Cassie Rogers has already represented the NWT at a major national competition this curling season and she will get to do it again in a few weeks time.
Rogers and her rink of Kali Skauge, Ella Skauge and Grace Twa captured the NWT U20 WomenSA国际影视传媒檚 Curling Championship on Saturday at the Yellowknife Curling Centre by winning the best-of-five series in three straight games over Reese Wainman of Inuvik. An 11-1 win in game three sealed the deal.
Rogers said she wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 expecting to do it in the least amount of games possible but she was expecting a tough go of it from her opponents.
SA国际影视传媒淚 didnSA国际影视传媒檛 want to put any pressure on ourselves to get too worried early on,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲e had a great start and we finished it off.SA国际影视传媒�
Because Rogers and Wainman were the only two rinks to enter, just a best-of-five was needed to determine the champion.
The opening contest on Friday afternoon was a tight affair with Rogers coming out on top, 7-5, but it was a close contest right up until the sixth end. Wainman held down a 4-3 lead at that point before Rogers scored three in the sixth with the hammer and then stealing another in the seventh to make it 7-4. Wainman could only score a single in the eighth in reply.
Game two saw the two teams trade deuces in the opening two ends before Rogers stole singles in the third and fourth ends to take a 4-2 lead. Wainman got a single back in the fifth but Rogers would score three with the hammer in the sixth to go up 7-3. Wainman would get a single in the seventh before Rogers put the game away by scoring five in the eighth to win, 12-4.
The third SA国际影视传媒� and eventually final SA国际影视传媒� contest had Rogers starting with the hammer and laying down a four-spot to open things up in the first. Wainman responded with a single in the second but from that point, it was all Rogers as she scored a single in the third and stole in each end after that with Wainman shaking hands after the sixth.
This wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 RogersSA国际影视传媒� normal line-up as she had two players SA国际影视传媒� Parker Waddell and Chasity OSA国际影视传媒橩eefe SA国际影视传媒� missing due to issues surrounding Covid-19. Because of that, Ella Skauge was drafted into the line-up as a replacement player and there was no spare.
But that didnSA国际影视传媒檛 matter, said Rogers.
SA国际影视传媒淚 think this new team really came together and ISA国际影视传媒檓 very proud of us,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淯sually, Chasity, Parker, Kali, Grace and I rotate so we play a couple of games during competitions but this time, we were down to four. ISA国际影视传媒檓 really glad we pulled Ella in because she played amazing.SA国际影视传媒�
In all fairness, Wainman said winning the U20 title wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 the goal as her foursome is focused on the NWT U18 Championships and Canada Winter Games trials later this month in Yellowknife.
SA国际影视传媒淲e werenSA国际影视传媒檛 really looking to win it,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲e wanted to play and get better for other competitions weSA国际影视传媒檙e planning on playing and, hopefully, winning.SA国际影视传媒�
Even though the championship was decided in the minimal amount of contests, both teams ended up playing the final two games SA国际影视传媒� under proper rules SA国际影视传媒� to give both teams a bit of extra practice.
SA国际影视传媒淪ome good practice and have some fun,SA国际影视传媒� said Rogers.
Rogers and company will now move on to the Canadian Under-21 Curling Championships in Stratford, Ont., which get underway on March 25.
