Kootenay Savings Super League curled into action on a scary Halloween night at the Trail Curling Club last week.
Team Nando Salviulo started the trick-or-treating against Team Ken Fines with a delicate come around tap for one in the first. Fines responded with a draw into a crowded house, and after the measurements, was treated to a deuce. Team Salviulo blanked the third, then was forced to one in the fourth to tie the game at two all. The tempo swung in Team Fines favour in the fifth, with Skip Ken making a terrific hit n roll (avoiding the jam) to the pot for three, then stole the next three ends, when Skip Nando’s lost his draw weight for a 10-2 victory and their first win of the year.
Momentum swung back and forth, just as much as the seven-feet of curl, in the game between Team Darrin Albo, skipped by Dennis Schlender, and Team Les Lepine. Lepine used the swingy ice to his advantage, drawing around the front garbage for steals in the first and second ends, and an early 3-0 lead. Schlender blanked the third, then made all the right draws to score four in the fourth, and with a triple raise take-out, a steal of one in the fifth, to lead 5-3. Team Lepine changed their tactic of attempting take-outs with the extreme curl, and started to draw and freeze to everything, scoring one in the sixth, and stealing the seventh to tie the game. Lepine was laying one when Skip Dennis came to throw his last rock in the eighth, a draw shot that slid agonizingly into the back 8-foot, for another Lepine steal, and the game, 6-5.
Draw weight played a pivotal role in the game between McKenzie Re/Max, skipped by Deane Horning, and Team Nathan Small. Skip Nate drew for one in the first, then stole the second. McKenzie Remax got on the board with a single in the third, then stole the fourth and fifth ends, when Horning made two perfect draws to the pin. Horning was looking to steal again, in the seventh laying three with his first draw attempt, he slid behind the t-line to his own rock, allowing Small to freeze on top for shot rock. After Horning’s second rock came up short in the top 8-foot, Small put another on top of his first for a deuce, regaining the lead 4-3. Horning was staring at two guarded Small rocks in the 4-foot with his last shot attempt, an angle raise double that overcurled for a Small steal of two, and a 6-3 win.
Team Brian Lemoel took it to Team Myron Nichol, who were skipped by Garry Beaudry on this night. Beaudry made a delicate tap for two in the first, but struggled with draw weight the rest of the way in his first game on the ice this year. Team Lemoel tied the game with a deuce in two and third, Jill Winters made a terrific hit-n-roll to the pot, leading to a steal of one. Team Lemoel stole in the fifth and sixth ends and made a tricky triple take-out, to snuff out any comeback, and a handshaking 7-2 win.
Super League curling goes every Thursday with games starting at 7 p.m. at the Trail Memorial Centre.