Randy Neufeld’s defending champions from LaSalle and Joelle Brown’s Charleswood team are a win away from winning (respectively) the Strathcona Trust Senior Men’s and Pharmasave Senior Women’s CurlManitoba Championships.
Neufeld (Dean Moxham, Peter Nicholls, Dale Michie) finished the round robin at 6W-1L and defeated Dave Boehmer-Petersfield in the senior men’s Page 1-1 playoff game to advance to the Monday afternoon final. Boehmer had also won his pool with a 6W-1L record.
Boehmer will play Richard Muntain-Granite in the Monday morning semi-final after Muntain survived the Page 2-2 game with a 7-6 stolen extra end win over Allan Gitzel-Altona.
In the senior women’s competition Brown (Maureen Bonar, Natalie Claude-Harding, Deb McCreanor, 5th Allyson Bell) finished with a 6W-1L record, tied with defending champion Terry Ursel-Neepawa. Brown had beaten Ursel in their round robin match so Brown’s Charleswood team earns the bye to the Monday afternoon final. Ursel will play Norma Purdy-St. Vital in the semi-final. Purdy and former champion Kim Link-East St. Paul were tied at 4W-3L but Purdy earned the playoff spot thanks to a round robin win over Link.
(Friday, March 24, 11PM) DEFENDING CHAMPS AMONG TWO UNBEATEN TEAMS IN MANITOBA SENIOR WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP Defending Champion Terry Ursel and her Neepawa team are one of two teams with 4W-0L records in the Manitoba Senior Women’s Championship in Dauphin. Team Ursel is tied in first place with Joelle Brown and her Charleswood team. Former champion Kim Link (East St. Paul) is in second place with a 3W-1L record with three games yet to play in the round robin.
(Friday, March 24, 10:30PM) DEFENDING CHAMPS AMONG THREE UNBEATEN TEAMS IN MANITOBA SENIOR MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP Randy Neufeld’s LaSalle team is one of three unbeaten teams after four games have been played in the Manitoba Senior Men’s Championship in Dauphin. Team Neufeld along with former champion Dave Boehmer (Petersfield) and Richard Muntain (Granite) lead the way .
Boehmer is alone in first place in his pool, with Allan Gitzel (Altona) Neil Okumura (Pembina), and Butch Mouck (Gilbert Plains) in second place at 3W-1L.
Behind Neufeld and Muntain in their pool is Mike Mahon (Grante) at 3W-1L.
(Wednesday, March 22, 9AM)DEFENDING CHAMPS HEAD THE ENTRY LIST FOR MANITOBA SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS Defending champion Randy Neufeld and his LaSalle team, three of whom won the recent Manitoba Masters Men’s Championship, and defending champion Terry Ursel’s Neepawa team will attempt to repeat as CurlManitoba’s Senior Curling Champions this week at the Dauphin Curling Club.
In the Strathcona Trust Senior Men’s, the last eight champion teams are all represented in the competition. Randy Neufeld’s two-time defending champions, who also won the 2015 and 2016 titles, return with the same lineup (Dean Moxham, Peter Nicholls, Dale Michie).
Two members of Petersfield’s Dave Boehmer three-time champion team (2020, 2019, 2018) will challenge Team Neufeld along with the 2017 champion Murray Warren Brandon team.
In addition to the Warren team, the other two playoff teams from the recent Manitoba Masters Championship, finalist Mike Mahon (Granite) and Allan Gitzel, are set to challenge Team Neufeld again at the Senior Men’s in Dauphin.
The sixteen Senior Men’s teams will play a seven game round robin, in two groups of eight teams, followed by a page playoff. The final game will be played Monday, March 27 at 1:00pm.
In the Pharmasave Senior Women’s, defending champions Terry Ursel, Wanda Rainka and Tracy Igonia have won three of the last four titles (2022, 2020, 2019) are joined this year by Nadine Ralph (with alternate Chris Hamblin and coach Lorne Hamblin).
The eight team field includes East St. Paul’s Kim Link, also a three-time Senior Women’s champion (2021, 2018, 2015), and Sandra Cowling whose Hamiota team won the 2016 Senior Women’s title along with the 2019 and 2020 Masters Women’s titles.
Laurie Deprez, who skipped a LaSalle team to the recent Masters Women’s championship, won the 2013 Senior Women’s title. Her 2023 Masters champion teammates will all be in Dauphin – Deb McCreanor with Charleswood’s Joelle Brown, Lori Pelissier with St. Vital’s Norma Purdy, and Bev Atkins with Team Deprez.
The eight Senior Women’s teams will pay a seven game round robin followed by a three team playoff. The final game will also be played Monday, March 27th at 1:00pm.
Play in the joint Strathcona Senior Men’s and Pharmasave Senior Women’s Championships will get underway at the Dauphin Curling Club on Thursday, March 23rd at 8:30am.
Randy Neufeld and his LaSalle team (Peter Nicholls, Darren Oryniak, Dale Michie) have won CurlManitoba’s Manitoba’s Credit Unions Masters Men’s championship with a 4-3 win over Mike Mahon and his Granite CC team.
The win for the LaSalle team mirrors the accomplishment of Laurie Deprez and her LaSalle team who won the Masters Women’s championship Sunday. It is the first time in the Manitoba’s Credit Unions sponsorship years that the two championships have been won by teams from the same club.
Randy Neufeld, Peter Nicholls, Darren Oryniak, Dale Michie
The Neufeld foursome was the top seed coming into the event and will have a chance to win a second Manitoba title in two weeks time when they compete as the defending champion in CurlManitoba’s Strathcona Seniors in Dauphin (with Dean Moxham replacing Oryniak).
The championship gives Nicholls, who won the 1994 Labatt Tankard in Thompson with Dave Smith, his seventh Manitoba “buffalo” championship crest as he also won the 2018 Manitoba Mixed to go with four Manitoba Senior Men’s.
