Down to the last rock
Scheidegger claims second qualifier spot with Friday win
Casey Scheidegger knew she would be in tough when she met back up with Val Sweeting in the Alberta Scotties Tournament of Hearts B Event qualifier game.
While Scheidegger’s foursome fell in a 9-6 battle with Sweeting in the A Event on Thursday, the Lethbridge product’s squad made good on their next attempt and locked up the second qualifier with a 9-8 victory on Friday at the Medicine Hat Curling Club.
“We knew we had to make more shots, play better and put more pressure on them. We sort of beat ourselves in that game. We came in knowing we had to play better and we did, so that’s all I can ask for out of my team,” said Scheidegger. “It was scary, a little bit, but we made it and that’s what matters.”
While Sweeting jumped to an early lead with two points in the first end, Scheidegger quickly found her groove and ran away with a lead. Scheidegger’s foursome — which includes lead Kristie Moore, second Jessie Scheidegger and third CareyAnne McTaggert — cut into the deficit with a point in the second end before stealing away the led with two points in the third and adding another in the fourth.
While Sweeting erased the lead with two points in fifth, Scheidegger responded in kind to re-establish the two-point cushion. Sweeting again answered with a point, but Scheidegger followed it up with a three-point eighth end to push Sweeting’s team to the brink.
While Sweeting put up a pair in the ninth, Scheidegger managed to prevent the tie in the 10th to secure the victory.
“We knew we were probably going to shoot against the tie,” said Scheidegger. “We were just hoping to have a shot to the four-foot to make sure we could win the game.”
Scheidegger will move on to face Chelsea Carey’s squad in the first semifinal on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. With a place in Sunday’s championship game on the line, Scheidegger says it’s sure to bring out the best in both teams.
“We played them at the trials. We know they’re going to come out playing their best and we know we’re going to have to play our best,” said Scheidegger. “It’ll be really similar to this. We’ll just have to make sure we’re there at the end and hopefully we have hammer in the last and have a chance to win.”
Scheidegger added her family has been in attendance to support her and her sister Jessie on their quest to represent Alberta at the national event, and being from just down Highway 3, she knows there’s plenty of other support as well.
“It’s awesome,” she said. “It’s really nice to have the support and there are lots of people from Medicine Hat who I know are rooting for us because we’re just down the road. It’s a really nice feeling.”