The 2019 Canadian Curling Club Championships, featuring the country’s top men’s and women’s club curling teams, with all 14 of Curling Canada’s Member Associations (10 provinces, three territories and Northern Ontario) represented in both genders is down to the playoff round at the Leduc Curling Club in Leduc Alberta, running concurrently with the 2019 Home Hardware Canada Cup, in the Sobeys Arena, also in the Leduc Recreation Centre.
Round robin play wrapped up late on Thursday, with the PEI women, skipped by Melissa Morrow out of the Silver Fox, finishing with a 3-3 win-loss record, and advancing to the Friday modified double-knockout playoffs, where they lost their two games — 10-3 to Quebec and 8-2 to Saskatchewan, and will not advance to the next round, finishing with an overall record of 3 wins and 5 losses.
The PEI men, captained by Dennis Watts of the Charlottetown Curling Club, won their last round-robin game, ending play with a 1-5 win-loss tally.
Left to right: Melissa Morrow (skip), Darcee Birch (3rd), Jamie Newson (Coach), Lindsey Spencer (2nd), Miranda Ellis (lead)
Morrow, along with Darcee Birch, Lindsey Spencer, and Miranda Ellis and coach Jamie Newson, got off to a strong start, with a 12-1 decision against the Northwest Territories, in a game that went to handshakes after PEI stole 4 in the sixth end. PEI lost their second match 7-4 to Alberta in a game that was close except for the 5th end, where the Westerners picked up 4, but picked up a win in the late draw, stealing 4 in the first end in a 9-4 decision over BC in a game that went only six ends. In Team PEI’s only Wednesday game, against Nova Scotia (who ended round-robin play at 5-1) skipped by Tanya Phillips out of the CFB Halifax Curling Club, PEI had a 3-1 lead after three ends, but NS took a triple and stole 2 singles to grab the lead, going on to win 6-4. PEI split their games on Thursday, losing 10-4 to NL (4-2), aided by a six-point 5th end by the team from The Rock, but making the playoffs with a 13-0 blank of Nunavut in six ends.
Left to right: Dennis Watts (skip), Erik Brodersen (3rd), Andrew MacDougall (2nd), Doug MacGregor (lead)
The PEI men’s team, which also includes Erik Broderson, Andrew MacDougall, and Doug MacGregor, lost a close opener against Quebec by an 8-7 score. The Island squad stole a deuce in the final end, but needed a triple for the tie. PEI lost their second game 7-2 against Manitoba, and came out on the short end of a close 8-7 game against Mike Callaghan and his Halifax NS rink, when Callaghan stole the 8th end for the win. In game four against BC, PEI was tied up coming home without last rock advantage, and BC scored a deuce for a 5-3 win. The Island squad wrapped up play against northern teams on Thursday, losing 7-4 to the Yukon (4-2), but ending on a winning note with a 6-5 decision over the Northwest Territories(0-6), scoring four of their points in the 5th end.
Following the modified double-knockout round, the championship semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 30, at 9 a.m. Mountain Time, and the semifinal winners will play for gold, and the losers will play for bronze, Saturday, Nov. 30, at 2 p.m.
Selected games from the 2019 Canadian Curling Club Championships will be live-streamed at www.curling.ca/2019clubchampionships.
Scores and standings from the event will be available at www.curling.ca/scoreboard.
(With info from Curling Canada)