Neufeld, Nicholls and Michie won the 2015, 2016, 2021, and 2022 Manitoba Senior Men’s titles. Michie also won the Manitoba Mixed in 2001. Oryniak is also a former Manitoba champion, having won the 2013 Manitoba Senior Men’s championship.
Randy Neufeld and his team had reached the final undefeated in the seven game round robin, to finish atop the Asham pool, and with a 7-5 victory over Team Mahon in the Page 1 vs 1 playoff game.
Mike Mahon (Bill Menzies, Blair Smith, Larry Borus) posted a 6W-1L record in round robin play to top the Asham Express pool. They had eliminated defending champion Murray Warren (Brandon) in the Monday morning semi-final when they won a last end measure and a steal to win 4-2. The Warren team had beaten Allan Gitzel (Miami) 6-4 in the Saturday evening Page 3 vs game.
Gord Mackay (Pembina) and Ray Baker (Dauphin) had also advanced past the round-robin stage but were eliminated in the first round of playoffs by Gitzel and Warren respectively.
(Sunday, March 12) PLAYOFFS SET IN MANITOBA MASTERS MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP IN THOMPSON Randy Neufeld’s LaSalle team have completed an undefeated run through the round-robin portion of the CurlManitoba Master’s Men’s Championship. The Neufeld team beat Jim Renwick (Brandon) 8-6 Saturday afternoon thanks to a big five-ender on the sixth end.
Trailing 6-4 at the time, Neufeld made a last rock triple kill for the five and a one-point lead enroute to the victory.
Ray Baker’s Dauphin team finished 5W-2L with a final game win over Butch Mouck (Minnedosa) and Gord MacKay’s Pembina team also finished 5W-2L with a final game win over Neil Schmidt (East St. Paul). Baker is awarded second place in the pool thanks to his round-robin win over MacKay.
In the other pool, Mike Mahon (Granite) defeated Allan Gitzel (Miami) on the morning draw to earn first place at 6W-1L while Gitzel dropped to 5W-2L and second place. Defending champion Murray Warren (Brandon) defeated Dale Brooks (Hamiota), giving both a 4W-3L record but Warren gets third spot in the standings thanks to the win.
Mahon and Neufeld advance to the Page 1-1 playoff game on Sunday evening. Baker will play Warren and MacKay will play Gitzel at 4PM Sunday with the winners advancing to the Sunday evening Page 2-2 game.
(Sunday, March 12, 2PM)DEPREZ WINS MANITOBA MASTERS WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP IN THOMPSON Laurie Deprez and her LaSalle team have won the Manitoba’s Credit Unions 2023 Masters Women’s Championship. Deprez, Deb McCreanor, Lori Pelissier, and Bev Atkins defeated Sandra Cowling’s Hamiota team 5-3 in the Sunday morning final in Thompson.
The Deprez foursome completed the championship with five wins and a loss. Their loss came in the round robin to Team Cowling who were unbeaten with four wins in the five-team round robin. The perfect record gave the Hamiota team a bye to the Sunday morning final.
In the Saturday afternoon semi-final, Team Deprez had an 8-7 win over defending champion Judy Colwell and her East St. Paul team.
A stolen two on the fifth end gave Deprez a 4-3 lead and another stolen single on the seventh, when Cowling rolled out facing two, gave the champions a 5-3 lead coming home.
The seventh steal was set up by a pick on Cowling’s first rock hit attempt on the only stone in the rings. The miss allowed Deprez to put a second stone in the rings. Cowling rolled out on her second hit to give up the steal.
Cowling, playing in their fourth consecutive final, ran out of stones coming home.
For Deprez and Atkins, it is a second Manitoba championship. Deprez skipped the 2012 Manitoba Senior Women’s champion team while Atkins played second on the 1984 Manitoba Mixed Champion team.
For McCreanor, it is a third Manitoba title. She previously skipped the Manitoba Club champions teams in 2018 & 2021.
For Pelissier, it is a fourth Manitoba championship. She was the second on Mixed champion teams in 1995 and 2000 as well as skipping the 2012 Club champions.
(Saturday, March 11)NEUFELD, COWLING LAST UNBEATEN TEAMS AT MANITOBA MASTERS IN THOMPSON Randy Neufeld (LaSalle), with five straight wins, and Sandra Cowling (Hamiota), with four wins, are the last two unbeaten teams in CurlManitoba’s Manitoba’s Credit Unions Masters Championships.
The last two unbeaten teams in both divisions met on the early draws Saturday at Thompson’s Burntwood Curling Club.
Cowling, whose team played as a wildcard Manitoba entry in last fall’s Canadian Masters Championship at the Pembina Curling Club, was last year’s finalist in this championship. The Saturday morning win over Laurie Deprez (LaSalle) earned the Hamiota team a return trip to the provincial final game.
The final game opponent, Sunday morning at 9AM, will be the winner of a semi-final game between Deprez and defending champion Judy Colwell (East St. Paul). Colwell finished the round-robin with only one win in four starts but came out on top of a three way tiebreaker with the other two teams.
In the Masters Men’s, Randy Neufeld’s foursome took on Ray Baker (Dauphin). A first end three, and a 5-1 lead after four ends, led to seven end victory for La Salle team which includes three members of the reigning Manitoba Senior Men’s champion team.
In their pool, Neufeld (5W-0L) and Baker (4W-1L) lead the way. Gord MacKay (Pembina) and Butch Mouck (Minnedosa) are both still very much in the chase for the third playoff spot at 3W-2L. With a record of 2W-3L, Jim Renwick (Brandon) still has an outside chance of making the playoffs.
In the other pool, Dale Brooks (Hamiota), Allan Gitzel (Miami), and Mike Mahon (Granite) lead the way with 4W-1L records. Defending champion Murray Warren (Brandon) has a 3W-2L record and Gerry Haight (Brandon) with a 2W-3L record can still make the playoffs.
Colton & Kadriana Lott (Winnipeg Beach) have won the 2023 CurlManitoba Dynasty Mixed Doubles Curling Championship. The couple, who had previously won the Manitoba Mixed Doubles title in 2018, defeated Lisa McLeod & Lyall Hudson (Pembina) Monday afternoon at St. Vital Curling Club to complete an undefeated run thorough the championship.
