John Likely, who won the events ‘A’ qualifier on Thursday will meet Darren Higgins Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Western Community Curling Club in Alberton. Higgins, who lost his first two games of the modified triple knock-out championship, including a 6-4 setback to Likely on Wednesday, has now won two in a row. He eliminated P.E.I junior champion Tyler Smith from the competition Saturday morning with an 8-2 win. Smith stole a single in the first end, but, after blanking the second, Higgins scored three in the third and was up 6-1 at the midway break after steals in the fourth and fifth. Smith scored a single in the sixth but he conceded the game after Higgins scored singles in each of the next two ends.

Jonathan Greenan, lead on the Darren Higgins rink from the Silver Fox, intently follows his rock during P.E.I. Tankard provincial men’s curling championship action in Alberton. After losing his first two games, Higgins has stitched together a pair of wins to advance to this evening’s ‘C’ Qualifier. – Eric McCarthy

Likely advanced to the ‘C’ Qualifier with a 5-4 win over ‘B’ Qualifier winner and defending Tankard champion Eddie MacKenzie Saturday morning. A three in the fifth was key to the win, giving Likely a 4-1 lead at the break. MacKenzie reduced the lead to 403 with a deuce in the eighth after two blank ends. Likely made it 503 in the ninth and MacKenzie had to settle for a single point in the tenth when a deuce was needed to force an extra end.

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