There may not have been much chance to practice before they left, but that didnSA国际影视传媒檛 stop two Yellowknife curling teams from winning big last weekend.
The NWT Seniors Curling Championships were held in Hay River from March 8 to 12. There was a menSA国际影视传媒檚 and womenSA国际影视传媒檚 event; the menSA国际影视传媒檚 started off first on March 8 with five teams from Yellowknife, Hay River and Fort Smith playing a round-robin format. The womenSA国际影视传媒檚 division had just two teams entered SA国际影视传媒� Sharon Cormier of Yellowknife and Deb Stanley of Hay River SA国际影视传媒� and that meant they played a best-of-five tournament. The first team to win three games would be declared the champion.
The first game of the womenSA国际影视传媒檚 event was on March 10 and Cormier won, 11-2. CormierSA国际影视传媒檚 team stole almost all of their points, including five points in the fifth end. The second game was later that evening, which Cormier won, 14-1. Just like the first game, Cormier and her team stole many of their points with a steal of seven points in the fifth end being the big one.
The third game was much closer, but Cormier still won, 7-3.
It was still a tough game, said Cormier.
SA国际影视传媒淲e ran them out of rocks, but I still had to throw my last rocks in the eighth (end) to clinch it,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
The menSA国际影视传媒檚 tournament had Tom Naugler face off against Ed Sattelberger in an all-Yellowknife final on Sunday. NauglerSA国际影视传媒檚 team won, 6-4, to be crowned champions. His team won all six games played.
Naugler said Sattelberger made things very difficult for his team.
SA国际影视传媒淓d just kept pushing and we had to make our shots,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭here was a bit of rust with our team and it showed in the last couple of games, but we made the right shots at the right time.SA国际影视传媒�
Each team played four games in the round-robin and the top four made the playoffs, which was held under whatSA国际影视传媒檚 called the Page format. That means the first and second-placed teams had two chances to make the final, while the third and fourth-placed teams only had one. Naugler finished first and beat Jim Lockhart of Fort Smith to advance automatically to the final on Sunday. Lockhart dropped down to the semifinal, where he played Sattelberger. Sattelberger had beaten Glen Hudy of Yellowknife to move into the semifinal.
Because Naugler was higher in the standings, he started the game with last rock and scored three to take a 3-0 lead after the first end. Sattelberger got last rock in the second end and scored two to make it 3-2, and he stole one in the third end to tie the game at 3-3. Naugler scored one with last rock in the fourth end to regain the lead, 4-3. Sattelberger tied the game in the sixth end, 4-4, but Naugler took the lead again after he scored two in the seventh end to make it 6-4.
Naugler had to force Sattelberger out of rocks in the last end to clinch the win.
Both of the winning teams from Yellowknife had virtually no practice time before playing in Hay River.
Cormier said her team was able to get about 20 minutes of practice before their first game, but the approach to playing was like riding a bike.
SA国际影视传媒淲e were just excited to have a chance to play again and we didnSA国际影视传媒檛 think weSA国际影视传媒檇 get the chance to do that,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲e went out and had fun.SA国际影视传媒�
The winning teams now advance to the Canadian Seniors Curling Championships in Vernon, B.C., in December. It will be NauglerSA国际影视传媒檚 first time playing in the senior nationals and he said his team is looking forward to it.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 the first time for Cory (Vanthuyne) and Quentin (Deering) playing at a national and theySA国际影视传媒檙e really stoked,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
