Colts curlers from around the Ottawa area were back on the ice on November 17th. This time at the Rideau Curling Club. Action started at 9:00AM with teams from North Grenville, Navy, Ottawa, Manotick, Buckingham, and Lancaster Curling Clubs. The action was exciting and the competition stiff in our second event of the 2018/19 Colts Curling Series. There were many close games with several very close measurements and lots of fun curling for everyone.
First Draw
The first draw saw a rematch of last event’s finals between Team Periard from Buckingham and Team Doucette from North Grenville. Team Periard picked up the win in the first meeting, but Team Doucette was the victor this time with an 8-4 win. Team Hampton from Lancaster took to the ice against Team Baulkham from Manotick. This game went to skip stones, with team Hampton winning 5-4 on a measure. Team Winchester from the Navy and Team Gallinger from North Grenville also ended 5-4. Winchester had a hit and stick in the 6th to tie the game, but the shooter rolled out to give Team Gallinger the win. The final match of the first draw featured Team Fleck from the Ottawa versus Team O’Reilly from Manotick. Team Fleck would jump out to an early lead after 2 ends, but Team O’Reilly would claw their way back. Team Fleck would pull out the 7-5 victory.
Second Draw
Draw 2 action on the A-Side saw Team Doucette and Team Gallinger shake after 4 with Gallinger winning 9-0. In the other A-Side game Team Hampton would accidently take out one of their own stones leading to a big end for Team Fleck. The rink from the Ottawa Curling Club would take this one by a score of 9-1. On the B-Side, Team O’Reilly would win a very close game. For the second time of the day the game would come down to skip stones, with O’Reilly getting the edge in this one. In the second B-Side game Team Winchester would take the win over Team Baulkham.
B-Side Final
Team O’Reilly started with a single in the first end, but Team Winchester managed to sit four after the second for a 4-1 lead. With hammer back in the third, O’Reilly made a nice skip’s deuce to bring the game to 4-3. In the fourth end Team O’Reilly Winchester would remove the O’Reilly shot rock to sit with another 4 to bring the score to 8-3. In the 5th, an O’Reilly draw would slide through the house to make the score 11-3. This led to hand shakes and a B-Side Final victory for Team Winchester from the Navy Club. Congratulations Team Winchester!
A-Side Final
Team Fleck has a chance for 3 in the first, but the final Fleck draw slid a little too deep leaving a point on the ice. In end two, Team Gallinger’s front end sets things up nicely allowing them to take 3. Ends three and four see both teams trade deuces to bring the score to 5-4. Gallinger steals 2 in the fifth to take what was looking like a secure 7-4 lead. However, Team Fleck would rally to take their one in the sixth and steal in both the seventh and eighth ends to take this A Side Final to an extra! With the pressure of the finals on the line, the teams pushed the rocks to the far end of the rink to play back to the glass for the A-Side Championship. The end opened with Team Fleck controlling the centre: a rock just biting the back of the button behind two centre guards. Team Gallinger places one just biting the top of the button midway through the end. Fleck attempts a couple corner freezes, but they’re both short. Gallinger peels them away and it comes down to a measure with Gallinger’s stone closer by a single tick on the measuring scale. Congratulations Team Gallinger on your A-Side Championship!
A very special thank you goes out to the Rideau Curling Club for hosting our second event of the season. A major incentive for the Colts Curling Series is to give new curlers the opportunity to play in a competitive event while experiencing other clubs around the Ottawa Region. The Rideau Club were gracious hosts with an excellent lunch and fantastic ice that held up all day. Thank you very much Rideau Club!