Trail Men’s Retiree Curling wrapped up it’s second session last week with a possible four-way tie for first place, however, in the end, only one team would rise to the top.
With ice and rock maintenance taking place over the holiday break, the rocks ran fast and curled a ton, just like on T.V.
Going into the last game of the session there was a three-way tie for first place and a possibility of four teams deadlocked after the game.
Murray Walsh’s team was sitting one point back of the leaders going into the final game against the Coke Koyanagi foursome. Neither team could capitalize on opportunities, and that resulted in back and forth game that ended in a tie. The tie, worth one point, momentarily put Walsh in a tie for first place.
Harvey Handley’s team, tied for first, faced Jim Stewart’s foursome. The Handley side jumped out to a quick lead after two ends. It took that long for the Stewart side to get a read on the ice, and they stormed back to win the game 8–5.
Brett Rakuson’s foursome, also tied for first place, faced the Forest Drinnan’s team. The Rakuson side got behind early, as the Drinnan team caught on to ice conditions right out of the gate. The scene in the eighth end, Rakuson down by one, a Drinnan stone in the four foot, surrounded by three Rakuson rocks in the eight foot, and lots of Drinnan guards. The only shot at removing the Drinnan rock was a triple-raise takeout. A difficult shot on straight ice, and as it turned out, impossible on swingy ice. Drinnan takes the game.
In the end, it was Serge Pasquali’s team, the third team tied at the top of the standings, who faced Tom Hall’s foursome. Stealing one in the first and second ends, the Hall team jumped out to a quick lead. It stayed a close game until the sixth end when Hall missed an open hit and stick and gave up a steal of three. The Pasquali team took control at that point and finished strong, taking the game to earn top spot in the second section.
In a game that had no impact on the standings but was a wild ride, Dan Horan squared off against Clare Coleman. Coleman down 4-0 after two ends, scored a big six in the third end, then stole four in the fourth. Up 10-4 at the halfway mark, it should have been over but Horan came back with ten points in four ends to take the game 14–10.
The third section of Trail retirees season begins today, and welcomes four new members for the next 10 games.