Team Fesser shakes off late scare to win women’s Charity Classic
It took nine ends to crown a champion in the women’s Hat Charity Classic.
Jodi Marthaller erased a four-point deficit in the final two ends to force extras, but it was Kourtney Fesser’s foursome who shook off the late scare to clinch a nervous 7-6 victory Sunday at the Medicine Hat Curling Club.
“I can’t make a take out, so I had to make the draw to the pin instead I guess,” said Fesser, who played alongside third Natalie Yanko, second Krista Fesser and lead Karlee Korchinski. “The team played well. We had some nicely placed rocks then Krista made a nice little roll to set us up there and we got lucky with our last one.”
Marthaller jumped to an early 1-0 lead in the third after a pair of blank ends opened the match. Fesser responded with a pair in the fourth, then Marthaller snapped back to knot things up after five, but the floodgates opened up for Fesser in the sixth.
Marthaller managed to take back a point in the seventh before stealing three in the eighth to force an extra end, but their luck finally ran out in the ninth.
Fesser added the five rock rule — which prevents teams from taking out opposing rocks in the free guard zone until five rocks have been played — factored heavily into the last few ends.
“Being up four, usually maybe if you weren’t playing the five rock rule, you’re thinking ‘OK,’ you’re kind of safe, but not with the five rock rule,” she said.
“Anything can happen and I think we showed that.”
The Hat Charity Classic wraps up with men’s playoff action today. The quarterfinals are set for 9 a.m., followed by the semifinals at 12:30 p.m. and the championship at 3:30 p.m.