Marathon curling crowns champions in King Curling Club

March 27, 2013 · 0 Comments

By Shellee Morning
It took three hours, including an extra end, to determine this year’s Thursday Mixed Team Entry League Champions in the King Curling Club.
Seventh-ranked Team Barber played against fourth-ranked Team Gorsline last Thursday in a tight match that had Gorsline up by only one point in the seventh end.
The previous six ends were played with an unhurried format between both teams as each shot was so vital and more importantly, what to leave for the opponents next shot.
Approaching skip rocks in the final end, Skip Dave Barber and his team of Sandra MacDonald as third, Dan Steenhoek second and Anne Jessop as lead were facing a tough double for the tie to force an extra end. Sweepers Steenhoek and Jessop got their skip’s stone passed the guard to peel the counting stone and count one. During the extra end, both lead stones were heavy, but the seconds were able to place their guards and set up the house. Fellow curlers who completed their own games now gathered to watch the marathon game and began to wager (all in fun) who would claim victory.
Vice Kathleen Gorsline threw her first stone as a biter on the top 12-foot ring, but Barber’s vice Sandra MacDonald hugged her stone to the centre line on the top eight-foot ring to count one. Kathleen came back with a beautiful hit on the counting stone and rolled gently behind her first stone for cover.
Down to skip stones and nearing the three-hour mark of play, Barber drew his first around the Gorsline rock for a piece of the red ring in counting position. Skipper Bruce Gorsline could see a piece of the opposition stone for a light tap and sat above the T-line pushing Barbers stone to the back eight ring over taking the counting rock.
After a lengthy discussion on where to put the broom and the exact weight, the final rock for Team Barber was a heavy draw to return the favour and tap Gorsline’s stone back and sit for two.
In true championship curling, the final throw of the night for skip Gorsline was a draw to the button for the win and the title. The broom was placed, sweepers Greg Switzer and Heather Rutledge brushed the final stone in the dead of silence while Gorsline watched the granite reach its final resting spot, on the button for the win. The 7-6 win will go down in the history books as the longest championship game to play for its winner.
The consolation championships were awarded to Team Petersen, who consisted of Skip Karl Petersen, Vice Deb Petersen, Second Gino DiFebo and Lead Sue DiFebo. Their game was against Team Kolb, skipped by Dan Kolb, Laura Oakes as vice, Dave Kolb as second and Teresa Bennitz as lead. Petersen was in control for most of the game, but a double in the eighth end by Debbie Petersen sealed the win, and eventually running team Kolb out of rocks for a score of 8-4.
Comeback win
in Friday mixed
The Friday night mixed league held their final playoff game last week, and the top four teams playing for the title were ready and excited for their match ups.
Team Morning on sheet one, playing against Team Groombridge, gave up four in the first, leaving her team of Anne Jessop (spare for Mary Dove), Don Smith and Wilf Robinson (spare for Dennis Schuller) shaking their heads as to what went wrong. Groombridge carried the lead and the adrenaline into the second end, stealing another two for a game lead of 6-0.
Team Morning seemed to redeem themselves with great guards by Jessop and Smith who followed with well-placed stones and setting the house up with multiple rocks. Robinson and Morning kept the house in control, collecting four and bringing the game within two.
Skip Doug Groombridge played the next end with caution as his team of Margaret-Ann Smith, Richard Engelhardt and Kyle Reid counted one for the 7-4 lead. The Groombridge team had all played very well with some great take outs and well-placed stones for their skip. Groombridge also had an outstanding game with top quality strategy and continued the game of chase.
During the seventh and down by one, Vice Robinson for team Morning threw a timely draw behind great cover, allowing Morning to just throw the extra guard for the tie and with no chance for removal by Groombridge.
Having run out of time to play the eighth end, the skips had to throw one rock each to the button to determine the game winner. Anne Jessop held the broom for Skip Morning and called the line, while sweepers Robinson and Smith who nearly swept the pebble off the ice, dragged the stone magically to the red four-foot ring close enough to add some pressure.
Skip Groombridge left the hack perfectly on the broom, but gave it a bit too much weight as his rock slid passed the Morning mark and giving up the 8-7 win. After calculating the top four team’s game results it was declared that team Morning was this year’s League Champions.
Consolation winners were Skip Jim Powers, Dawn Levine, Chris Barfitt and John Zaina.