WENATCHEE, Wash. - The Wenatchee Wild Hockey Academy's teams came up winless in Canadian Sport School Hockey League play this past weekend, but all three teams in action were competitive in Under-18 and Under-17 competition. In addition to the Academy's two billeted teams, its 15-Only team also jumped into CSSHL competition with a trip to Calgary, Alberta for the league's Edge School U17 AAA Showcase.

The Wild 18U team battled Shawnigan Lake School to a 6-4 defeat on Friday, with Shawnigan Lake scoring four of those six goals in the opening period. Cameron Kimmerly scored a hat trick, as Wenatchee trimmed the lead to a goal twice in the game. Kyson Lindsay scored both Wild goals on the power play in a 6-2 loss at Delta Hockey Academy on Sunday. Kimmerly's hat tricks on Friday and last Sunday have vaulted him into the league lead among goal scorers in U18 prep play.

The 17U group opened its midweek battle with Okanagan Hockey Academy by taking advantage of an early power play for a Dylan Hadley goal in a 5-1 loss on Wednesday - Liam Rogers made 68 saves for the Wild in the loss. Wenatchee battled STAR Hockey Academy to a pair of one-goal losses, starting with a 2-1 finish on Saturday in Kent - Tyler Stefani scored a power play goal with under a minute left in the second period in that game, while the teams traded leads in a 5-4 overtime win for STAR on Sunday. Erik Hendricks notched a goal and an assist in that contest.

"There are good signs, but at the end of the day, we've got to compete for 60 minutes," said Wenatchee Wild Hockey Academy director Troy Mick. "The 17s could have gone either way, but it was a good opportunity for all the clubs."

The 15O club battled in its turn as a guest program at the CSSHL Showcase, meeting up with another guest team in its first outing. Wenatchee faced off with St. Mary's High School from Stockton, California, taking a 3-2 loss despite battling back from a three-goal deficit early in the third period. Logan Madrid and Thomas Sachs had goals in that game. Rowan Weagant picked up a goal in a 4-1 loss to the North Shore Warriors on Saturday, while Pacific Coast Hockey Academy earned a 12-0 win in the final game of the weekend on Sunday. 

"I think it's so good for these kids to get out of their bubble," said Mick. "We always say the Western Canadian brand of hockey is a little bit meaner, a little bit tougher. There are a lot more players to choose from, and when we start comparing the Pacific District of players to the Western Canadian style, we have to be more gritty and more physical. A lot of the guys that we're playing against have been drafted or signed by the Western Hockey League (teams), or even played games in the WHL."

Three teams are playing again this weekend, with the 18U club welcoming Yale Hockey Academy in league play before stepping into PNAHA competition for a visit to the Seattle Jr. Kraken on Saturday. The Wild 16U team visits the Jr. Kraken on Friday before bringing in St. George's School for two CSSHL games on Saturday and Sunday. After a week away from competition, the Academy's 14U squad returns to play this weekend with home games Saturday evening and Sunday morning against the Jr. Kraken.