Sarah Fullerton foursome wins their 1st Jr. Women's ch'ship

Photo (L-R): Sarah Fullerton, Michelle McQuaid, Sara MacRae, Whitney Young, Brenda MacMillan (coach)

Dec. 21-The Sarah Fullerton foursome from the Cornwall Curling Club won their first Pepsi Provincial Junior Women’s Championship this evening at the Maple Leaf Curling Club in O’Leary with a 9-2 victory over the Anita Casey team from the Charlottetown Curling Club. Fullerton, and her rink of Michelle McQuaid, Sara MacRae, and Whitney Young, with coach Brenda MacMillan, had won two of the three sections in the triple knockout draw, giving them the ability to take the Juniors title by winning either of the two championship round games, but only the first was needed. Fullerton, with hammer, scored a single in the first end. Casey blanked the second and took a single point in the third end. Fullerton pulled ahead with a deuce in the fourth, and built up a sizable lead with a stolen triple and single in the next two ends. Casey, and her rink of Abby Burgess, Hillary Thompson, and Jessica van Ouwerkerk, with coach Jeff Wilson, picked up a single point in the seventh, but shook hands after Fullerton recorded another deuce in the eighth end.

The winning Fullerton rink, who were the PEI Canada Games representatives in 2005, and won three of the last four provincial 17 and Under championships, will join the Brett Gallant foursome, who won their fifth consecutive Junior Men’s title earlier on Monday, at the M&M Meat Shops Canadian Juniors, January 16-24 in Sorel-Tracy Quebec, where the Gallant rink will be looking to defend their Canadian title.

Brett Gallant rink makes it 5 Jr. Men's titles in a row

Photo (L-R): Brett Gallant, Adam Casey, Anson Carmody, Alex MacFadyen, Kathie Gallant (coach)

Dec. 21-The Brett Gallant rink from the Charlottetown Curling Club, which includes third Adam Casey, second Anson Carmody, and lead stone Alex MacFadyen, with coaches Kathie and Peter Gallant, have won their fifth consecutive Pepsi Provincial Junior Curling Championship, with a 9-1 victory over the Matthew MacLean foursome from the host Maple Leaf curling club. Gallant beat MacLean in the A, B and C finals of this triple-knockout event, making the two game championship round unnecessary.

In the C final, Gallant followed up a triple in the opening end by stealing a single in the second, and a deuce in the third. MacLean got on the board with a single in the fourth, but a Gallant triple in the fifth brought the game to a speedy conclusion.

Other members of the runner-up MacLean foursome are Marshall Smallman, Kevin Gallant, and Alan MacLean, with coaches Glen MacLean and Shannon Smallman.

The Gallant rink will now look to defend their Canadian title at the M&M Meat Shops Canadian Juniors, January 16-24 in Sorel-Tracy Quebec. They were also silver-medallists at the World Juniors last season. Jamie Danbrook played lead on the Gallant team last year, but long-time lead MacFadyen returned to the Island and the team this season. Gallant, skipping a different team, also won the provincial title in 2004.

Pepsi Junior Award Winners

Following the completion of the Pepsi Junior Provincial Curling Championships at the Maple Leaf Curling Club in O'Leary,  the annual coaching and fairplay awards were given out.

Clair Sweet, coach of the Tiffany Sweet rink from the host club, was the recipient of the Asham Coaching Award for the junior women's division, while Roger Gavin, coach of the Shawn Pitre team from the Western Community Curling Club in Alberton won the award, voted on by all the coaches, for the junior men's section.

Photo (L-R): Organizer Shelley Gray, Clair Sweet.  Missing from photo: Roger Gavin

Also given out were the "Fairplay" sportsmanship awards, as voted on by the curlers.  The junior men's award recipient was Parker Clements, who skipped a team from the host club, while the junior women's award went to skip Amanda MacLean, also from the Maple Leaf.

Photo (L-R): Organier Shelley Gray, Parker Clements

Photo (L-R): Organizer Shelley Gray, Amanda MacLean

As well, trophies and prizes were given out the the winning Brett Gallant and Sarah Fullerton rinks, and the runner-up  Matthew MacLean and Anita Casey teams.