Always Better Together, 'Tilden Boys' Bring Special Bond to Shores Hockey
By
Tom Kendra
Special for MHSAA.com
December 13, 2024
Nathan and Brady Tilden realized a long time ago that they are better together than apart.
The “Tilden Boys,” as they are known to almost everybody in the Muskegon Mona Shores school community, came into the world on the same day 18 years ago as identical twins and have made a conscious decision to spend almost all of their waking moments since together.
“The way we look at it, God made us twins for a reason,” explained Nathan, who is 18 and one minute older than his brother.
“There is no way that I would be where I am today, in hockey or in school or really anything, if Brady wasn’t with me. He is my best friend, and we do everything together.”
They have pushed each other to great heights in the classroom, taking the same demanding classes and both maintaining a GPA of better than 4.1.
They hold each other accountable to go to church every Sunday and take care of every detail at school, where they have emerged as leaders and role models.
But perhaps the place where their special twin chemistry really manifests itself is on the ice, as senior assistant captains and standouts on the Mona Shores hockey team which is off to a 4-1 start heading into games this weekend at Wyandotte Roosevelt and Allen Park.
Nathan has been on a tear with a team-high seven goals and five assists for 12 points, while Brady leads the team with eight assists plus has scored two goals for 10 points. Throw in junior center Eli Habetler (team-high 13 points) and you have one of the top lines in West Michigan.
“We just know where each other is going to be,” said Brady. “Eli is almost like our third twin. Our goal on every shift is to get a goal, and we don’t care who gets it.”
Special connection
Mona Shores sixth-year hockey coach Chris Benedict said the team’s coaches and players often just sit back and marvel at the way the Tilden boys work together.
“It’s like they literally cloned a hockey player,” said Benedict. “They always know exactly what the other one is going to do, which is a huge advantage in hockey. It’s so much fun to watch them go to work.”
The Tildens, who are both in their third year on the Shores varsity team, were at it again in their first conference game Wednesday night on their home ice at Lakeshore Sports Centre. Nathan scored a goal and added an assist, while Brady chipped in a pair of assists in a 5-2 win over visiting Holland West Ottawa.
But Nathan and Brady, who also happen to be the team’s two best penalty-killers, were most excited Wednesday that other players got involved in the scoring – which they know is necessary if the team wants to achieve its major goal of winning the Ottawa-Kent Conference Fischer title and then making a postseason run. Quinn Addicott had a first-period goal off an assist from Vaire VanderWalle, and Cooper Nellis scored a nifty, sharp-angle goal in the third period with an assist from Cullen Conrad.
Another reason for Shores’ hot start is the play of senior goaltender Joey Griffes-Castonia, one of six players the team added in its first year of a cooperative agreement with Whitehall. He had 46 saves in a game last month.
The Sailors opened the season with a loss to Plymouth but have since reeled off four consecutive wins.
Included in that streak were a pair of tight victories in Traverse City over Thanksgiving weekend. Brady Tilden scored the lone shootout goal in a 3-2 win over TC Central, and he and Nathan both had a goal and two assists in a 5-4 overtime win over TC West the next day.
“They have a motor that doesn’t quit,” said Benedict. “They are fast and in-your-face and do an incredible job in the offensive zone. You throw in Eli, and I would put that line up against any in the state.”
Fittingly, their career stats in three years on the Shores varsity are nearly identical. Nathan has 24 goals and 32 assists for 56 points, while Brady has 20 goals and 35 assists for 55 points.
Second set of twins
The odds of having identical twins are 1 in every 250 births.
But Nathan and Brady are not even the only set of identical twins in their family. There are also the “Tilden Girls” – 23-year-old identical twins Emma and Lily – which put the odds of Bob and Colleen Tilden having a second set of identical twins at 1 in 110,000.
“I’ll never forget I went to what I thought was just a regular doctor’s visit,” recalled Colleen. “A few minutes later, I was calling Bob and telling him: ‘You are not going to believe this, but we’re having twins again.’”
