(by Tim Gall-special to The Guardian)
FORT MCMURRAY, ALTA. — Two teams from the Cornwall Curling Club need wins today to keep their playoff hopes alive at the M&M Meat Shops Canadian junior curling championships.
On the junior women’s side of the event, Veronica Smith and her team of Katie Fullerton, Sabrina Smith and Chloe McCloskey suffered a tough loss Monday morning, after coming back to steal a 6-5 win late Sunday night against Quebec.
Sabrina Smith, middle, and Katie Fullerton of the Veronica Smith rink from P.E.I. sweep a rock thrown by Chloe McCloskey, left, during the M&M?Meat Shops Canadian junior curling championships Monday in Fort McMurray, Alta.
The loss came at the hands of Northern Ontario, which took control early on the way to an 11-6 decision.
“The end that changed the game was end four,” said Smith about the defeat. “We gave up four points, although after that end we did not give up and played right until the end. The girls are playing well and we hope to continue to have many good games.”
The skip was proud of the victory late Sunday night, when the team scored two in the ninth end and stole the winning point in the tenth.
“It was huge to get a win at a national event,” she said. “We were all very happy to get one under our belts.”
The junior boys skipped by Tyler Smith — along with Alex Sutherland and Jonathan Schut — fell to 1-3 with a 7-2 loss to Ontario in draw 6 Monday afternoon.
The P.E.I. team was forced to play with three players as second Alex Jenkins was ill.
“In the seventh end we got into a little bit of junk and were trying to make some finesse shots, which eventually came back to haunt us and give them a steal of two — turning the whole game around,” said Sutherland, the team’s vice.
“Other than the first game, the team has been playing better ever since,” he added. “Unfortunately, one of our players woke up sick (Monday) morning and since the competition doesn’t have a spare pool we were forced to play with three — making it a little more difficult. We are hoping to have him back for (our next games) and maybe we can walk away with some wins.”
The unit is in sixth place in its seven team pool — a tough spot that likely means it will need victories in its two remaining preliminary games to crack the top four.
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