WENATCHEE, Wash. - The schedule will reach its end soon for the Wenatchee Wild Hockey Academy, but the three remaining teams in action are barreling toward the end of their seasons after heading to the USA Hockey Pacific District tournament in southern California last week.

The Wild Hockey Academy's 18-and-Under team is enjoying a fairly normal week this week ahead of its turn at the Canadian Sport School Hockey League's Western Championship playoffs next week. The Wild 18U team narrowly missed earning the chance to play for a district title in last week's tournament at Great Park Ice in Irvine, blitzing the San Jose Jr. Sharks for a 6-0 win last Thursday to open the tournament. Wenatchee scored three first-period goals in that game, including one from Kyson Lindsay with five seconds left. Nine players scored points in the game, including four with multiple points, as the Wild out-shot the Jr. Sharks 34-14.

The Anaheim Jr. Ducks limited Wenatchee to 13 shots and one A.J. Bauchrowitz goal on Friday in a 4-1 Academy loss, and Team Alaska eliminated Wenatchee with a 4-2 defeat last Saturday. In the latter game, Wenatchee fell behind 3-0 after one period before back-to-back goals from Jackson McCutcheon and Gregor Ermellini tightened up the contest.

"We definitely were not very good. We did not compete and play like we had everything on the line," said Academy director Troy Mick. "Alaska was the better team, and they ended up going to the finals. It was a disappointing finish for the 18s for sure, and now we've got to regroup and get ready for our CSSHL playoffs next week."

The 16U team also finished 1-2, but ended the tournament with a win - Tyler Stefani and Camden Masterson scored for the Academy in a 4-2 loss Thursday to the Orange County Ice Dogs, before dropping a 9-0 decision to the Anaheim Jr. Ducks on Friday. Aidan Yu had a hand in three of Wenatchee's four goals in last Saturday's 4-3 overtime victory over Team Alaska, scoring the game-winner 3:26 into the extra period. The 15O group finished winless in three outings, facing off against Team Alaska, the Anaheim Jr. Ducks and the Los Angeles Jr. Kings.

"I think it was an eye-opener to play against these other teams that get to play more 15O games," said Mick. "It was an experience for some of these guys - they've never gotten to go to Pacific Districts, so that was a bonus. Our 16s lost a hard-fought, thrilling game against the Ice Dogs, but I was very proud of them - they got better and better, and we landed out at the [Seattle] airport about 11 or 11:30 p.m. and they had to leave at 7:30 the next morning to go to Penticton. I'm very proud of the coaches and the 16U players."

The 16U team ended its 2024-25 season Thursday with the CSSHL's U17 Prep playoff in British Columbia, after losses to the North Shore Warriors and Pilot Mound Hockey Academy earlier in the week. Dylan Hadley and Masterson scored the goals in a 5-2 final against North Shore, while Camden and Colten Masterson each picked up a goal and an assist in a 6-3 finish against Pilot Mound.

The Wild Academy's 15O team will take part in its league playoffs in the Seattle area this weekend, starting with a game Friday in Renton against the Seattle Jr. Mets at 10 a.m. Saturday's game against Idaho starts at 7:45 a.m. at the Sno-King Ice Arena in Snoqualmie. The rest of their playoff schedule will be determined after those first two contests.