(by Jason Simmonds)
SUMMERSIDE – It’s getting down to crunch time at the provincial men’s and women’s curling championships. 
The four-team women’s field in the provincial Scotties is down to three teams while five of the eight Tankard teams remain in contention for the men’s title at the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Community Complex.
Phil Gorveatt and Robyn MacPhee, both of the Charlottetown Curling Complex (CCC), won their respective B section finals on Friday night. Gorveatt stole three deuces en route to an 8-2 win over Blair Jay of the host Silver Fox. MacPhee had to make a tough draw for a 7-6 extra-end win over clubmate Veronica Smith, who trailed 5-0 after three ends and stole single points in the ninth and 10th ends to force an 11th end.
“We knew it would be tough,” said Gorveatt. “We have been playing against Blair for a long time, and always enjoy it.
“I know it’s always going to be a tight game; they didn’t have their best tonight (Friday), so we got a little fortunate.”
Gorveatt and Eddie MacKenzie, who defeated Jay 8-4 in the A section final on Thursday, have secured berths in Sunday’s championship round. They will be joined by the winner of the C section on Saturday.
Can win title Saturday
MacPhee has a chance to earn P.E.I.’s berth at the national Scotties Tournament of Hearts in St. Catharines, Ont., from Feb. 18 to 26 with a win in the C section final on Saturday at 6 p.m. If a team sweeps the A, B and C sections they are declared champions and no championship round is required.
MacPhee will face the winner of the Smith-Lisa Jackson game on Saturday at 1 p.m. Smith and Jackson are both 2-2, and the loser will be eliminated from the modified triple-knockout format.