuing junior hockey opportunities, others preparing for college both academically and athletically.
Regardless of their individual paths, they leave behind a legacy built and a dedication to the program and to Wildcat nation.
Their impact has extended far beyond the scoresheet: from mentoring younger players, to setting the standard in games to helping deliver last year’s state championship, this class has helped in shaping the identity of Wilmington hockey. As their high school playing careers near their close, they exit with pride, gratitude, and the respect of teammates, coaches, and the community.
As Wilmington prepares to graduate a key senior class, the future of the Wildcats program remains firmly on track thanks to a rising group of juniors and sophomores poised to take the next step. This emerging core is scattered across various different high schools in the area.
Among the juniors leading the charge is Ryan Archer, a fast and speedy two way presence and this year’s junior captain. He is joined by a deep group of developing standouts including Evan McLean, Jake Arsenault, Nate Anderson, Nate Murphy, Cody Mastronardi, Dylan Minasian, Jack Raposa, Mark Cataldo, Nolan Harrison, Dylan Mainini, and John Cavanaugh. All players who have shown they are ready to take on bigger responsibilities.