Mitchell Schut rink wins PEI Credit Unions Prov. U18 Boy’s title (updated with team photos)

It took two tries today, but the Mitchell Schut team came out winners over their Cornwall clubmates, skipped by Mitchell’s brother Devin, in the Provincial Under 18 Boy’s Curling Championship, sponsored by PEI Credit Unions, taking place at the Silver Fox in Summerside. Mitchell, who had won two of the three modified triple knockout sections, could have taken the title with a win this morning, but lost after leading 6-1 after 5 ends when his brother came back with a deuce in the sixth, a stolen single in the seventh, and a deuce in the 8th to tie the game 6-all, and then went on to steal three points in the extra for a 9-6 win, forcing the afternoon deciding match.

File photo (L-R): Colin MacKenzie, Liam Kelly, Nick Johnston, Mitchell Schut, coach Lori Robinson

This afternoon’s game was tied at three at the fourth end break, but Mitchell scored a pair of triples in ends 5 and 7 and kept Devin to a single in six to bring the game to handshakes with a 9-4 final score. The Mitchell Schut team, which includes third Nick Johnston, second Liam Kelly, and lead Colin MacKenzie, with coaches Bill Hope and Lori Robinson, along with this morning’s winning Girl’s team from the Cornwall, Charlottetown and Crapaud clubs, skipped by Lauren Ferguson, now advance to the 2018 Canadian Under-18 Boys and Girls Curling Championship, April 9-14 in St. Andrews NB.