Corvus Construction, skipped by Deane Horning, started the New Year in the Kootenay Savings Super League right where they left off, cruising to victory on Thursday at the Trail Curling Club.
Corvus was in tough with Team Fines, as skip Ken drew to the pot in the first and fourth ends for singles, then stole the fifth to tie the game at 3-3. Ken drew to the four-foot again in the sixth, but Deane made a perfect come around tap for two, then stole the seventh, eighth and ninth ends for a 9-3 Corvus win.
Bill vanYzerloo’s team was playing shorthanded against a fired up Team Beauchamp. Skip Bill was missing that second sweeper, as draws in the third and fourth ends came up short or rubbed a guard, lending to a 4-0 Beauchamp lead. Van Yzerloo got on the board in the fifth, but Beauchamp came right back when skip Russ made an easy double take-out for a big three. Dutchy tried to close the gap with deuces in the seventh and eighth ends, only to see Beauchamp take one in the ninth, then run them out of rocks for an 8-5 win.
Team Myron Nichol had their A game going against Team Albo, whose regular third Dennis Schlender stepped up to skip for an ailing Darrin Albo.
Both teams scored with their hammer advantage throughout the game, with Nichol holding a slight 4-3 lead after four ends. Dennis’s last rock guard in the fifth, overcurled, leaving skip Myron an open hit for four. Facing another four buried stones in the sixth, Schlender made an exquisite draw through a tiny port, bumping Nichols shot stone back just enough to lie one.
Nichol seemed to have complete control with another deuce in the seventh, but Team Albo wouldn’t roll over, putting up a huge four ender of their own. Nichol countered with a double take-out to lay three in the ninth, then ran Team Albo out of rocks for an exciting 11-8 victory.
Team Umpherville were unavailable for their game with Team Heather Nichol, as they were on their way to Salmon Arm to compete in the Mens Open Qualifier.
This ends the regular season portion of this year’s Kootenay Saving Super League schedule. Playoffs start tonight at the Trail Curling Club at 7 p.m.