Tag Archives: Mark Franklin

THIRTEEN MASTERS BERTHS WINNERS NAMED

Posted on by
Reply

The final regional Masters berths were identified Wednesday – bringing to thirteen the number of competing teams identified for the provincial Manitoba’s Credit Unions Masters Championship in Portage.

In Beausejour, former Canadian Senior Men’s champion Carl German (East St. Paul) was a shut-out winner over Doug May (Beausejour) to win the second East region berth.

In the West region, Lawrence Daniel (Hamiota) won the second berth in Minnedosa, needing an extra end to beat clubmate Brian Tolton 7-6 and in Melita, Barry Lowes (Virden) was a 7-4 winner over Al Fitzmaurice (Brandon). As there were a total of five available berths in the West, Fitzmaurice and Tolton will playoff for the extra spot.

TEAMS QUALIFIED for Manitoba Masters Men’s Championship:
Defending Champion: Randy Neufeld (La Salle)
Bob Picken Bonspiel Berth: Lionel Walz (Pembina)
Winnipeg Berth: Mark Franklin (Granite)
Winnipeg Berth: Robin Nelson (Granite)
Winnipeg Berth: Mike Mahon (Granite)
Winnipeg Berth: Stan Struthers (Pembina)
West-Melita Berth: Murray Warren (Brandon)
West-Melita Berth: Barry Lowes (Virden)
West-Minnedosa Berth: Murray Jorgenson (Hamiota)
West-Minnedosa Berth: Lawrence Daniel (Hamiota)
West-Playoff Berth: WINNER Tolton-Fitzmaurice
East-Beausejour Berth: Lawrie Hogg (Stonewall)
East-Beausejour Berth: TBD
South-Winkler Berth: Allan Gitzel (Miami)
North Berth: TBD in December
Brandon Bonspiel Berth: TBD in January

(Nov 14) (UPDATED) WARREN AMONG SEVEN MASTERS BERTH WINNERS TUESDAY: Murray Warren’s Brandon team, bronze medalists at last fall’s Canadian Masters at Pembina, defeated Jim Renwick (Brandon) 3-2 Tuesday to earn a berth in the Manitoba’s Credit Unions Masters championship later this season at Portage la Prairie.

Brandon’s Murray Warren calls the line in a Canadian Masters Championship game, November 2022 at Pembina CC

Renwick dropped to the B-Side of the draw in Melita and was beaten by Al Fitzmaurice (Brandon), who will play Barry Lowes (Virden) Wednesday for the second berth.

In Minnedosa, Murray Jorgenson (Hamiota) was a 5-4 winner over Morley Walker (Arden) to earn the first available berth. Walker, Lawrence Daniel & Brian Tolton (both Hamiota), and Butch Mouck (Minnedosa) will play Wednesday for the second berth.

In Beausejour, Lawrie Hogg (Stonewall) was an 8-2 winner over Carl German (East St. Paul) to win a provincial berth. German will play Doug May (Beausejour) for the second berth.

In Winkler, Allan Gitzel (Miami) defeated Louis Tanquay (Winkler) 7-5 to win the B-side of the playoff ands earn the provincials berth.

The three berth winners at Winnipeg’s Fort Rouge club were Robin Nelson- Granite (7-6 over Mike Mahon-Granite; Mahon (6-3 over Skuli Johnson-Granite); and Stan Struthers-Pembina (6-5 over Neil Okumura-Pembina.

(Nov 13) FORMER CHAMP FRANKLIN EARNS MASTERS BERTH: Former champion Mark Franklin and his Granite team are the first of thirty-two teams competing this week across Manitoba to earn a berth into this season’s Manitoba’s Credit Unions Masters championship.

Franklin (Jamie Hay, Barrie Campbell, Greg Ziemanski) defeated another former champion skip, Gord McTavish, Monday afternoon to join the two teams already qualified for the Portage championship. Defending champion Randy Neufeld and Bob Picken Masters Berth Bonspiel winner Lionel Walz and their teams have previously qualified.

Across Manitoba, there are seven teams competing for two berths in each of Melita and Minnedosa; six teams are playing off in Beausejour for two spots; and there are three teams competing for one berth in Winkler. Nine teams started the Winnipeg regional playoff with four berths available.

