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The Minnesota Wilderness 18U team emerged victorious in the Prospects Challenge tournament last weekend, going undefeated with a 5-0 record.
The championship game saw a 5-0 win over the Minnesota Mallards Gold 18U team, with Caden Cole and Grady Dimberio leading the charge. Cole, representing Duluth East High School, scored two goals, while Dimberio from Rock Ridge High contributed three assists. Other goals were scored by Cazimiro Carlson (Rock Ridge), Luke Babineau (Andover), and Weston Schenkelberg (Hopkins).
In goal, Connor Doyle (Duluth Denfeld) and Ryan Gerlich (Brainerd) combined for a 24-save shutout.
The Wilderness started off strong with wins against the St. Cloud Norsemen (4-3) and Rochester Jr. Americans (4-2) on Friday. They continued their success with a 4-0 victory over the Wisconsin Windigo 18U team on Saturday, and a 5-1 win over the Minnesota Mallards Maroon 18U team in the semi-final on Sunday morning.
In addition to the 18U team's success, the Wilderness 16U team also performed well, finishing with a 3-1 record in its division. Its only loss came in the semi-final against the Colorado Grit 16U team on Sunday morning.
The Prospects Challenge tournament was organized by the North American Hockey League and coincided with the league's Robertson Cup championship tournament, both held in Blaine at the Super Rink and nearby Fogerty Arena.