Kadriana & Colton Lott with Dynasty rep Aaron Tycoles
For Colton Lott, this year’s second Mixed Doubles victory is a second provincial championship of the season and his sixth lifetime Manitoba curling title. He won the 2023 Viterra Men’s Championship at second for the Matt Dunstone team and previously won Manitoba Junior Men’s titles in 2012, 2013, and 2016. For Kadriana Lott (as Sahaidak) the only previous championship was the 2018 Mixed Doubles.
After opening the games with single steals in each of the first two ends, Colton Lott’s big weight hit ability paid dividends with a slash double to remove a buried McLeod-Hudson shot stone. McLeod’s draw was behind the button and Kadriana’s last shot draw was good enough for a single point. They stole two deuces in the next two ends.
Trailing 5-2 after five ends, McLeod-Hudson used their power play on the sixth. It worked to produce a two to pull them within one point. Lott-Lott used their power play on the seventh and ended the game when they were able to put a five on the scoreboard.
Lott-Lott were unbeaten “A” qualifiers to advance to the playoffs and were riding a five game winning streak going into the final game. McLeod-Hudson had reached the final as “C” qualifiers with five wins in their first seven games.
In the Sunday afternoon semi-finals, McLeod-Hudson defeated Thomas Dunlop & Katie McKenzie (Stonewall) while Lott-Lott ousted Mikaylah & William Lyburn (Granite).
The four playoff qualifiers who were eliminated in the first round Sunday were Sarah-Jane Sass & Lucas Van Den Bosch (Granite), Stacey & Steve Irwin (Brandon), Lauren Rajala & Cyrus Brandt (St. Vital), and Janelle Lach & Corey Chambers (Fort Garry).
A total of 20 teams participated in the triple knock-out championship attempting to advance to the Canadian Mixed Doubles Championship in Sudbury, ON in lat March.
Teams from St. Vital and Springfield took home the trophies in the Manitoba Stick Curling Association’s 2023 championships in Morris.
Warren Johnson & Dan McDonald (St. Vital) and Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun (Springfield) with their trophies and the CurlManitoba champions jackets.
St. Vital’s Warren Johnson and Dan McDonald, regulars at MSCA events and club bonspiels, lost one game in round-robin play, finished first in their group, and won three in a row on championship Sunday to win their first championship. For McDonald, it was a first-ever. Johnson has won twice previously, with Brad Childe in 2017 and with Earl Stephenson in 2012.
The final game against Darren MacMillan & Terry Proctor (Marquette) in the SunLife Financial MSCA Open Championship presented by Jim Anton went right to the last shot.
Tied 1-1 after four ends, Johnson & McDonald had stolen two on the fifth to lead 3-1 coming home. Laying one in the four foot, Proctor played a lightweight tap shot on a pocket of three stones in the back four foot but got the worst possible angle on them, touching all three and rolling forward across the teeline and out of the four foot circle to score only one.
In the semifinals, Johnson-McDonald defeated Herb Sulkers & Harold Peterson (East St. Paul) and MacMillan-Proctor beat Larry Weatherburn & Rick Willetts (Eriksdale).
The four teams eliminated in the first round of playoffs were Charlie McCullough & Wayne Johnston (Carman), Don Fischer & Grant Nicolson (St. Vital), Bill Reid & Ed Thompson (Wildewood at Thistle), and Norm Magusson & Resby Coutts (Fort Rouge).
McCullough & Johnston were the only undefeated team in the event. Sulkers & Peterson and Willetts & Weatherburn advanced to the playoff round through a tiebreaker. They had been tied after round-robin play with Jim Rouse & Ross MacMillan (Warren/Marquette) but survived the tiebreaker.
A total of 24 teams participated in the SunLife Financial Open Championship presented by Jim Anton.
Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun (Springfield) defeated 2020 champions Gwen Smith and Lynne Rehbein (St. Vital) to win the 7-team 2023 MSCA Women’s Championship. Down 3-2 coming home, Marr-Kolsun scored a single point to force an extra end then won the game with a steal in the extra when a last shot draw to the four foot circle slid a little too deep.
At the end of round-robin play, Marr & Kolsun, Smith & Rehbein, and Irene Tully & Marilyn Campbell (Marquette) had been tied with 4 win – 2 loss records. Marr & Kolsun won the tiebreaker and the bye to the final. Smith & Rehbein eliminated Tully & Campbell in the semi-final.
MSCA President Britta Spiring and SunLife’s Jim Anton present the crests and trophy to Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun (Springfield)MSCA President Britta Spiring and SunLife’s Jim Anton present the crests and trophy to Warren Johnson & Dan McDonald (St. Vital)
(Sunday, February 19, 1:30PM) FINALS SET IN STICK CHAMPIONSHIPS Warren Johnson & Dan McDonald (St. Vital) will play Darren MacMillan & Terry Proctor (Marquette) in the final game of the SunLife Financial Manitoba Stick Open Championship presented by Jim Anton. The game is set for 2 PM in Morris.
MacMillan-Proctor defeated Larry Weatherburn & Rick Willets (Eriksdale) in the semifinal. Proctor, tied coming home and facing three, half tucked a draw behind a counter in the top of the rings and marked up the 2-1 win when Willets rubbed his own stone.
Johnson & McDonald gave up a three on the opening end , came back with three of their own on the second and led Herb Silkers & Harold Peterson (East St. Paul) 6-4 coming home. Sulkers faced a difficult tap back of a counter on the button for two with his last stone. He rubbed the target stone but left a steal of one for a 7-4 win.
In the Women’s final, Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun (Springfield) will play former champions Gwen Smith & Lynne Rehbein (St. Vital) . Smith-Rehbein were 5-2 winners over Irene Tully & Marilyn Campbell (Marquette) in the morning semi-final.
