The final four have been decided in the Original 16 Cash League, and the semifinal round will feature plenty of familiar faces from the top of the regular-season standings.
There was only one mild upset out of the slate of five games at the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre on Wednesday night, with BTN Accountants (Penny Barker, 9-9) taking a 5-3 win over John’s Music (Ryan Wenarchuk, 12-6), although the majority of Barker’s losses were defaulted due to her run to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Barker used a three-ender in the third and stole another in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead, and after Wenarchuk picked up a pair in the fifth, the two teams decided to call it a night.
Matt Froehlich (14-4) ended up in a tough battle with Fonger Wealth Management (Nick Cornea (4-14), going all the way to an extra end before picking up a 6-5 win. Froehlich looked to be in control of things after a deuce in the fifth end put him ahead 5-2, but Cornea got back into it with one in the sixth followed by steals the next two ends to tie things up. Froehlich made good use of the hammer in the extra end, though, getting his single point to avoid the upset.
KMS Construction (Ben Gamble, 14-4) didn’t have nearly as difficult a time in their quarter-final bout with EMJ Marketing (Joe Gunnis, 4-14). The shortest game of the night saw Gunnis strike first, but a five-spot in the second end gave Gamble a solid lead and a steal of three the following frame brought things to an early conclusion with an 8-1 win for the favourites.
Pro-Tec Electric (Stan Barnsley, 12-6) used a fast start of his own to take a 7-4 win over KalTire (Dustin Woloschuk, 9-9). Barnsley picked up three in the opening frame and added single points in the third and fourth ends to lead 5-1. Woloschuk closed ground with a deuce in the fifth, but Barnsley got those points back right after the break and after a Woloschuk single in the seventh the two teams shook hands.
Motion-Golden Mobility (Lorraine Arguin, 8-10) faced Walchuk Masonry (Tyler Krupski, 4-14) in an exhibition game, with Arguin picking up a 7-6 victory.
Semifinal action takes place on Wednesday, Mar. 9 at the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre, with BTN Accountants taking on KMS Construction and Froehlich facing Pro-Tec Electric. Game times are 7:30 p.m.
