Kootenay Savings Super League action heated up last week as league teams Myron Nichol and Rob Ferguson made their final preparations for the Senior Men’s Kootenay zone curling playdowns in Kimberley.
Team Nichol took on Team Deane Horning bolstered by Horning’s usual second, Bill van Yzerloo, playing third for Nichol to get ready for the Kootenay zone playdowns.
Skip Myron Nichol caught on to the swingy ice early to lead 4-1 after three ends, but while attempting to raise his own rock he chipped his shot rock off the button and rolled out, leaving Horning an open hit for three to tie the game at 4-4. The teams traded singles over the next four ends, but Horning was able to get two in the ninth, then kept everything clean in the 10th to go onto an 8-6 win.
Team Fines and Castlegar Hyundai staged a back-and-forth affair, going right down to the last rock.
Skip Rob Norbert got his Hyundai team out in front with a deuce in the first. Fines stole singles in the third and fourth and Hyundai got one back in the fifth to be all tied at three. Fines made some beautiful come around draws in the sixth for a huge four, but Hyundai third James MacKenzie made a great cross-ice double to set up a three-ender in the seventh, then stole singles in the eighth and ninth to be one up coming home without. Undeterred, Fines manufactured his deuce for an exciting 9-8 win.
Team Umpherville, with usual third Spencer Soukeroff skipping, were taking on first-place Team Rob Ferguson. Ferguson jumped out to a 4-1 lead, but Skip Soukeroff made two draws to the four-foot to cut the lead to 4-3. The game changed in the sixth, when Soukeroff, facing four opposition stones, came up light, allowing Fergie a free draw for five and an eventual 13-5 win.
Super League curling continues tonight at the Trail Curling Club at 7 p.m. The public is welcome.