SASKATOON -- After all the chaos of the last few days when it came to travel and cancellations at the Canadian U18 Curling Championship in Saskatoon, it’s finally all systems go.
The final few teams arrived in the Bridge City on Wednesday afternoon after lengthy weather and flight delays out east, making for a busy few days of round robin action for the stragglers going forward.
The news was good for Saskatchewan’s entries in the event as both provincial champions found the win column in early action Wednesday.
Kaylee Hogeboom and her Moose Jaw foursome of third Payton Fisher, second Abby Hogeboom and lead Callista McQueen improved to 2-2 in round robin Pool F with an 8-2 win over Newfoundland’s Kyla Walsh during the morning draw.
After Walsh picked up a pair in the second end to tie things 4-4, Hogeboom went on a run, scoring two in the fifth and then stealing a pair in each of the sixth and seventh to bring things to an early end.
Hogeboom is now tied for second and has two round robin games remaining against New Brunswick’s Kate Gaines during the 8:30 p.m. draw Thursday and Nova Scotia’s Olivia Gouthro on Friday.
Men’s provincial champion Brandon Weiss and his Esterhazy rink of third Josh Lussier, second Carter Nelson and lead Elijah Chomos also had one game Wednesday, defeating New Brunswick’s Evan Hanson 5-1 in the afternoon draw.
After the teams exchanged single points to open the game, the rest of the match belonged to Weiss, as he scored a pair in the fourth and then added steals in the sixth and seventh for the four-point win.
Weiss is now alone in fourth place and faces Yukon’s Aaron Solberg at 4:30 p.m. Thursday before finishing the preliminary round against Northwest Territories’ Jasper Willkomm on Friday at 8:30 a.m.
Moose Jaw’s Dane Heisler, third Blake Montgomery, second Riley Cushway and lead Laine Burnham didn’t have as much luck in their early game Wednesday, falling 7-4 to unbeaten Ontario provincial champion Tyler MacTavish.
MacTavish did almost all the damage he’d need two in the first two ends, stealing a pair in the first and another two in the second for a 4-0 lead. Heisler got a pair back in the third, but MacTavish scored one in the fifth to go up 5-2 before the teams exchanged deuces the next two frames.
Heisler, now 1-3 and sitting fifth in his pool, plays his penultimate round robin game at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday against Northern Ontario’s Justin McKay before wrapping up against Nova Scotia’s Elex Lockhart during the evening draw Thursday.
Saskatoon’s Renee Wood, third Edie Jardine, second Amelia Whiting and lead Winnie Morin had Wednesday off and are currently tied for second in Pool C with a 2-1 record.
Wood takes on Alberta’s Alberta’s Abby Desmoreau at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Quebec champion Anais Morrisette at 8:30 p.m. Thursday and P.E.I champion Veronica Pater at 8:30 a.m. Friday to close out their round robin.
The top four teams from each pool advance to the playoff round beginning Friday afternoon, with the remaining rinks playing classification games.
Be sure to keep an eye on www.curling.ca/scoreboard for regular updates throughout the tournament.