(Saturday, February 19, 10PM) MCCULLOUGH-JOHNSTON LONE UNBEATEN TEAM, PLAYOFFS SET IN STICK CHAMPIONSHIPS Carman’s Charlie McCullough and Wayne Johnston are the only team to reach the playoffs of the two Manitoba 2-person Stick Championships undefeated. In a game for first place in Pool D, McCullough-Johnston defeated Norm Magnusson & Resby Coutts (Ft. Rouge) on the Saturday evening draw. Both teams will advance to the Sunday playoff round.
(l-r) Charlie McCullough, Norm Magnusson, Wayne Johnston, Resby Coutts
In Pool A of the SunLife Open Championship presented by Jim Anton, Grant Nicolson & Don Fischer (St. Vital) finished first with a 4W-1L record. Bill Reid & Ed Thompson (Wildewood at Thistle), with a 3W-2L record, also advance to the playoffs.
In Pool B, Warren Johnson & Dan McDonald (St. Vital) and Darren MacMillan & Terry Proctor (Marquette), with 3W-1L records, both advance to the playoff round.
A three team tiebreaker was required in Pool C. Of the three teams with 4W-1L records, the tiebreak win went to Herb Sulkers & Harold Peterson (East St. Paul) and Rick Willets & Larry Weatherburn (Eriksdale).
The eight teams will play a single knock-out playoff on Sunday beginning at 11AM in Morris.
A three-team tiebreaker was also required in the Women’s championship – to determine the first place bye to the final in the three team playoff. Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun (Springfield), 2020 champions Lynne Rehbein & Gwen Smith (St. Vital) AND Irene Tully & Marilyn Campbell (Marquette) all finished with 4W-2L records. Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun earned the bye to the final.
(Friday, February 18, 9PM)THREE TEAMS UNBEATEN IN MANITOBA STICK CHAMPIONSHIPS Three of 23 teams have unbeaten records as play began Saturday at 3PM in the SunLife Financial Manitoba 2-Person Stick Open Championship presented by Jim Anton in Morris.
In Pool C, former Canadian Champions Jim Rouse & Ross MacMillan have a 3W-0L record with two games to play. Two teams trail them with 2W-1L records.
In Pool D, Charlie McCullough and Wayne Johnston (Carman) and Norm Magnusson & Resby Coutts (Fort Rouge) share the lead with 3W-0L records. They will meet in their final round robin game Saturday evening.
In Pool A, Grant Nicolson & Don Fischer (St. Vital) lead the way with a 3W-1L record. Four teams have 2W-2L records in this group.
Pool D play has been complicated by a team withdrawal due to injury. This group is now five teams and is led by Warren Johnson & Dan McDonald (St. Vital) with a 3W-1L record. Darren MacMillan & Ross Proctor (Marquette) have a 2W-1L record in that group.
Two teams from each pool will advance to the playoffs.
In the Women’s Championship, Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun (Springfield) lead the way with a 4W-1L record and a game to play. 2020 champions Lynne Rehbein & Gwen Smith (St. Vital) AND Irene Tully & Marilyn Campbell (Marquette) have 3W-1L records and two games to play.
(Friday, February 17, 9PM) 2-PERSON STICK CURLING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN MORRIS THIS WEEKEND Two different forms of 2-person curling are on display in championships underway this weekend. At St. Vital, CurlManitoba’s Dynasty Mixed Doubles Championship has attracted 20 teams, most of them from the younger curling demographic. In a triple elimination event, the teams will play down to eight teams in the knockout playoff round on Monday.
A somewhat older demographic is demonstrating the skills involved in the 2-person stick game in Morris in the Manitoba Stick Curling Association’s SunLife Financial Open Championship presented by Jim Anton, as well as in the Association’s Women’s Championship. The seven-team Women’s event is being played in one pool so each team will play six games. Irene Tully & Marilyn Campbell (Marquette) won their only two games on opening day while Darlene Maywood & Melanie Shura (St. Vital) AND Lorna Marr & Val Kolsun (Springfield) also won a pair (but also had a loss). The top three teams will advance to Sunday playoffs.
In the SunLife Financial Manitoba Open Stick Championship presented by Jim Anton, 24 teams are competing in four pools. Six teams won their first two games on Friday.
While the Manitoba Stick Curling Association’s SunLife Financial Open & Women’s Championships presented by Jim Anton are underway in Morris, at St. Vital, CurlManitoba’s Dynasty Mixed Doubles Championship has attracted 20 teams. While most of the teams are from the younger curling demographic, there are recognizable Scotties and Viterra Championship names included among the eight teams which have reached “A” Side semi-finals.
In the triple elimination event, three rural teams (from Brandon, Winnipeg Beach, and Stonewall), two teams from Granite, and one each for Fort Garry, Pemina and the host St. Vital club will play at 5:30PM or 8:30PM Saturday to determine the teams who will be in the first two qualifying games at 9:00AM Sunday.
Those match-ups include Colton & Kadriana Lott (Winnipeg Beach) vs Sarah-Jane Sass & Lucas Van Den Bosch (Granite); Steve & Stacey Irwin (Brandon) vs Thomas Dunlop & Katie macKenzie (Stonewall); and Corey Chambers & Janelle Lach (Fort Garry) vs Lyall Hudson & Lisa McLeod (Pembina) at 5:30PM. Cyrus Brandt & Lauren Rajala (St. Vital) vs Bryce McEwen & Roxie Trembath (Granite) is scheduled for 8:30PM.
The original 20 teams will play down to eight teams in the knockout playoff round on Monday.
Three Canadian champion teams and two other individuals who have won the Canadian title are included in the field of 24 teams from across Manitoba who will compete for the Manitoba Stick Curling Association’s Open Championship this weekend in Morris.
In addition, seven women’s teams including the 2020 Manitoba champions will compete for the MSCA’s Women’s Championship.
Competition in the round-robin plus playoffs formatted event will begin at 9AM Friday with round-robin play winding up on Saturday evening. Playoffs go Sunday with the two provincial finals set for 2PM.
