LIVE BLOG: Division 2 State Hockey Final, Wilmington vs. Franklin

Join the conversation in our live blog of the state championship game.

Welcome to our live blog of today's Division 2 State Hockey Final between Wilmington High and Franklin High at TD Garden. The Wildcats are going for their second straight state title and Franklin is trying to avoid the dubious distrinction of losing three straight finals. Join the conversation. You can comment, ask questions, even upload photos and video clips if you happen to be at the game.

•  16 Comments
• Photos (1)

Wilmington Wildcats

Wildcats Fall Just Short for Second Straight Turkey Bowl Loss

Furious fourth quarter sees three lead changes.

Editor's Note: The following is a complete recap of Thursday's game, updating our previous story. Tewksbury High quarterback Kevin Saunders came up with what was undoubtedly the best offensive performance of his career in leading the Redmen to a thrilling, 28-21 come-from-behind victory over Wilmington Thursday morning at Doucette Field. Saunders rushed for a career-high 141 yards and two touchdowns, and then engineered the winning drive late in the fourth quarter, hitting senior wide receiver Frank McLaughlin with a 32-yard touchdown pass with just 1:31 left to play in the game. Saunders' heroics added yet another chapter to what has become a storybook season for the Merrimack Valley Conference Division 2 champion Redmen. "It was unreal. …

• Photos (10)

Wilmington Wildcats

Parsons Leads Wildcats Past Arlington in Opening Game

In a battle between the Middlesex League's two newest teams, Wilmington's John Parsons ran for 241 yards and three touchdowns in the 28-14 win.

Despite dominating play and possession in the first half, the Wilmington High football team found itself tied, 14-14, just moments after halftime Friday night, as Arlington’s Matt Garcia took the second half’s opening kickoff back 80 yards to the house in front of his home crowd. Three plays later, however, the tide would turn in Wilmington’s favor once again, as after getting stuffed on first down, Wilmington’s senior running back, John Parsons, connected with junior Tim Woods on a halfback-option pass for 28 yards and then ran up the gut for a 35-yard touchdown, one of his three on the night. In all, Parsons would have 241 yards on 23 carries to go along with his three touchdowns, one pass and one catch in Wilmington’s 28-14 win over …

• Photos (2)

VIDEO: Wildcats Baseball Falls to North Andover

Vinny Scifo and the Wildcats traveled to North Andover and got shut-out by the Knights.

There were familiar and unfamiliar results from the Wilmington baseball team, which fell 10-0 to the Knights of North Andover on Tuesday afternoon. As has been the case many times so far this year, the Wildcat offense simply couldn’t get going against the Knights. A rarity this year, Vinny Scifo was roughed up before he was pulled early on. Scifo had thrown two complete game shutouts in recent weeks. Wilmington fell to 7-10 on the season. The Wildcats’ next game is at Newburyport Thursday at 3:45 p.m. 

• Photos (4)
• Videos (1)

Wildcats Tamed by North Andover in Season Opener

Wilmington came back from deficit to take fourth quarter lead but loses 62-58.

The 2010-11 Wilmington hoops campaign began on Wednesday with the Wildcats falling to North Andover in a 62-58 nail biter. Wilmington had trailed the entire game but a fourth quarter surge gave the Wildcats a late 52-49 lead. "It was there for the taking," Wildcats coach Joseph Maiella said. "It's tough to lose a game when your kids play hard like that." The defending Cape Ann League champions, North Andover, controlled the pace of the game, leading by nine at halftime, but the Knights allowed Wilmington to snag the lead in the second half. Wilmington came out of the locker room on an 18-11 run in the third quarter to make it a four-point game going into the fourth. "I told them in the locker room, it's one possession at a time; that's how…

• Photos (6)
• Videos (1)

Week in Review: Nov. 22 to 28

Thanksgiving week brought the reported suicide of Middlesex Co. Sheriff James DiPaola, the big Thanksgiving Day game, and loads of holiday stories.

By far the biggest news this week was nothing to do with Thanksgiving, it was the "apparent" suicide of Middlesex County Sheriff James DiPaola on Saturday, November 27, according to Wells Police in Maine. DiPaola was found in a hotel in Maine with one gun-shot wound to the head. Just days prior, we had brought you the story of the Attorney General's investigation into DiPaola's campaign finances. We will keep you updated on any developments in the investigation as they happen. In lighter news, we brought you a complete picture on the big Thanksgiving football game between the Wilmington Wildcats versus the Tewksbury Redmen. Sadly, the Wildcats were defeated 26-21, but their season was still considered an impressive success with an 8-4 …

• Photos (7)

Image Gallery: Wilmington Wildcats vs. Tewksbury Redmen

Photos from the Thanksgiving Day rivalry game.

After a satisfying season (8-3), the Wilmington Wildcats experienced disappointment on home ground Thanksgiving Day. The big rivalry game against Tewksbury ended with the Redmen on top, winning 26-21. While the Wildcats fought valiantly in the fourth quarter, they lost after a myriad of penalties and turnovers that hindered the team during the earlier part of the game. For more on the game, click here. 

• Photos (22)

Longstanding Rivalry Continues in its 77th Year

Wildcats vs. Redmen has a long history.

They have played through three major wars and the terms of 13 United States Presidents. Since 1935, when Franklin D. Roosevelt was in his first term in the White House and World War II was still 10 years in the future, high school football teams from Tewksbury and Wilmington have squared off on the gridiron every Thanksgiving Day. Thursday's 10 a.m. contest in Wilmington will mark the 77th game between these two teams, dating back to 1935. "It means a lot to both teams," said Wilmington Wildcats' Head Football Coach Mike Barry. "There's a lot of emotional connection in this game." Over the years Wilmington has won 26 of the games, Tewksbury has won 42 and there have been eight ties. Wilmington won last year's contest, 34-22, but …

• Photos (2)

Teams Gears up For Cross-Country Championship

The Eastern Mass Cross Country Championship will be held at Franklin Park this Saturday.

This weekend, the Wilmington High School Cross Country team will compete with teams across the state in divisional meets for a spot in the All State meet in two weeks.  Each region - Eastern Massachusetts, Central Massachusetts, and Western Massachusetts will send the top four teams and one wild card in each division. The Eastern Massachusetts teams, which includes teams from Tewksbury and Wilmington, will race a 5k at Franklin Park in Dorchester. The Wilmington girls ran well this season with a regular season record of 8-4, and finishing fourth in the Cape Ann League meet. They were short of third place by just one point. Coach Tom Bradley said that the girls should show a good performance in the Division IV race this weekend. The top …

• Photos (3)