Category Archives: Provincial Championships

FREEMAN FINISHES FIRST; NORRIS-PETERSON SEMIFINAL IN U-18 MEN`S

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Jace Freeman (Virden) and his team won a pair of games Friday to earn the first place bye to the final in the Asham CurlManitoba U-18 Men`s Championship in Altona.

The wins over Nash Sugden (Morden) and Zach Norris (Morris) gave the Freeman team, which has already earned the right to represent Manitoba in the Canada Winter Games, a final record of 5W-1L. Along with the bye to the final, they also earned the first of two available invitations to attend the nationals in Timmins, ON in early February.

Norris had earlier won over Nathan Poklar (East St. Paul) so their final 4W-2L record earned them a spot in the Saturday morning semifinal against Ronan Peterson (Heather).

Norris finishes with a 4W-2L record, tied with Ronan Peterson (Heather) who had a last round bye. Peterson and Norris will meet in the semi-final Saturday morning.

Peterson won over Luke Robins (West St. Paul) on the morning draw and had the afternoon bye to finish with a 4W-2L record as well.

Colton Olafson (Portage) had a morning bye and chance to move into the 4W-2L tie but lost 8-4 to Luke Robins (West St. Paul) and finished 3W-3L, out of the playoffs.

Nash Sugden (Morden) also had a playoff chance when the day began but had to win two games on the final day. The Morden team earned a split with the loss to Freeman and a win over Nathan Poklar (East St. Paul).

The semi-final is at 9AM and the final at 1PM Saturday.

SIX WOMEN’S TEAMS STILL IN THE U-18 CHASE WITH ONE GAME TO PLAY

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The stage is set for a dramatic final round of play in the Asham CurlManitoba U-18 Women’s Championship in Altona.

With a win and a bye today, Grace Beaudry (St. Vital) and Dayna Wahl (Altona) retained first place in the two pools with perfect 3W-0L records.

Two teams have completed their round robins with a pair of wins today. Dauphin’s Team Benson (skipped by Cloe Haluschak) and Karys Buchalter (West St. Paul) have second place in their pools with 3W-1L records.

In third place in the two pools are Shaela Hayward (Carman) and Julia Van Ryssel (Springfield). Both won their single game today to hold down third place with 2W-1L records.

The Friday drama arises from the first vs third matchup in both pools Friday afternoon. Beaudry plays Karys Buchalter while Wahl plays Team Hayward.

No matter the result, Wahl and Beaudry have locked up a share of first place in their pools. Wins, and a 4W-0L record mean the teams advance to the Page Playoff 1-1 game. Losses mean a 3W-1L record and wins by Hayward &/or Buchalter mean they will also be at 3W-1L records. The tiebreaker formulas would then come into play to determine the top two teams in the pools.

Losses by Hayward &/or Buchalter mean they finish at 2W-2L and out of the playoffs.

LATE DRAW: A stolen extra end 7-6 win by Dauphin’s Team Benson (skipped by Cloe Haluschak) over Rylie Buchalter and a 6-5 win by Karys Buchalter (West St. Paul) over Bethany Allen (Granite) gave the two winners 3W-1L records at the U18 championship in Altona.

NOON DRAW: Wins by Daya Wahl (Altona) and Grace Beaudry (St. Vital) on the noon draw at the Asham CurlManitoba U-18 Championship have improved their group leading records to 3W-0L.  Dauphin’s Benson team (skipped by Cloe Haluschak) kept pace behind Walh while Karys Buchalter (West St. Paul) is also at 2W-1L, as the two also won their noon draw games.

FOUR U-18 MEN’S TEAMS WITH THREE WINS WITH A DAY TO GO IN ALTONA

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Jace Freeman (Virden) and Zach Norris (Morris) lead the way in the Asham CurlManitoba U-18 Championship underway in Altona. The two teams both had byes on Thursday. They’ll start the day Friday sharing first place with 3W-1L records.

Right behind are Colton Olafson (Portage) and Ronan Peterson (Heather with 3W-2L records and only one game left to play.

Team Olafson had the best day Thursday, winning a pair of games to force themselves in to the playoff picture. A morning 7-6 win over Freeman was critical to the playoff hopes of all of the three win teams.

The Norris team won their one game Thursday, 6-5 over Nash Sugden (Morden) while Team Peterson split, beating beating Nathon Poklar (East St. Paul) but losing to Freeman.

Sugden bounced back on the late afternoon draw, scoring two on the 7th end and stealing one coming home to beat Luke Robins (West St. Paul). Sugden stays in the playoff chase with a 2W-2L record and two games to play tomorrow. Robins, at 1W-3L, will need a pair of wins and a lot of help from other teams to make the playoff round.