Fast forward 18 years, and neither Bob nor Colleen can imagine their lives without their twin boys.
“They were against the odds, but now we know that they were meant to be here,” said Colleen, fighting back tears. “They are very special boys. They are such a blessing.”
Bob marvels at their dedication and self-discipline, watching them wake up at 4:30 a.m. every Monday and Friday to go get an extra skate in or figuring out a way to get to church every weekend, even with their often-crazy hockey and school schedules.
“They are able to accomplish everything they do because of each other,” said Bob. “Brady is very focused and a good planner. Nathan is the one checking the details and making sure his brother has everything that he needs. They work together on everything, every single day.”
The final piece of the Tilden puzzle is oldest sibling Zach, 26, the only non-twin of the family’s five kids.
Zach was a standout hockey player for Shores, and both Nathan and Brady immediately name him as one of their biggest role models in hockey and life in general.
“What made me love hockey was going to all of Zach’s games and watching him play,” said Brady.
Sticking together
Even though their older sisters went in different directions after high school, Nathan and Brady are sticking together.
The boys will live together at Michigan Tech, where they both plan to major in mechanical engineering.
“There’s no reason for us to go to different colleges,” said Nathan, who pointed out the longest they have ever been apart was two days, when he was sick in 10th grade and had to stay home while Brady went and played in the Brighton Showcase hockey tournament.
“Tech is a hard school and mechanical engineering is a tough major, but together I know we can do it.”
They also know that, eventually, jobs or marriage will separate them physically. But in the meantime, they are determined to continue to work their twin magic and make the most of their final high school hockey season.
They both also play a spring sport, but while Brady continues to play baseball, Nathan switched to golf his sophomore year. That change is one of the only tangible differences between their high school resumes, and even they struggle (often comically) to come up with other differences.
“How are we different? That’s a good question,” said Brady, taking a long pause and several deep breaths, thinking about it. “I mean, I like Subway and he doesn’t like Subway. We don’t drink pop very much, but if we do, he’ll get a root beer and I’ll get a Dr. Pepper.
“There’s gotta be some other differences. Sorry, but I can’t really think of anything else right now.”
Tom Kendra worked 23 years at The Muskegon Chronicle, including five as assistant sports editor and the final six as sports editor through 2011. E-mail him at [email protected] with story ideas for Muskegon, Oceana, Mason, Lake, Oceola, Mecosta and Newaygo counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Mona Shores’ Nathan Tilden (8) makes his way up the ice with the puck as twin brother Brady Tilden (18) trails the play. (Middle) The Tildens show off a trophy early in their youth hockey careers, and then take a photo together during the team’s media day this season. (Below) Nathan Tilden raises his leg to allow linemate Eli Habetler's shot past and into the goal against Muskegon Reeths-Puffer last season. Twin brother Brady Tilden looks in on the play. (Action photos by Eric Sturr; posed photos courtesy of the Tilden family.)
Gaylord's Looker Shows 'Different Type of Tough' in Return from Knee Tear
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
February 3, 2023
When Gage Looker went down with an ACL injury in Gaylord’s first football game this fall, Liz Harding – president of the Blue Devils’ hockey boosters – was absolutely devastated.
Looker, an all-conference hockey defenseman last winter, was playing, as a senior, in his first-ever varsity football game. Harding, also Looker’s mom, was there.
“I caught the one and only picture of him playing football just before he injured himself,” Harding recalled. “I was devastated!”
Doctors indicated surgery was necessary and recovery would prevent Looker from getting back on the ice, the football field and the track where Looker had dreams of great success this year.
“Knowing hockey is his passion — and thoughts of him not playing did not set well with me — Gage started what I would call standard physical therapy a couple days after surgery and then added an additional blood flow therapy with our local trainer to his weekly routine,” Harding said. “Through his hard work and determination, he is back on the ice.”
The Blue Devils, after graduating their other four all-conference players from last winter, were 2-11 this year when Looker returned to the ice against Big North Conference rival Petoskey. Gaylord has won three of seven since.
