“Family” is an often-used term to describe the atmosphere that sports teams aim to create.
Within the Tilton boys hockey program, though, Brooks McQuade sees it as much more than just a term that gets thrown around among the players and his coaching staff in the locker room.
The current roster includes numerous players whose previous connections to the program led them to taking the ice at Tilton, including three younger brothers of McQuade’s former players.
“It doesn’t matter the sport. You need good leaders and guys that will do what’s best for the team in order to be successful,” McQuade said. “I think it’s meaningful for our program to be recognized for the fact that a lot of brothers and family members come through. … Those families were pleased with the experience … and believe that if it was a good fit for one child, it’ll be a good fit for another. We’re proud of that.”
A literal and figurative family feel helped to fuel the Rams outstanding season (so far), including a Brooks/Pingree Christmas Tournament triumph that lifted them into our top 10 entering 2025. The Rams are 14-7-2 and sit comfortably in the thick of the Small School Tournament.
At the heart of it all is team captain Mason Scanlon, a veteran defenseman from Telluride, Colo., who — like teammates Noah Pineo (North Reading, Mass.) and Ty Seymour — followed his older brother’s footsteps to Tilton. The hard-nosed Rams also piled up goals in the early going, with the likes of postgraduate newcomer Petey Silverman (Winthrop, Mass.) and senior Kayden Yeaman playing important roles up front.
Agreeing with his coach, the captain believes that building a great team on the ice starts with people. And this group has been special so far.
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“Tilton does a great job at bringing good people here. McQuade recruits good people,” said Scanlon, who has worked his way up within the program, having begun his career on the second team. “I’ve never really seen a team as close as this, and I’ve never really cared for a team as much as this. But in terms of family, when you really care for another guy on the ice, you’ll do whatever you can for him and for the team.”
A native of Lake Newell Resort, Alberta, Yeaman arrived at Tilton last season after hearing of the experience from the elder Seymour, Jack, who lived at his house while playing junior hockey for the AJHL’s Brooks Bandits. Now a junior at Holy Cross, Jack helped the Rams win the 2019 Small School tournament and 2020 Lakes Region championship.
Yeaman — a “truly tough, competitive player,” according to McQuade — was the team’s leading scorer with 15 goals and 34 points last season and has found a recent connection on a line with Silverman and junior Max Gagnon (Byfield, Mass.).
“I knew a few kids who played at Avon, Salisbury, and I wanted a similar experience,” said Yeaman, who is also a high-level lacrosse player. “I talked with Jack, and then when I visited campus and talked to McQuade, I knew this is where I wanted to be and where I wanted to win a championship.”
Reaching that lofty goal is still far down the road, but there have been signs of a good team coming together. Continuing the style of play that got them to the holiday break will be key as league play kicks into high gear.
“The start has been good, but it’s a start,” McQuade said. “Any time the kids can play for a trophy, it’s meaningful, and I think it should be treated that way, but we need to get prepared for some tough opponents after we return. … When your team finds ways to win like we’ve done, it brings confidence in the room. The guys are understanding that it’s going to have success.”
Yeaman also likes what he has seen.
“With this (year’s) group, there’s been a lot of buy-in,” he said, “and every line that goes over the boards, it’s been the same (type of team that you don’t want to play against).”
Of course, the program’s New England native ties are important as well, including 10 players from Massachusetts, six from New Hampshire and one from Connecticut. The dynamic, speedy Silverman is the latest local to join the fold and make an impact.
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After capping his four-year career as a Winthrop Viking with an MIAA Division 4 state semifinal run last season, Silverman has 10 goals and 18 points with Tilton. He also followed the family path to Tilton, as sister Maddie starred for the Rams and now plays at Stevenson University in Maryland, and several cousins also attended the school.
“Staying in Winthrop, it was an awesome experience, especially with going to the final four last year,” Silverman said. “Coming from the small town, D-4, it’s not getting as many looks as a D-1 school like St. John’s Prep, so I knew I wanted to take my game to the prep level (before playing) juniors.”
Making the step up to the prep level was a definite adjustment, but joining such a talented group has made things easier. He also was familiar with a pair of teammates in Reading, Mass., natives TJ Michel and Cam Fahey, who he played with in split seasons with the North Suburban Wings.
“Everything’s different — the speed, the size, just the way the game goes. So it’s been nice to play with these guys who are used to the faster speed and thinking the game a little faster,” Silverman said. “When we play that way, we’re a great team.”
McQuade is certainly happy with Silverman making that step, and he knows that the tight-knit environment within the program has helped him on the ice as well.
“He works hard, he’s gritty and he’s offensive in all the right ways,” the coach said. “He’s just an athletic kid that we’re looking forward to seeing how he continues to develop. … Whoever he plays with, he’s going to have talented players that will support him and he will support them. He was a great addition for us.”
With a skilled offense and strong leaders in the back, Tilton is out to prove that everything it needs for a championship run is in the family this season.
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“We went into (Pingree) expecting to win,” Scanlon said. “There was no thought of any opponents, it was all about showing up, doing what we need to do — playing simple, hard hockey — and going (strong) into break, which was kind of a big stepping stone. It was a good time to realize what we can do against anyone, but it’s just another step in the process.”