Sugden`s games Friday are against Freeman and the still winless Poklar team. Norris plays Poklar in the morning and Freeman in the afternoon.

Olafson and Peterson both have their bye game Friday and the last game for each is against 1W-3L Robins.

After playing Sugden in the morning, the final round robin draw tomorrow has Freeman playing Norris. It could be a first place game with a bye to the final and an invitation to the nationals on the line.

FREEMAN, NORRIS, PETERSON ALL WITH TWO WINS AT U-18 MEN’S

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Jace Freeman (Virden), Zach Norris (Morris) and Ronan Peterson (Heather) have all completed the second day of play in the Asham CurlManitoba U-18 Men’s Championship with a pair of victories.

Ronan Peterson

Freeman, who had a third round bye, leads the way with a perfect 2W-0L record. Norris and Peterson are both at 2W-1L after a third round game between the two, won by Peterson.

It was a critical win for Team Peterson, highly ranked coming into the event. They had lost their opener and needed to avoid a second loss this early in the event.

 Peterson’s early Wednesday win over Colton Olafson (Portage) set up an evening match with unbeaten Zach Norris (Morris). Norris opened with a deuce but gave up 6 points over the next four ends to trail 6-2 in a 9-5 win for Peterson.

Key to the championship aspirations of both Peterson and Norris is the fact that both have yet to play Freeman.

The U-18 Men’s playoff will see the first place team advance to the final with second and third meeting in the semifinal. The two finalists will each win an invitation to compete in the nationals.

WAHL, BEAUDRY TEAMS LEAD WITH TWO WINS EACH ON DAY OF U-18 WOMEN’S

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After two games on the first day of play in the Asham CurlManitoba U-18 Women’s Championship in Altona, the top two seeds have taken their expected place atop the two five-team pools.

Grace Beaudry (St. Vital) and Dayna Wahl (Altona) were the only teams to win their first two games.

Grace Beaudry delivers with sweepers Lauren Evason and Tessa Terrick

Beaudry defeated the teams skipped by Liv Leadbeater (Swan River) and Karys Buchalter (West St. Paul) while Wahl’s wins came over Meghan Lagadi (Pembina) and Dauphin’s Team Benson (skipped by Cloe Haluschak.

Two teams in each pool had first day splits and it should be noted two teams in each pool had first day byes but all four lost their opening games.

In their only game Thursday, Team Beaudry will play one of the 0W-1L teams, Bethany Allan’s Granite team. Team Beaudry also has a bye Thursday, playing their only game against Rylie Buchalter and her Heather team.

While the first day’s results are not a guarantee of final standings they are a strong indicator of the challenge faced by all of the teams in subsequent games as they strive to earn one of the two playoff spots available in each pool.

There is a huge advantage to finishing first in each pool as the Women’s event will play a Page Playoff with the two first place teams meeting  in the first round of playoffs. The winner goes to the final knowing they have already won one of two national invitations available. The loser has a second chance opportunity when they drop to the semifinal.

OPENING GAME WINS FOR U-18 FAVOURITES

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Luke Robins looks on as Jace Freeman calls sweeping

Jace Freeman’s Virden team and Dayna Wahl’s Altona team opened play in the Asham CurlManitoba U-18 Championships with wins: Freeman last evening over Luke Robins (West St, Paul) and Wahl this morning over Meghan Lagardi (Pembina).

In the Men’s the Robins team is also highly rated as is Ronan Peterson’s Heather team whose first round loss to Nash Sugden (Morden) would be considered a minor upset.

The third winner on the Men’s first draw were Zach Norris (Morris) over Colton Olafson (Portage).

Dayna Wahl, with sweeper Gillian Hildebrand

On the Women’s first draw, co-favourite Grace Beaudry (St. Vital) was a 6-end winner over Swan River’s Leadbeater team. Shalea Hayward’s Carman, considered to be among the contenders, scored three coming home to tie but lost on an extra end to Dauphin’s  Shayna Benson team (skipped by Chloe Haluschak).

Karys Buchalter’s West St. Paul team won the fourth opening round game (over Soringfield’s Julia Van Ryssel team)

ALTONA HOST CURLMANITOBA U-18 CHAMPIONSHIPS BEGINNING TONIGHT

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CurlManitoba’s U-18 Championships begin tonight in Altona – with 7 young men’s teams and 10 young women’s teams participating. The men play a 7 team, 6 game round robin while the women are split in two pools of five for a four game round robin.

It will be a first major test for the two teams which won the Canada Games Trials at Heather in November. Dayna Wahl’s Altona team and Jace Freeman’s Virden team will be out to prove it was no fluke that they earned the Canada Games berth and that they should be one of the two Manitoba teams at the Canadian U-18’s in early February in Timmins, ON as well.

In the Men’s U-18 Championship, Freeman and Elias Huminicki were on last year’s winning McDonald team and their lead, Jack Steski, was on the finalist team a year ago. The combined credentials identify them as the favorite. Rylan Graham, their fourth player, also played in this event a year ago. 

At Heather after winning the Canada Games Trials (front Altona’s Dayna Wahl, Piper Stoesz, Anna Marie Ginters, Gillian Hildebrand, Coach Keith Stoesz AND back Rylan Graham, Jack Steski, Elias Huminicki, Jace Freeman, Coach Graham Freeman)

Huminicki is already the leader in games played at the Manitoba U-18 Men’s Championship – having played 26 games in four previous appearances. He is poised to move ahead of his former skip, Jordon McDonald, into first place on the list of most games won. With 17 previous wins he is tied for second in that stats category, behind only McDonald who won 20 games out of 21 played as he skipped the 2019, 2020, and 2022 champion teams. (The event was cancelled due to covid in 2021).

Cameron Olafson, who was also on the winning McDonald team a year ago, is skipping his own Portage team this year. Two other members of the 2022 finalist Ryan Ostrowsky team are also playing this year. Luke Robins is skipping a West St. Paul team with Logan Strand at lead. They lost the Canada Games Trials semi-final. Finalist Ronan Peterson’s Heather team, the only team in the championship from inside the perimeter highway, is also competing in Altona.

In the Women’s U-18 Championship, Team Wahl (Piper Stoesz, Anna Marie Ginters, Gilian Hildebrand) topped their round robin pool in last year`s championship but lost in the semi-final to Grace Beaudry who went on to lose the final. Beaudry has recruited Cassidy Dundas and Tessa Terrick from last year`s champion team. With Lauren Evason rounding out the squad, the Wahl & Beaudry teams can be considered co-favourites this year. It is notable that Beaudry recently won a 2023 Scotties berth (with a different team).

Altona’s Mackenzie Zacharias teams won three consecutive U-18 titles in 2015-1026-2017. Tessa Terrick and Cassidy Dundas have each won 17 games in previous U-18 appearances, a number well behind the leading 38 games played by Meghan Walter in seven appearances at the event.

The Altona Curling Club hosts the championship action, beginning with an 8PM Men`s draw this evening and continuing to playoffs at 9AM and 1PM on Saturday.

WARREN, NEUFELD TEAMS HEAD ENTRY LIST FOR SENIORS & MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS

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(CurlManitoba Release) Murray Warren’s Brandon team and Randy Neufeld’s La Salle team, reigning Manitoba’s Credit Unions Masters Men’s and Strathcona Trust Senior Men’s champions respectively, will play in both Manitoba championship events this season.

With last year’s Manitoba title, both earned the champion’s invitation to compete again this year. Both teams have also won qualifying berths to compete in the second event this season and will attempt to win these two titles – a feat which has never before been accomplished in the same year. 

The teams captured the Canadian bronze medals in their attempts to win their national titles in recent weeks. Team Neufeld had an 11W-1L record at the Everest Canadian Seniors last week in Yarmouth Nova Scotia. Team Warren compiled a 9W-3L record at the Canadian Masters at Pembina in November.

The Warren team (brothers Murray, Terry, Reg Warren, Brian Barker & alternate Gary Barker) will play intact in the two events while the Neufeld team has one change. Neufeld’s Senior Men’s line-up (Photo: Curling Canada/Clifton Saulnier) includes Dean Moxham, Peter Nicholls and Dale Michie while his Masters berth winning team has Darren Oryniak replacing Moxham.

Four other skips will also attempt to win both championships. Butch Mouck – Minnedosa, Allan Gitzel – Altona & Miami, Mike Mahon – Granite, and Sam Antila – Burntwood (Thompson) are those four skips although, like Neufeld, none of them will play the two events with the same teams.

Regional playoffs to qualify for the provincial championships in both Senior and Masters Men’s wrapped up Wednesday, December 13. In the Masters competition, 25 teams entered regional playoffs across the province to earn 13 playoff berths while 24 teams entered Senior regionals to earn 11 playoff berths.

The parallel Masters and Senior Women’s championships are both played in open-entry formats. The entry deadline for the Senior Women’s event is February 23 while the deadline for entering the Masters Women’s is January 26.

The Manitoba’s Credit Unions Masters Men’s & Women’s Championship will be played in Thompson, March 8-13, 2023. The Strathcona Trust Senior Men’s and CurlManitoba Senior Women’s Championships will be played in Dauphin, March 22-27, 2023.

