Going into the last game of the regular season, team Murray Walsh controlled its own destiny. With a one point lead in the Trail Men’s Retiree Curling standings, a win would ensure the Walsh team a place in the playoffs.
But Team Dan Horan, two points back of Walsh, had different plans. Taking three in the third and fifth ends and cruising to a 12-4 win.
Team Alvin Caron went into the last game against team Clare Coleman one point out of first place. It was a close game that came down to skips’ stones in the eighth end. Coleman ahead by one on the scoreboard put his last rock top four foot, leaving an open hit for Caron. The centre line had been tricky all game and Alvin’s rock over-curled and missed, giving Coleman the win, 8–6.
Team Pat Burke, also two points down in the standings took on team Stan Trozzo. The Burke team was behind all game and went into the last end down by three with hammer. Pat on his last rock, played a tic off his own rock, and took out Stan’s shot rock to sit four and win the game.
The result of these three games was a three-way tie for first place between teams Horan, Walsh and Burke.
In the tie breaker on Tuesday, Horan earned a bye by virtue of his wins over both teams in the fourth section. So Walsh took on Pat Burke in the early game. The turning point came in the third end.
Burke on his last shot could only see the edge of the opposition stone on the button. Pat threw a heavy draw that just got by the guard and pushed the Walsh stone out and his stone stayed for a count of five. The Walsh team never recovered.
The late game pitted the high-flying Pat Burke team vs team Dan Horan. Team Horan caught on to the ice immediately and jumped out to a four point lead after two ends. In the seventh end with Horan up 7-1 team Burke found the magic and with a nice hit and roll scored four. In the eighth, Burke sitting four without hammer could only watch as Dan called a draw to the four foot. Horan had to touch the four foot for the win, and he did. Team Horan wins the section.
In the semifinal, Caron faced Tom Hall and team Ernie Brown face team Dan Horan. The final is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday.