The Rodd Curling Classic wrapped up this afternoon at the Charlottetown Curling Club, with the Robyn MacPhee rink from the host club winning the women’s section, and Brian Rafuse of Bridgewater NS capturing the men’s division.
In the women’s final, MacPhee, playing with her sister Rebecca Jean at third, along with Shelley Muzika at second, and Tammi Lowther in the lead position, beat Mary Jane McGuire of Fredericton 5-3, scoring a double in the third end to grab a one-point lead, and stealing a single in the final end to seal the win. Playing with McGuire are Megan McGuire, Sarah Berthelot, and Jocelyn Adams.
Rafuse and his team of Curt Palmer, Alan Darragh, and Dave Slauenwhite, trailed 4-3 in the men’s final to Marc LeCocq of Moncton after the New Brunswick skip stole a double in the seventh, but tied it up in the eighth to force an extra end, where he stole a pair for the 6-4 win. Playing with LeCocq were Jim Sullivan, Jason Roach, and Andy McCann.
In semi-final play, MacPhee’s team was impressive against another former Canadian Junior champ, Andrea Kelly of New Brunswick, taking four points in the second end, and stealing another four-ender in the seventh to win 10-3. Kelly’s rink, coached by former Islander Daryell Nowlan, includes his wife Denise at third, along with Jodie de Solla, and Lianne Sobey, and 5th Melissa Adams. McGuire held Kim Dolan of Charlottetown to a single point, to record a 7-1 semi-final win. Dolan is playing with Kathy O’Rourke, Nancy Cameron, and Trish Affleck this season.
In the men’s semis, LeCocq doubled Charlottetown’s John Likely rink 6-3, while Rafuse beat Brent MacDougall of Nova Scotia, also by a 6-3 score. Other members of the Likely rink are Phil Gorveatt, Mark Butler, Mike Dillon and 5th Robert Campbell. Kevin Lonergan, Chris Emeneau and Jeremiah Anderson round out the MacDougall foursome.
By virtue of their round robin standings, Likely and Rafuse advanced directly to the noon semi-finals In the 18 team men’s division. Likely finished round robin play with a 5-1 win-loss record, losing only his opener, to PEI’s Mike Gaudet rink. Rafuse also went 5-1, losing to PEI’s Jamie Newson rink in the last round robin draw.
In the 9 am men’s quarter-finals, LeCocq beat Mark Kehoe of Windsor NS 7-3, while MacDougall defeated fellow Bluenoser Chris Sutherland 8-6.
In round robin play, MacPhee finished with a 4-1 win-loss record. Her only loss was to Jill Mouzar of Halifax. Kelly also had only one loss, 6-5 in an extra end to defending champion Suzanne Birt. This was Birt’s only win in the event. Dolan also went 4-1, dropping her opener to MacPhee. McGuire’s record was 3-2, after losses to Kelly and Nancy McConnery of Halifax.
The Rafuse rink takes home $4500, with the MacPhee team pocketing $3500. Runners-up LeCocq and McGuire will will get $3300 and $2100 respectively. Semi-finalists Likely and MacDougall will receive $2200, while Dolan and Kelly each pocket $1600. The other men’s quarter-finalists Kehoe and Sutherland each receive $1400. There is also a $60 payment per round robin win in the women’s section.