With Brandon Bonspiel berths yet to be awarded in both Senior Men’s and Masters Men’s Championships, the teams competing will be:

STRATHCONA TRUST SENIOR MEN’S
Randy Neufeld – La Salle (Champion’s Berth)
Dean North – Carman (Morden Bonspiel)
Paul Scinocca – Charleswood (Granite Bonspiel)
Richard Muntain – Granite (Regional Berth)
Mike Mahon – Granite (Regional Berth)
Cory Anderson – Thistle (Regional Berth)
Neil Okumura – Pembina (Regional Berth)
Dave Boehmer – Petersfield (Regional Berth)
Lawrie Hogg – Stonewall (Regional Berth)
Allan Gitzel – Altona (Regional Berth)
Kevin Paramor – Arden/Lansdowne (Regional Berth)
Butch Mouck – Minnedosa (Regional Berth)
Brad Edwards – Carberry (Regional Berth)
Murray Warren – Brandon (Regional Berth)
Sam Antila – Burntwood (Regional Berth)
TBD – Brandon Bonspiel Berth Winner

MANITOBA’S CREDIT UNIONS MASTERS MEN’S
Murray Warren – Brandon (Champion’s Berth)
Randy Neufeld – La Salle (Fort Rouge Bonspiel)
Joe Fouasse – Fort Garry (Regional Berth)
John Norget – Pembina (Regional Berth)
Mike Mahon – Granite (Regional Berth)
Allan Gitzel – Miami (Regional Berth)
Neil Schmidt – East St. Paul (Regional Berth)
Len Loewen – Riverton (Regional Berth)
Butch Mouck – Minnedosa (Regional Berth)
Lawrence Daniel – Hamiota (Regional Berth)
Dale Brooks – Hamiota (Regional Berth)
Ray Baker – Dauphin (Regional Berth)
Jim Renwick – Brandon (Regional Berth)
Gerry Haight – Brandon (Regional Berth)
Sam Antila – Burntwood (Regional Berth)
TBD – Brandon Bonspiel Berth Winner

PEMBINA TEAMS WIN MANITOBA’S CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS

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Pembina Curling Club has won its first TWO Manitoba Club Championships. Pembina teams skipped by Lisa Birchard and Zach Wasylik both Nature’s Bounty Club Championships today at Charleswood.

Team Birchard (Kelsey Meger, Breanne Yozenko, Ciara Okumura, alternate Jenessa Rutter) was in control from the second end today when they scored a four against Fort Rouge’s Team Roche, skipped by Kristin Macdonnell.

The men’s game went to the final stone with Wasylik making a last shot hit to score a pair for a 5-4 victory. Wasylik (Jack Hykaway, Josh Harding, Graham Normand, and alternate Andrew Peck) had given up two on the seventh to Richard Muntain-St Vital and the eighth was set up for a force. Wasylik, who now admits greater appreciation for the skips he played for, calmed his nerves on a first shot draw shot stone nearly buried in the side of the eight foot circle. Muntain tried to follow but rubbed and rolled open to leave the hit for the win.

The national club champions event will be played in the West Edmonton Mall ice rink in late November.

Prior to today, Pembina Curling Club teams had never won the Manitoba Club Championships. It is another highlight for the club which has already had a 75th anniversary gala and will, in two weeks time, host the Canadian Masters Championships.

PEMBINA HAS TWO CHANCES TO WIN CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS

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The final games are set in the Nature’s Bounty Club Championships at Charleswood.

On the men’s side Richard Muntain-St. Vital will play Zach Wasylik-Pembina.

Muntain advanced with a semi-final win over three-time former champ Andrew Wickman-Ft. Rouge. Tied playing the seventh end, and a house-full of rocks in play, it came to a measure which both teams hoped to lose to retain hammer coming home. The point went to Wickman and Muntain had last rock which he used for a nose hit double kill for two and a 6-5 victory.

Wasylik, a Manitoba Junior champion in 2020 with Brett Walter beat Manitoba Senior champion and former world senior silver medallist Randy Neufeld-La Salle with a four and a three en route to an 8-3 win.

On the women’s side, Sarah Roche-Ft. Rouge will play Lisa Birchard-Pembina.

Sarah Roche-Ft. Rouge scored two on the final end to win 6-5 when Team Scammell’s last stone draw wrecked on her attempt at a wide out-turn draw to the four foot. Birchard made a last stone draw to bite the button for a 4-3 win over Pelissier.

No Pembina team has ever won either Men’s or Women’s Club Championship. Fort Rouge has won seven previous (4 men, 3 women) and St. Vital has won two previous women’s championships.

The final goes at 2:00PM at Charleswood.