Deane Horning’s 5N Plus rink continued its tenure at the top of the Kootenay Savings Super League with a dramatic come-from-behind win last week in curling action in Trail.
What was shaping up to be a great upset, turned into a shocking collapse for Team Schmidt’s rink.
A great raise to the four foot by the unflappable Brittany Palmer set up a steal of one for Schmidt in the third. She then blanked the fifth and made a delicate come-around tap to sit two in the sixth.
With a wall of granite in front of him, Horning could only manage to eliminate Schmidt’s second shot and another steal for a 5-1 Schmidt lead after seven.
With the score 5-2, the turning point came in the ninth, when 5N Plus established guards, and made perfect come-around draws, forcing Schmidt into a long raise to the four foot that came up short for a big steal of the three to tie the game at 5-5.
Team Schmidt tried to guard their shot rock early, but 5N Plus third, Don Freschi made a perfect raise take-out with his last rock that Team Schmidt couldn’t follow, giving Horning a steal in the 10th and an improbable come form behind 6-5 win.
Team Ferguson was cruising against Team Fines making a straight back double take-out for two in the fourth to keep control of the game at 6-3.
However, Fines facing six Ferguson stones, calmly drew to the button for a single, then stole the sixth and seventh ends to tie the game at six.
The teams were still tied coming home, but this time skip Ferguson made no mistake with his last rock, removing Fines’ shot stone for a single point and a hard fought 8-7 win.
Team Albo and Maglio Ladies also engaged in a see-saw battle. It was all tied until Darrin Albo executed a cross ice double take-out to count four and an early 6-2 lead.
In the fifth Albo again tried for a cross ice with his last shot, but breezed the shot rock for a rare take-out miss, allowing Teresa to draw for three, then stole the sixth to knot the game at six.
Team Albo rebounded with an open hit for three, and held on for a close 10-8 victory.
Maglio Mens and Team Nichol had a tight game going early, until Nichol’s front end found its range. It was all tied at two after three ends. But skip Myron Nichol scored two in the fourth, then stole in the fifth, sixth and seventh ends en route to an 8-4 Nichol win.
The Super League regular season final games go tonight at 7 p.m. Playoffs start Jan. 17.