The Kootenay Savings Super League saw a slew of tremendous tactical games hit the ice at the Trail Curling Club this past week.
Team Bill van Yzerloo battled Team Myron Nichol down to the last rock. After holding Nichol to one in the first, van Yzerloo grabbed the only deuce in the game in the second, then stole the third. Facing three opposition stones, Nichol calmly drew to the pot in the fourth. Control in the game swung Nichols way in the fifth when skip van Yzerloo’s short last rock tap for two over-curled, giving Nichol a steal to tie the game at three. The teams traded singles for the next four ends to be tied up coming home. Team Nichol didn’t have to throw their final stone when van Yzerloo’s last rock came up an inch short for a close 6-5 Nichol win.
After their mid-season win streak, Team Albo has gone into a funk. Team Beauchamp was the latest opposition to take advantage, led by lead Marnie Matthews and second Grant Gariepy, hammering Team Albo 9-1 after ends.
Team Umpherville and Team Corvus Construction played a classic clean game with plenty of take-outs. Skip Deane Horning’s perfect double take-out for two in the first, followed by Umpherville’s blanking the next three ends, before being forced to take one in the fifth with a nice draw to the four foot and a 2-1 Corvus lead. Umpherville blanked the seventh after Corvus took one in the sixth, before Umpherville made an awesome double-raise run-back to take one in the eighth. Umpherville tied the game in the ninth after Horning’s hit and roll slid too far, then was lying three in the 10th, but Horning deftly drew to the four foot for an exciting 4-3 Corvus win.
Team Heather Nichol and Team Fines waged a back and forth affair with each other and the ice. Team Fines was up early, 4-2 after three, before Team Nichol scored the next four ends to be in control 7-4 after seven ends. A disastrous eighth led to a huge five-ender for Team Fines, but skip Heather was unfazed, scrounging one back in the ninth, then was laying three in the 10th when Fines came to throw his last rock. The rock settled at the back of the eight foot for a Nichol steal of one, and a fitting 9-9 tie.
The teams play this Thursday before breaking over the Holidays and resume Jan. 7.