This past week in the Kootenay Savings Super League saw two exciting games come down to the last rock and one blow-out.
Ken Fines took control early against Justin Umpherville, up 3-0 and looking to steal two more in the third, before Justin calmly drew around guards to the four foot for a single. After blanking the fourth, Fines had a difficult take-out for five, but his last shot over-curled leaving Team Fines with only one. The Junior Men’s team tied the game in the sixth after Umpherville made a nice double take out for three, and forced Fines to take one in the seventh. But the game turned back into Fines favour in the eighth, after Umpherville’s last rock, an angle raise take-out for a possible two, over curled, clipping his second shot out, and leaving Fines a steal of two. Team Fines ran the Junior Mens out of rocks in the 10th for a 7-5 win.
There were many lead changes in the battle between Team Ferguson and Team Nichol. Ferguson shot into the lead with a delicate come around tap for three, then stole the sixth for a 5-3 lead. Nichol tied the game with a deuce in the seventh, before jumping back into the lead with a big three in the ninth.
The last end was a clutter, and Skip Rob Ferguson took advantage with two perfect draws to the fourfoot that Nichol couldn’t get at, ending the game in an 8-8 tie.
The game between Team Horning and Castlegar Hyundai was well played by both teams early, with Horning holding a slim 3-2 lead after three. That changed in the fourth when Horning’s third, Don Freschi made two perfect come around freezes on the button, that Skip Rob Norbert and Team Hyundai couldn’t remove, leading to a Horning steal of two. Facing two buried stones again in the fifth, Norbert went out into the frosty wings around guards with the perfect weight to come back and bite the fourfoot for one. Everything fell apart for Hyundai in the sixth. Staring at four Horning stones with his last rock, Norbert attempted a hit and roll on the 12-foot edge, but watched in dismay, when his rock picked, leaving Horning a free draw for five and a hand-shaking 10-3 win.