Top teams all post wins in Original 16 Cash League action
Close games were the order of the day in the Original 16 Cash League last Wednesday night.
At least, for everyone other than the first-place teams; the league’s top-three squads all posted comfortable wins, while games on the other sheets proved to be exceptionally close.
For Seaborn Insurance (Joel Jordison, 12-1), it was a quick night as they scored four in the fourth end against EMJ Marketing (Joe Gunnis, 6-9) to take a 5-1 lead and the two teams decided to shake hands.
BTN Chartered Accountants (Danielle Sicinski, 12-2) ended up playing one more end than their contending counterparts as they took an 8-4 win over Barb Wallace (2-12). Things were interesting early, as Sicinski scored three in the first end, but had Wallace come right back with a deuce in the second. That all changed the next frame, though, as Sicinski put up a five spot to take an 8-2 lead. Wallace would pick up singles the next two ends but would call it a night at the break.
For KMS (Ben Gamble, 12-2) against Kelsey Noyes (213), it wasn’t so much the big ends as it was the steady output – Gamble picked up deuces in the second and fourth to lead 5-1, and after Noyes scored one in the fifth, added three more in the sixth to take an 8-2 win.
The other three games on the night went right to the final end.
Paws N Play (David Gray, 7-7) picked up the biggest upset of the night with their 5-4 win over Tax Team (Murray Stroeder, 11-4). Stroeder took a 3-2 lead out of the fifthend break only to see Gray immediately tie the game 3-3 before taking a crucial steal of two the very next end for a 5-3 lead. Stroeder would get one in the eighth, but it wouldn’t be enough.
Matt Froehlich (6-7) found himself in a back-and-forth battle with Main Street Strength & Conditioning (Jazmin Ackerman, 2-13), scoring three in the second and fourth against Ackerman’s deuces in the first and third to take a 6-4 lead. After Ackerman pulled within one 6-5 heading into the break, the two teams would exchange single points the rest of the way for an 8-6 Froehlich win.
It was the 1987 Canada Cup all over again in the remainder of the games, as all three contests ended 6-5. Ackerman Ag (Patrick Ackerman, 4-9) surrendered points in three of the first four ends to Protec Video (Wade Gray, 4-10) to trail 4-2, but a single in the fifth, steal of two in the sixth and another steal in the seventh suddenly saw them leading 6-4. Ackerman would hold Gray to one in the eighth to secure the win. Walchuk Masonry (Ralph Courtnage, 5-8) scored one in eighth and stole one in an extra end to take a 6-5 win over Easy Care Living (Lorraine Arguin, 7-9). Things were as close as one would expect the rest of the game, as Courtnage took a 4-1 lead out of the fourth end but saw Arguin steal her way back in with a deuce in the fifth and single the next two ends.
John’s Music (Ryan Wenarchuk, 9-5) overcame a bit of a late scare to get past Pro-Tec Electric (Stan Barnsley, 8-7). After falling behind 4-2 through six ends, Barnsley was able to get all of it back and more with a three-spot in the seventh. Wenarchuk would rally in the final frame, though, scoring a pair to take the win.
Only two league nights remain on Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 before the league takes a break for the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Playoffs begin Mar. 4. All games are at the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre.