There WILL be a championship round on Sunday at the PEI Scotties provincial women’s and the PEI Tankard provincial men’s curling championships, as there are separate winners of the A and B sections of both events, with Robyn MacPhee and John Likely winning the B finals this morning. Had “A” winners Lauren Lenentine or Eddie MacKenzie won this morning, they could have wrapped up their event with the “C” final this evening at seven, as winning three sections would have given them the title without playing a championship round.
TANKARD
John Likely
In the PEI Tankard men’s championship, John Likely and his Cornwall/Charlottetown squad scored triples in ends two, six, and nine in a 10-8 win over Eddie MacKenzie from Charlottetown, who won the “A” event. Charlottetown’s Tyler Harris eliminated clubmate Phil Gorveatt with a 7-2 win this morning. Harris and MacKenzie square off at 2 pm, with the winner facing Likely at 7 pm in the “C” final. If either “A” winner MacKenzie (who would have to win this afternoon to advance) or “B” winner Likely win this evening, they would have to be beaten twice in the 2 and 7 pm championship round on Sunday, while their opponent would take the title with a win in either match.
Other members of Team Likely are Robert Campbell, Matthew Nabuurs, Robbie Doherty and alternate Mark O’Rourke.
SCOTTIES
Robyn MacPhee
In the Scotties B final, it took an extra end for the defending champion Robyn MacPhee team from Charlottetown to get by two-time reigning junior champion Lauren Lenentine team from Cornwall, who won the “A” event. MacPhee scored a triple in the extra end for a 10-7 victory. Other members of Team MacPhee are Sarah Fullerton, Meaghan Hughes, and Michelle McQuaid. Lenentine led 4-0 lead after two ends, and 6-2 after five ends, but MacPhee grabbed a deuce in six and stole singles in the next three ends to lead 7-6 after nine ends. Lenentine was kept to a single in 10 to bring the game to the extra end.
Last year’s runner-up, Veronica Smith from Cornwall, stayed alive with an 8-5 win over Charlottetown’s Lisa Jackson. Clubmates Lenentine and Smith now meet at 2 pm, with the winner advancing to the 7 pm “C” final against MacPhee. If either Lenentine (who first has to win this afternoon) or MacPhee win tonight’s game, capturing 2 of 3 modified triple knockout sections, they would have “double life” going into the Sunday championship round (with games at 2 and 7 pm) and would win the title if they won either game, while their opponent would have to win both.
The PEI Scotties winning team advances to the national Scotties Tournament of Hearts, January 27 to February 4 in Penticton BC, while the Tankard winner will play in the Tim Hortons Brier, March 3-11 in Regina SK.