Former Manitoba champion, and 2022 Canadian bronze medalist, Murray Warren and his Brandon team are in the Melita playoff. Warren will play perennial; contender Jim Renwick (Brandon) for the first Melita berth. Morley Walker (Arden) will play Murray Jorgenson (Hamiota) for the first Minnedosa berth. In Beausejour, former Canadian Senior champion Carl German (East St. Paul) will play Lawrie Hogg (Stonewall) for the first berth.

In WInkler, Joe Fouasse (Lorette) will play Allen Gitzel (Miami) in the A-side final.

At Fort Rouge, Mike Mahon (Granite) will play Robin Nelson (Granite) for the second Winnipeg berth to be awarded.

FRANKLIN TEAM WINS TWO THURSDAY, IN CONTENTION AT MASTERS

Posted on by
Reply

A pair of wins Thursday moved Mark Franklin’s Manitoba Host team into the heart of the championship race at the Canadian Masters Men’s Championship at Pembina CC.

Franklin, now 5W-3L, opened the day with a 4-3 extra end win over Murray Warren’s Team Manitoba and then, on the late draw, posted a 7-6 win over Ontario.

The Warren team rebounded with a late 9-3 win over Saskatchewan to improve their record to 6W-2L, tied with British Columbia who gave up a steal of two on the last end to lose 6-5 to still undefeated Al Hackner, Northern Ontario.

In all, six of the eight teams in the championship round are still very much in contention.

MEN STANDINGS AFTER 2 CHAMPIONSHIP ROUNDS:
8-0 Northern Ontario
6-2 British Columbia
6-2 Manitoba
5-3 Saskatchewan
5-3 Ontario
5-3 Manitoba Host
3-5 New Brunswick
3-5 Nova Scotia

With two games in the championship round yet to play, six of the eight teams can still qualify for the final four semifinals. Northern Ontario and British Columbia must still play two teams who are in the top six. The other four contenders have only one game remaining against a team in the top six.

** Northern Ontario will play Manitoba (6W-2L) and Ontario (5W-3L)
** Manitoba will play Northern Ontario (8W-0L) and New Brunswick (5W-3L)
** British Columbia will play Saskatchewan (5W-3L) and Manitoba Host team (5W-3L)
** Manitoba Host team will play Nova Scotia (3W-5L) and British Columbia (6W-2L)
** Saskatchewan will play British Columbia (6W-2L) and Nova Scotia (3W-5L)
** Ontario will play New Brunswick (5W-3L) and Northern Ontario (8W-0L)

MASTERS REGIONAL PLAYOFFS COMPLETED

Posted on by
Reply
At Fort Garry, on the 6th end, Ken Ringaert had no out-turn path so he tried a long in-turn raise but scored only the one to tie. Stolen 7th & 8th ends gave him a 6-4 win over Lionel Walz.

(December 8) Three teams from Winnipeg’s Granite and individual teams from nine different clubs across Manitoba have won invitations this week to compete in the Manitoba Credit Unions Masters Men’s Curling Championship in early March at Assiniboine Memorial.

Regional playoffs were completed late Wednesday afternoon when Laurie Hogg defeated Rob Atkins with a last shot takeout, stick for one, to win the second berth available in the East/Interlake playoff.

The dozen winners this week join defending (from two years ago, pre-Covid) champion Murray Warren, berth bonspiel winners Greg McGibbon (Granite) and Gord McTavish (Pembina) in the 16-team provincial field. The one remaining berth available will be available through the Brandon Men’s Masters bonspiel in early-January.

This week’s provincial berth winners are:
Sam Antila – Burntwood, Thompson
Dale Brooks – Hamiota
Mark Franklin – Granite, Winnipeg
Carl German – East St. Paul
Allan Gitzel – Morris
Laurie Hogg -Stonewall
Paul Kruk – Souris
Bill Menzies – Granite, Winnipeg
Jim Renwick – Brandon
Ken Ringaert – Granite, Winnipeg
Kelly Robertson – Dauphin
Al Sharpe – Fort Rouge, Winnipeg