Gaylord coach Jamie Voss believes Looker’s return was pretty much a miracle. And he thinks Looker is playing at about 80 percent despite being only a few months removed from the injury.
“Gage tore his ACL and was told by doctors his sports life was over,” Voss said. “Gage would not accept this, and he trained harder than any kid I have ever witnessed to prove the doctors wrong.”
Sans injury, Voss notes Looker was certain to graduate on several all-time Gaylord hockey record lists.
“The reports on his progress and rehab were literally off the charts for this type of injury,” Voss said. “His doctors reported early that they have never seen this occur before regarding the strength developments in the afflicted areas that support his ACL tear.”
Voss admitted he had to hold his breath a little – as many Gaylord supporters did – when Looker joined the starting lineup against Petoskey. That moment came after just a week on the ice, including full contact practices.
“More important than records to Gage was his commitment and obligation to be our team leader as our compete level was predictably down this season,” Voss said. “Gage is one of the best athletes and citizens that I have ever been allowed to coach.
“He is not only a leader to the players on and off the ice, but Gage also is the kind of kid that coaches learn from,” Voss went on. “He is mature beyond his years.”
Looker, who started playing hockey at 4 years old, dabbled with football as a freshman although an eighth-grade hip injury kept him away from the field until this fall. Looker’s size – 6-foot-3, 245 pounds – led to many encouragements to give football another try.
“I went the rest of my high school career being told that I needed to play football,” Looker said. “So I said ‘why not’ my senior year because I could use the extra strength for hockey.”
Looker knew the morning after his one-and-only career football game that he needed medical attention promptly. A quick MRI showed extensive damage.
Looker was told he literally “blew apart” his ACL.
“My stomach dropped,” Looker said. “I was not ready for that at all.
“I was shown what my PCL looked like and then went to where my ACL should be, and it was gone — some say it was deleted,” Looker continued. “I was told I will not be able to play sports for about seven to nine months, and I was speechless.”
Two months after surgery and extensive physical therapy, Looker tried to skate. It went so well he began to entertain thoughts of playing hockey again. He may aspire to compete in track & field this spring.
“He runs a 56-second quarter mile and throws the shot put 48 feet, 10 inches,” Voss said of his dominating defender. “And although he is restricted from running, something tells me this kid will run track this spring.”
While it is not the senior hockey season it could have been without the injury, many are glad to just have Looker on the ice. His mom is among them.
“I am overjoyed to have him back on the ice,” Harding said. “At least he is getting in a few games and is out there making a difference.
“The smile on his face is priceless,” she continued. “Perhaps he'll continue with track as he is set to break records there too.”
Rehab fresh out of surgery was “very boring,” so Looker started intensifying his recovery with therapy four days a week for a few months.
“It was a lot of commitment, but I needed my senior year of hockey,” Looker said. “I was doing the basic things, and then I had a machine that could stimulate my muscles and pump blood to my knee.
“It is called ARPneuro,” he continued. “I was skating with that on my leg as well as doing mini workouts at home.”
ARP — accelerated, recovery and performance — reportedly accelerates recovery time by decreasing chronic pain and increasing range of motion without the use of medications.
“I was always putting as much work in as I could,” Looker said. “It definitely paid off in the end.”
Looker’s coach agrees.
“I have never heard of this, nor witnessed it,” Voss said. “Gage Looker is an anomaly, and in my opinion a different type of tough.
“Gage returned to practice full contact three months after he tore his ACL,” Voss continued. “And he played his first hockey game logging 30 of 51 minutes a week later.”
Looker credits the support and effort of his medical team and his teammates for helping him get back on track. However, no one gets more credit that the booster president.
“My mom and teammates helped me through it,” he said. “My mom was always on me about doing my workouts and keeping me disciplined.”
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Gaylord’s Gage Looker has returned to the ice this season only a few months after a serious knee injury. (Middle) Looker, right, watches his football teammates from the sideline this fall. (Below) Looker tries to stuff the puck past Tawas’ goaltender. (Photos by Rob DeForge/RD Sports Photo.)