Tom Campbell-Killarney delivers a stone in the 2022 Canadian Championship in Moncton, NB. Two sheets over, Britta Spiring-St. Vital prepares to deliver.
Highlighting the MSCA Open are Norm Magnusson & Resby Coutts-Fort Rouge (2022 Canadian champions), Tom & Rae Campbell-Killarney (2018 Canadian champions) and Jim Rouse & Ross MacMillan-Warren/Marquette (2015 Canadian champions) along with Canadian champions Warren Johnson-St. Vital (who won in 2012) and Charlie McCullough-Carman (who won in 2010).
Past Manitoba champions in the field include Ken & Shirley Strand-St. Vital (2018 Manitoba champions). Those who have won with different partners include two-time Manitoba champion Warren Johnson-St. Vital (2012 & 2017), and Manitoba champions Jim Webster-Stonewall (2020), Ron Shafirka-St. Vital (2022), and Ross MacMillan-Marquette (2015).
Gwen Smith and Lynne Rehbein-St. Vital were the MSCA Women’s champions in 2020, the last time a Women’s championship was held.
The Open AND Women’s champions earn a berth, and the opportunity to wear CurlManitoba’s provincial champions jackets, in the Canadian Open and Women’s Championships respectively. The event will be played in Nanaimo, BC in late-March. Seven of the teams competing in Morris this weekend have already indicated intention to compete in the Canadian championship bonspiel. These include Melanie Shura & Darlene Maywood-St. Vital in the Women’s. In the Open event Strand & Strand, Campbell & Campbell, Magnusson & Coutts, Grant Nicolson & Don Fischer-St. Vital, Dan McDonald & Warren Johnson-St Vital, and Britta & Fred Spiring-St. Vital will all be making the trip to Nanaimo
There was a shuffle in the Manitoba curling record books, relating to championship finals appearances and records, when the Dunstone & Carruthers teams faced off in Neepawa.
Jeff Stoughton still has the most final game appearances (12) and that remarkable 11W-1L finals record. Remember he only lost the one final game, in 2004 to Brent Scales.
Two curlers are now only one appearance behind as Reid Carruthers and Mike McEwen now share second place with 11 appearances. Carruthers could still catch Stoughton in the win column but a victory in Neepawa would have been a big help there.
With eight games played and six wins, Carruthers moved ahead of Jon Mead in both number of games played (122) and number of games won at the provincial championship. He moved into a tie in the number of games won (98) with former skip Mike McEwen.
Derek Samagalski was in his ninth final, now tied with Kerry Burtnyk, Jimmy Welsh and Jock Reid with both the same number of appearances and wins (5W). BJ Neufeld, who was also in his ninth final, separated himself from former teammates Denni Neufeld and Matt Wozniak, who are among five with eight finals appearances.
Colton Lott, Matt Dunstone, and Connor Njegovan all now have one Manitoba Men’s Championship win, although Lott has one more finals appearance.
Dunstone: 2 Finals with 1 win & 1 loss (Terry Ursel photo)
MEN’S FINAL APPEARANCES: 12: Jeff Stoughton (11W-1L) 11: Reid Carruthers (7W-4L) 11: Mike McEwen (4W-7L) 9: Derek Samagalski (5W-4L) 9: Kerry Burtnyk (5W-4L) 9: Jimmy Welsh (5W-4L) 9: Jock Reid (5W-4L) 9: BJ Neufeld (3W-6L) 8: Steve Gould (6W-2L) 8: Ken Watson (4W-4L) 8: Grant Watson (4W-4L) 8: Denni Neufeld (2W-6L) 8: Matt Wozniak (2W-6L)
Ryan Harnden also has one Manitoba Men’s championship final appearance and victory….. to go with a 13W-1L Northern Ontario finals record.
MEN’S GAMES PLAYED: 180: Jeff Stoughton 120: Kerry Burtnyk 142: Orest Meleschuk 142: Peter Nicholls 133: Vic Peters 131: Mike McEwen 130: John Usackis 122: Reid Carruthers 112: Keith Fenton
MEN’S GAMES WON: 144: Jeff Stoughton 117: Kerry Burtnyk 98: Reid Carruthers 98: Mike McEwen 93: Jon Mead 92: Vic Peters 90: Derek Samagalski 85: Orest Meleschuk 84: Peter Nicholls 82: Steve Gould
(CurlManitoba Release: Sunday, February 12, 8:PM)TEAM DUNSTONE WINS VITERRA CHAMPIONSHIP In a stunning 10th end comeback, Fort Rouge’s Matt Dunstone, BJ Neufeld, Colton Lott, Ryan Harnden and Coach Adam Kingsbury won the 2023 Viterra Manitoba Men’s Curling Championship today in Neepawa.
Dunstone, Neufeld, Lott, Harnden, Kingsbury, Viterra Rep Ray Baloun
Team Dunstone trailed Reid Carruthers (Morris) 7-5 coming home after a brilliantly executed draw on the ninth gave Carruthers a steal of one.
With all the stones in play but one when Dunstone threw his first rock, he was faced with a Carruthers stone so completely buried that he had to blow things up. Dunstone’s hit angled a centre line guard onto a Carruthers stone in the start of a five rock combination. The result – Team Dunstone lying three and Carruthers in big trouble.
Dunstone did not have to throw his last rock in an 8-7 win.
In the now 20 year history of the Page Playoff at the championship, this was only the second time the 2-2 game winner won the title.
On the late draw Saturday, the new champions had beaten Brandon’s Steve Irwin. In the Sunday morning semi-final they defeated Braden Calvert, also of Fort Rouge.
It was the third Manitoba Men’s title for BJ Neufeld and the first for Matt Dunstone, Colton Lott and Ryan Harnden.
#1 seed Matt Dunstone
(CurlManitoba Release: Saturday, February 11, 11:PM)CARRUTHERS, DUNSTONE, CALVERT LEFT IN VITERRA CHAMPIONSHIP Three teams will play Sunday in Neepawa for CurlManitoba’s Viterra Championship, the Manitoba Men’s curling championship.
