The defending champion Adam Casey rink from Summerside’s Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club and the host Charlottetown Curling Complex have won the first of the three modified triple knockout sections in the PEI Tankard provincial men’s curling championship, scoring six points in the sixth end this afternoon to bring their “A” section final against Charlottetown’s Jamie Newson foursome to a speedy, 11-3 conclusion.

Photo: Handshakes after Casey hits for six in the sixth

Casey scored a deuce in the first end with last rock advantage, kept Newson to one in the second, and then took  a triple in the 3rd end, to lead 5-1. Newson narrowed the gap to 5-3 with a fourth end deuce, and the fifth end was blanked.

The other two Tankard games this afternoon were also won by lopsided scores, with Robert Campbell downing Charlottetown clubmate Robert Campbell 9-3, and Tyler Harris and his Charlottetown and Montague rink beating the young Tyler Smith foursome from Crapaud and Montague 10-2, with Smith scoring both of his points with opening end hammer.

The closest game of the afternoon was the Future Tankard under 21 developmental series match between brothers Devin and Mitchell Schut from the Cornwall Curling Club. The eight end game was tied 3-all after six ends, when the younger Mitchell Schut made a hit for four points. A series of misses in the final end by the Mitchell Schut foursome left three Devin Schut counters in the rings, giving the older brother a last rock draw to tie the game and force an extra end. He was a bit light, and his rock stopped a few inches short of the rings, handing the Mitchell Schut rink a 7-6 win.

The next draw goes at 6 pm, with Casey taking on Harris and Newson facing Campbell in the “B” semi-finals. The winners advance to the “B” final at 11 am Sunday, If Casey is in that final and wins it, he will have a “double life” in the championship round on Monday evening and Tuesday morning, and would win the championship if he took either game, while his opponent would have to win both. If Casey happened to win all three section finals, a championship round would not be required.

Also on at 6 this evening is the second Future Tankard game between the Schut brothers.

The winning Tankard team will advance to the Tim Hortons Brier, March 5-13, 2016 at TD Place in Ottawa Ontario.

End by end Tankard and Future Tankard scoring is available at PEICurling.com