Day Two is over at the PEI Under 18 Curling Championships at the Charlottetown Curling Complex, with the “B” section winners of the boy’s and girl’s modified triple knockout draws determined.
Photo (L-R): Tati Kelly, Kristie Rogers, Lauren Lenentine, Rachel O’Connor during warmup/practice
The defending champion Lauren Lenentine rink from Cornwall, three members of whom are also reigning PEI Under 21 champs, won their second section on Saturday afternoon with a 6-3 victory over their clubmates, the Rachel MacLean rink, and remain undefeated with a 4-0 win-loss record. Lenentine beat Katie Shaw from the host club 8-3, in a semi-final game much closer than the score indicated, while MacLean defeated Cornwall clubmate Alexis Burris 8-5 in the other semi to advance to the “B” final. MacLean and Lenentine had also met in the “A” final, with Lenentine winning by a big margin.
This time was different, with the game tied 3-all at the fourth end break. Lenentine took one with hammer in the 5th, stole a single in the 6th, and the teams exchanged singles in the final two ends to give Lenentine, whose team includes third Kristie Rogers, second Tati Kelly, and lead Rachel O’Connor, with Pat Quilty coaching, the win, and a big advantage in the Monday championship round. By winning two sections, Lenentine can take the championship if she wins either game, while her opponent, the winner of the “C” event, would have to win both. Lenentine now takes on Cornwall clubmate Alexis Burris in the “C” semi-finals Sunday at 9:30 am, with MacLean playing Shaw in the other semi. Burris eliminated clubmate Lauren Ferguson with a 7-3 win this afternoon, while Shaw eliminated Cornwall’s Baily O’Grady in a 12-7 shootout. Shaw had a 10-0 lead after 4 ends, but O’Grady narrowed the gap with a deuce in the 5th end and a steal of 5 in the sixth, but Shaw took singles in ends 7 and 8 for the win.
If Lenentine beats Burris and advances to the 1:30 pm “C” final, and wins it, she will take the title, and the championship round will not be played.
Photo: Donald DeWolfe delivers a rock, swept by Alex Gallant (left) and Nick Johnston
There will be at least two teams in the Monday men’s championship round. The Donald DeWolfe rink from the Cornwall, Silver Fox, and Western clubs, who lost to Cornwall’s Mitchell Schut team in their Friday morning openers, came up with a 6-4 win over “A” pool winner Schut this afternoon to take the “B” final and a spot in the championship round. Other members of team DeWolfe are third Jacob Wilkins, second stone Alex Gallant, and lead Nick Johnston, with coach Roger Gavin. Schut now faces Parker MacFadyen and his Silver Fox, Montague, and Cornwall team in the 9:30 am Sunday “C” semis, with the winner facing DeWolfe in the “C” final at 1:30. Schut edged MacFadyen 9-8 to win the “A” final on Friday night, scoring four points in the last end for the comeback win. MacFadyen advanced to the “C” semi by eliminating Devin Schut (Mitchell’s brother) with an 8-4 win Saturday afternoon.
The Monday championship games are scheduled for 9:30 am and 1:30 pm. Five boy’s and six girl’s teams took part in this event, for curlers under age 18. The winners advance to the inaugural Canadian Under 18 Boys and Girls Curling Championship, operated by Curling Canada, April 18 to 22 at Curl Moncton and on arena ice at Moncton’s Superior Propane Centre.