All three unbeaten teams, skipped by Bill Hope, Rod MacDonald, and Shirley Berry, picked up another win this morning at the Credit Unions of PEI Provincial Seniors Curling Championships at the Cornwall Curling Club, and are now assured playoff berths.
Hope edged Ted MacFadyen 5-4 this morning, stealing the final end for the win. MacDonald was trailing 5-3 after 4 ends to Summerside’s Leo Stewart, but came on strong in the second half, picking up a single and stealing a single and a double to lead 7-5 coming home. Stewart had lst rock advantage in the final end, but was left without a shot, and conceded the win. In the women’s division, Berry also came from behind, down 6-4 to Kathy Clarey of Montague after seven, but scored a triple in end eight for a 7-6 come-from-behind win.
The 2:30 draw this afternoon will feature a battle between the two undefeated men’s teams, with MacDonald and Hope squaring off. The other game will hand either the Blair Jay or the Blair Weeks men’s teams, both 0-3, their first win of the event. Ted MacFadyen (2-2) and Leo Stewart (1-3) have the draw off.
Carol Kennedy from Cornwall (1-2) will face Berry at 2:30 in the final women’s round robin draw, while Karen Currie of Cornwall and Clarey, also 1-2, will face off. Jennifer Scott has finished her round robin draw with a 2-2 record. Should Kennedy beat Berry in the draw, a tiebreaker will be required, as Kennedy, Scott, and either Currie or Clarey would all be at 2-2.
The top teams from the men’s and women’s round robins advance to their respective finals, while the second and third place teams, following the round robin and any required tiebreakers, will face off in the semi-finals, with the winners advancing to the finals.
The final men’s round robin draw, and a women’s tiebreaker, if needed, go tonight.
The women’s semi and final go Sunday at 2:30 and 7, with the men’s either at the same time, or, only if two tiebreakers are needed, at 7 Sunday and 1:30 pm Monday.
The winning men’s and women’s teams will advance to the Canadian Seniors, to be held March 22-30, 2014 at the Yellowknife Curling Centre, the first time the Canadian Curling Association has ever held a national championship in the Northwest Territories..