Reid Carruthers and his second seed is in the favorite position as he and his Morris team have advanced to the Sunday 2:30PM final game. Team Carruthers qualified for the 8-team playoff from the “B” Side of the 32-team qualifying round and won their opening game Friday evening over former junior champion JT Ryan (AMCC). Team Carruthers trailed Steve Irwin (Brandon) 7-1 after four ends but fought back to win 10-8 on Saturday morning to move on to the final stage, the 4-team Page Playoff.
On Saturday evening in Neepawa, Carruthers was tied 4-4 playing two-time former world junior champion Braden Calvert (Fort Rouge) when he benefitted from a ‘pick’ on Calvert’s ninth end last stone. A steal of three gave Carruthers a 7-4 lead, the final score, and a spot in the Sunday final. Calvert dropped into the semi-final.
In the final game, Carruthers will play the winner of the Sunday morning 9AM semi-final between Calvert and #1 seed Matt Dunstone (Fort Rouge).
Dunstone had a three game day Saturday. He had reached the 8-team playoff round with an unbeaten run through the preliminary round and a first game win over Corey Chambers (Fort Garry). A Saturday morning loss to Calvert dropped Dunstone to the “B” Side where his team won back-to-back elimination games. The top seed beat #3 Ryan Wiebe (Fort Rouge) in six ends to earn a spot on the bottom side of the Page Playoff Championship and then beat Brandon’s Steve Irwin in five ends to advance to the Sunday semi-final
Irwin reached the Page Playoff with a win over Corey Chambers (Fort Garry).
Ryan and Justin Richter (Beausejour) lost a pair of games back-to-back to be eliminated after reaching the 8-team playoff round. Wiebe and Chambers both posted loss-win-loss records to be eliminated.
(CurlManitoba Release: Friday, February 10, 11:PM)CARRUTHERS, DUNSTONE, CALVERT LEFT IN VITERRA CHAMPIONSHIP – Three teams remain undefeated at the 2023 Viterra Championship in Neepawa as the preliminary round ended and the first games of the eight-team playoff round began. The eight qualifiers all start fresh in a new double knock-out phase of the competition.
Top seed Matt Dunstone (Fort Rouge), #5 seed Braden Calvert (Fort Rouge), and Steve Irwin (Brandon) all qualified through the “A” Side of the 32-team preliminary round with three wins. They won their fourth games of the event on the evening draw Friday.
The fourth “A” qualifier, Ryan Wiebe (Fort Rouge),was beaten 7-4 Friday evening by #2 seed Reid Carruthers (Morris) who had lost in the “A” Q-game to Irwin.
On the 9:00AM draw Saturday, Irwin has a re-match with Carruthers and Calvert meets Dunstone. The winners will advance to the Championship Page Playoff round.
The elimination side of the Playoff Round draw includes #3 seed Wiebe; #4 seed Corey Chambers (Fort Garry), who lost 7-2 to Dunstone; Justin Richter (Beausejour), who lost 9-3 to Calvert; and JT Ryan (Assiniboine Memorial), who lost 9-2 to Irwin.
The elimination draw at 9:00AM has Richter playing Chambers and Ryan playing Wiebe. The final two Championship qualifiers will be determined on the 2:00PM draw.
Prior to the evening draw, CurlManitoba presented Justin Richter with the annual Pat Spiring Award. Selected by the competitors in the Viterra Championship, the award recognizes the competitor who best exemplifies on-ice ability, competitive spirit, love of the game, and respect for the traditions and spirit of curling.
(CurlManitoba Release: Thursday, February 9, 11:PM)FIRST VITERRA CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF QUALIFYING GAMES AT 8:30AM FRIDAY The original field of 32 teams from across Manitoba has been cut in half at the 2023 Viterra Championship in Neepawa after two days of play. By end of play Friday, the group will be halved again.
The first four teams into the 8-team payoff round will be identified on the 8:30AM Friday draw. The match-ups in those games are #1 seed Matt Dunstone-Fort Rouge vs Brett Walter-Assiniboine Memorial; #2 seed Reid Carruthers-Morris vs Steve Irwin-Brandon; #3 seed Ryan Wiebe-Fort Rouge vs Riley Smith-Thistle; and #4 seed Corey Chambers-Fort Garry vs #5 seed Braden Calvert-Fort Rouge.
Corey Chambers with sweeper Brendan Bilawka
The 12:15 draw “B” Side match-ups are Sean Grassie-Deer Lodge vs Justin Reynolds-Winnipeg Beach; Jeff Stewart-Gladstone vs JT Ryan-Assiniboine Memorial; Tanner Lott-Fort Rouge vs Steen Sigurdson-Assiniboine Memorial; and Jorden Peters-Fort Rouge vs Justin Richter-Beausejour.
The other four final-eight qualifiers will come from the “B” Side of the draw. The eight teams who go on the ice for the 12:15 draw will have to win two in a row to qualify.
The 8:30AM “A” Side game losers drop into the “B” qualifier games at 4:00PM. The eight team playoff round begins at 7:45PM Friday.
One game every draw, with commentary, is available on the CurlManitoba YouTube Channel.
BJ Neufeld throws with sweepers Colton Lott and Ryan Harnden
(CurlManitoba Release: Wednesday, February 8, 11:PM) TOP FIVE WIN OPENERS; FOUR TEAMS OUSTED FROM VITERRA CHAMPIONSHIP The first day of play at the Viterra Championship rolled out very much according to the form chart.
All of the top five seeds advanced through their opening games. Among the top five, Braden Calvert-Fort Rouge was the only one pushed past eight ends. Leading 6-4 playing the ninth end, Calvert used last rock to score a three in defeating Grant Shewfelt-Baldur.
Top seed Matt Dunstone-Fort Rouge (over Tuffy Seguin-Burntwood), #2 Reid Carruthers-Morris (over Rob Van Kommer-Carberry), #3 Ryan Wiebe-Fort Rouge (over Mark Franklin-Granite) and #4 Corey Chambers-Fort Garry (over Wayne Ewasko) all dominated their openers.
