(Jason Simmonds) SUMMERSIDE – The Eddie MacKenzie rink from the Charlottetown Curling Club will represent P.E.I. at the Tim Hortons Brier in London, Ont., from March 5 to 13.
The Blair Weeks-coached team, also consisting of third stone Mike Gaudet, second stone Mike Dillon and lead Alex MacFadyen, overcame a 5-2 deficit after five ends to defeat clubmate John Likely 8-6 and clinch the 2011 Labatt Tankard provincial men’s curling championship on Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s always a great feeling,” said Dillon, who now has four Tankard titles to his credit. “You never get tired of it. It feels like winning it for the first time.”
Jason Simmonds/Journal Pioneer
Photo: Skip Eddie MacKenzie makes a shot as lead Alex MacFadyen prepares to sweep during Tuesday afternoon’s game in the 2011 Labatt Tankard provincial men’s curling championship at the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club in Summerside. defeated John Likely 8-6.
Likely, third stone Kyle Stevenson, second stone Mark Butler and lead Doug MacGregor, needed to win the afternoon draw to force a sudden-death game in the evening.
MacKenzie, who will skip in his first Brier after playing third stone for Gaudet in the 1994 Canadian men’s championship, finished the triple-knockout event at 8-1 (won-lost). Likely was 7-3.
“It feels great,” commented Gaudet, 38. “I don’t know if it’s sunk in yet.
“This is why we put all the effort in every year.”
At the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club, Likely counted three with the hammer in the fifth end to go into the break in front.
“We kept sticking to the game plan,” said MacKenzie, who drew back eight-foot on the game’s final shot to count one and secure the victory. “It was an open draw against two down the fudge in the centre. . . I actually thought it was going to stop at the T-line. It slid a little farther than I thought.”