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Super League Curling: Nichol seizes the day, takes top spot

Myron Nichol rink comes out of Thursday’s action on top of Kootenay Savings Super League standings
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With three teams tied for top spot heading into Kootenay Savings Super League curling action at the Trail Curling Club on Thursday, only the Myron Nichol rink seized the day.

Team Myron Nichol outplayed Team Marcus Partridge in a cautious game to take sole possession of first place in the Super League standings, while the Fines rink and Bedard Excavating, skipped by Deane Horning, squandered their opportunity to stay on top.

Nichol jumped out to a 2-0 lead with one in the first, then stealing a single in the second. Team Partridge could muster very little offence on this night, only managing two singles in the third and fifth ends sandwiching a Nichol deuce in four. Team Nichol extended its lead to 5-2 with one in six, then salted the game away with a steal of two in seven, for a handshaking 7-2 win.

Team Sitkum IT, skipped by Nando Salviulo, and Team Fines played a great back and forth affair, separated by a hanging rock. Both teams forced each other to take one with their hammers to start, then each manufactured deuces in ends three and four, when Fines drew for his two, followed by Salviulo with an open hit for his two, knotting the game at 3-3. Team Fines were able to blank the fifth, setting up their hammer on the even ends, but a come around tap for two in the sixth hung outside too long, tapping in another Sitkum stone for a momentum changing steal of two. Team Fines could only manage a single in seven, then had two stones counting in the eighth, before Skip Nando shut the door with a delicate come-around tap for one and a 6-4 Sitkum IT win.

Team Bedard Excavating, skipped by Deane Horning, faced off against Team Bill van Yzerloo, jumping all over the Dutchman with a steal of three to start, as Skip Bill struggled with his draw weight. Van Yzerloo, facing two Bedard stones in the second, righted the ship with an open draw to the four-foot for one. Team Bedard was forced to one in the third, followed by van Yzerloo closing the gap with a deuce in four, then tying the game at four-all, with a steal in five. Facing three buried stones in the sixth, Skip Horning attempted a short double raise, triple take-out to possibly sit four, only to have his shooter curl an inch too far, jamming one of van Yzerloo’s stones so it didn’t roll far enough, but still taking one. Van Yzerloo was looking at a three-ender in the seventh, but three straight misses by the top end, shrunk that to a possible deuce, then a blank, that ultimately ended in a miss hit and stay to tie the game at five. Van Yzerloo’s front end did their job in the eighth, leading to Horning attempting a wide draw to the edge of the four foot with his last rock, only to slide between both opposition stones for a steal of two, and a van Yzerloo 7-5 victory.

The second half has been good to both Team Jill Winters and Team Russ Beauchamp, but it was the ladies who were in charge on this night. Team Winters stole the first three ends with two singles and a deuce, before Beauchamp made a delicate raise-tap for his single in the fourth. Team Winters was forced to take a single in the fifth, then retuned the favour on Team Beauchamp in the sixth. Things broke wide open in the seventh, as skip Russ was facing four opposition stones with his last rock draw, only to tick a guard, then concede the game before Winters could draw in for more damage.

Team Borsato was unavailable for their game with Team H Nichol, while Team Albo had the bye.

With one week to go, things are still tight at the top of the standings, with Myron Nichol in the drivers seat, leading the pack with 24 points, followed by Bedard Excavating and Team Fines at 22 points, and Team van Yzerloo with 21 points.



Jim Bailey

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