Reid Carruthers with sweeper Derek Samagalski
Wiebe, Chambers and Calvert all play their second game on the 8:30AM draw Thursday while Dunstone and Carruthers return to the ice at 12:15 PM Thursday. In the 32-team qualifying round, teams who win three consecutive games advance to the 8-team Playoff Round.
At the other end of the competition spectrum, four teams lost two games on opening day to be ousted from the double knockout event. Ryan Hyde-Portage, Rob Van Kommer-Carberry, Mark Franklin-Granite, and Steve Pauls-Pilot Mound are the four teams whose two loss day earns them an early exit.
Teams drop to the “B” Side of the draw as they lose a game on the “A” Side. Two more teams will be eliminated at 8:30AM, five at 4:00PM, and five at 7:45 Thursday, cutting the original 32 teams to 16 by the end of the second day of play.
(CurlManitoba Release) The five top-ranked Manitoba men’s curling teams on the Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS) have been seeded into the top five positions in the draw for CurlManitoba’s Viterra Championship which will be played in Neepawa, February 7-12.
In his return to Manitoba championship competition, Matt Dunstone’s Fort Rouge team, currently #2 on the CTRS ranking, has been awarded the top seed.
#1 Seed: (Fort Rouge) Team Dunstone includes the former Manitoba and Canadian junior champion skip along with B.J. Neufeld, Colton Lott, and Ryan Harnden. They earned their CTRS #2 ranking, and a 2022-23 CTRS entry into the Viterra Championship, competing in nine events so far this season. They qualified for the playoff round in eight of those events, with a win in Red Deer and three other finalist finishes. This marks a return to Manitoba championship play for Dunstone after several years of competing at the Brier for Saskatchewan.
#2 Seed: (Morris) Reid Carruthers and Derek Samagalski represent the reigning Manitoba champion team. After line-up shuffles for the new quadrennial, former Manitoba junior and mixed champion skip Reid Carruthers moved back to the tee. Another recent line-up shuffle has Samagalski playing third with Connor Njegovan and Matt Lorenz on the front end. The team earned their CTRS #5 ranking, and a 2022-23 CTRS entry into the Viterra Championship, competing in ten events so far this season. They qualified for the playoff round in five of those events, with a win in Fredericton and two other finalist finishes.
#3 Seed: (Fort Rouge) Ryan Wiebe, Ty Dilello, Sean Flatt, and Adam Flatt were the semi-finalists at the Viterra Championship a year ago in Selkirk. The young team has earned their CTRS #10 ranking, and a 2022-23 CTRS entry into the Viterra Championship, competing in eight events so far this season. They qualified for the playoff round in six of those events, with a win at the Granite Curling Club and two other finalist finishes.
#4 Seed: (Fort Garry) Corey Chambers, Daley Peters, Julien Leduc, Brendan Bilawka, and Michael Martin played a lesser, and mostly local schedule, compared with the three teams ranked above them, They still managed to earn a CTRS #24 ranking. They have played five events and qualified in all five, with a win at Thistle and one other finalist finish to earn a Manitoba Curling Tour berth into the Viterra. A year ago in Selkirk, Chambers and Leduc advanced to the Page Playoff final round before being knocked out. Chambers will enjoy returning to Neepawa where he played third for Sean Grassie in a 2013 championship final game loss to Jeff Stoughton.
#5 Seed: (Fort Rouge) Braden Calvert, Kyle Kurz, Ian McMillan, and Rob Gordon earned this year’s Viterra Championship berth as a result of a high end-of-last-season CTRS ranking. This year, playing a reduced schedule of six events, the team has a #35 CTRS rank. They have played six events and qualified in three but have yet to reach a final. A year ago in Selkirk, the same line-up advanced to the playoff round but did not qualify for the Page Playoff final round.
CurlManitoba’s YouTube Channel will feature the game played on every draw in the centre (Sheet C) of Neepawa’s Yellowhead Community Rec Centre. Given the nature of the Viterra Championship draw, with winners advancing to play winners, it is not possible beyond the opening draws, to identify match-ups. However, curling fans can be assured of great championship curling entertainment each time they tune in.
Neepawa has hosted the Manitoba Men’s Championship three times previously, in 2000, 2002 and 2013. In 2002, Mark Lukowich skipped the winning team. In 2000 and 2013, the championship was won by a Jeff Stoughton team. This year’s #2 seed skip Reid Carruthers was the second on the 2013 champion team which defeated Grassie in the final.
OPENING GAMES: 8:30AM WEDNESDAY Joey Witherspoon, AMCC VS Daniel Birchard, Pembina Reid Carruthers, Morrisw VS Rob Van Kommer, Carberry Justin Reynolds, Winnipeg Beach VS Steve Irwin, Brandon Sean Grassie, Deer Lodge VS Ryan Hyde, Portage Cale Dunbar, Brandon VS JT Ryan, AMCC
OPENING GAMES: 12:15PM WEDNESDAY Riley Smith, Thistle VS Steve Pauls, Pilot Mound Mark Franklin, Granite VS Ryan Wiebe, Fort Rouge Kelly Marnoch, Carberry VS Jeff Stewart, Gladstone David Hamblin, Morris VS Steen Sigurdson, AMCC Corey Chambers, Fort Garry VS Wayne Ewasko, Beausejour
OPENING GAMES: 4:00PM WEDNESDAY Grant Shewfelt, Baldur VS Braden Calvert, Fort Rouge Tanner Lott, Fort Rouge VS Richard Muntain, Granite Justin Richter, Beausejour VS Hayden Forrester, Fort Rouge Matt Dunstone, Fort Rouge VS Tuffy Seguin, Burntwood Jace Freeman, Virden VS Brett Walter, AMCC
OPENING GAME: 8:00PM WEDNESDAY Jay Kinnaird, Virden VS Jordan Peters, Fort ROuge
(CurlManitoba Release) Jennifer Jones has won her ninth Manitoba Women’s Championship and the defending champion team of Mackenzie Zacharias, Karlee Burgess, Emily Zacharias, and Lauren Lenentine have become the first repeat winner of the Manitoba title since Jones did it with her 2012 and 2013 team.
(l-r) Jennifer Jones, Karlee Burgess, Mackenzie Zacharias, Emily Zacharias, Lauren Lenentine with Coach Sheldon Zacharias
The Zacharias team, augmented with the addition of Jennifer Jones as their skip, won the Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts presented by Rocky Mountain Equipment Sunday in East St. Paul.
The team, which curls representing St. Vital and Altona and which identifies as having two leads (Emily Zacharias, and Lauren Lenentine) who alternate game to game, went undefeated through the three rounds of play in the championship. A 5W-0L in the preliminary round robin and three more wins in the championship round earned Team Jones a bye to the Sunday afternoon final.
While most anticipated a re-match of the final championship round game, in which the Jones team defeated former teammate Kaitlyn Lawes and her Fort Rouge team, the final game opponent was Team Abby Ackland, skipped by Meghan Walter, representing the host East St. Paul Curling Club.
The East St. Paul team won three games Saturday, including an evening tiebreaker win over Beth Peterson and her Assiniboine Memorial team, to advance to the Sunday morning semi-final against Lawes. In the semi-final Team Ackland, led 6-5 after eight ends. They forced Lawes to draw facing a pair and her last stone draw was about a foot heavy in the four foot circle, allowing a steal of one. Up two coming home, Team Ackland kept the pressure on, forcing Lawes to a desperation double kill attempt which jammed giving up another point in an 8-5 Ackland win.
In the final, it was the Jones team which kept continual pressure on the Ackland team. They scored three deuces through the first five ends and then stole two more on the sixth end, en route to an eight end victory.
The champion Jones team will wear the Team Manitoba colours at the national Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Kamloops in mid-February. Kerri Einarson’s Gimli team will be in Kamloops as Team Canada. Team Einarson is #1 on the Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS) while Team Jones is CTRS #3.
CurlManitoba awaits confirmation that Kaitlyn Lawes (CTRS #4) and Team Ackland (CTRS #7) will receive wildcard Scotties berths based on other results across the country as the national Scotties field was finalized this weekend.
The much anticipated final round meeting between Jennifer Jones and Kaitlyn Lawes lived up to the expectations of curling fans in the arena and tuning in for the game on CurlManitoba’s YouTube Channel.
The Abby Ackland team, skipped by Meghan Walter, lived up tot heir own expectations, winning a pair of game Saturday to force a late tiebreaker draw and then winning the tiebreaker to earn a spot in today’s 3-team playoff.
Rocks in play!!
The Jones team earned the bye to the Sunday 2PM final game but it wasn’t easy. On the opening end, with a routine draw for two as the easy choice, Kaitlyn Lawes elected to play a tough but makeable double kill for a possible four. A 2, a 3, or a 4 ender were all possible outcomes from curling ‘not quite enough’ or from curling ‘just a little too much’. The result was in-between and the Lawes thrown stone rolled across the top of the second stone without touching it – scoring just a single point.
From there, the teams traded deuces until Lawes was forced to a single on the eight, scored only because she called and made a big weight double between two centre lines guards which contacted both and continued through to remove a Jones stone on the four foot.
Always rocks in play!!
Jones and her St. Vital/Altona foursome finally jumped ahead with a deuce on the ninth and had Lawes apparently beaten coming home when Lawes tried one more highlight reel shot. Her attempted double raise double kill for two and a tie was “oh so close” – as her promoted stone sailed between the two Jones stones on either side of the button in the four foot circle.
It left curling fans wanting more but the only way they get more is if the Lawes Fort Rouge team wins the Sunday 9:30AM semi-final against the Walter/Ackland foursome.
Saturday began with Team Ackland facing the daunting task of winning three games – and two would be against Beth Peterson’s Assiniboine Memorial team – if Peterson lost her opening match to Jennifer Jones.
The Ackland team, who give the East St. Paul organizers a team representing their own club in the playoffs, built momentum throughout the day. They defeated Darcy Robertson while Peterson was challenging Jones in a game which went to the final end. The disappointing loss set the stage for a tough day for Peterson’s team. Team Ackland was on a roll, leading 6-5 after seven ends, they stole the eight and ninth for a victory and then dominated the late tiebreaker game against the same Peterson team.
No matter today’s results, Jennifer Jones and Kaitlyn Lawes and their teams will be going to the national Scotties, either as Manitoba champions or wildcard entries. Ranked #3 & #4 respectively on the Canadian Team Ranking they’ll be at the nationals in Kamloops. Team Ackland, who formal name by that time will be Team Walter, still have a very good chance of being there as well.
As #7 on CTRS, they can go as Manitoba champions if they beat Lawes and then Jones to day. If not, a wildcard invitaiton appears to be as simple as Rachel Homan winning the Ontario final today.
The current CTRS rankings are: #1 – Kerri Einarson (Team Canada) #2 – Rachel Homan #3 – Jennifer Jones #4 – Kaitlyn Lawes #5 – Clancy Grandy (BC Champion) #6 – Casey Scheidegger (Alberta Finalist – she’ll get a wildcard entry) #7 – Abby Ackland
With three wildcard spots available, the formula appears simple. Einarson & Grandy don’t need one and Scheidegger will have one – leaving two for four teams. Assuming a Jones-Lawes final, then one will be provincial champion and the other will get a wild card invitation – leaving one for two teams, either Homan or Ackland.
So Team Ackland will be cheering for Homan – but when the day begins at East St. Paul they can also just focus on the task of beating Lawes and then Jones, an accomplishment which would earn them the champions’ berth at Kamloops and create a legendary finish to be talked about for years.
FYI: Homan in Ontario, like Jones in Manitoba, has advanced to the final and awaits the semi-final winner (Hollie Duncan vs Danielle Inglis)
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