Muyres’ final-shot draw claims provincial Tankard
Pressure? What pressure? WHITEWOOD
Saskatoon’s Kirk Muyres has visualized executing an in-turn draw to win the Sasktel Tankard Saskatchewan men’s curling championship throughout the 2018-19 season.
On Sunday, Muyres — with the assistance of third Kevin Marsh, second Dan Marsh and lead Dallan Muyres — completed that dream shot by drawing the four-foot in the 10th end to edge Regina’s Matt Dunstone 6-5 in the Tankard final at the Whitewood Community Centre.
“When I was sliding out of the hack, I think I had a little smirk on because I could feel the right weight,” Kirk Muyres said after Sunday’s victory. “I actually ended up being a little light, but you never want to be heavy in that situation because the nerves are pumping. I knew that the boys would get it there.”
The Tankard championship then turned into a family celebration. Kirk and Dallan are brothers and their father, Lyle, coaches the team. Kevin and Daniel are twins who shared in their first Tankard title.
“We’ve known the Marsh boys since we were 15 and they’ve been one or two games away from the Brier for probably seven or eight years,” Kirk Muyres said. “They are among the best players in the province that have never got there and now they finally got their chance to go to the show. I can’t wait to go there and show everyone what we’ve got.”
Kirk Muyres now heads to Brandon for the Brier, March 2-10. It’s the fifth time that he will wear Saskatchewan’s colours at the Canadian men’s curling championship and his first opportunity as a skip.
“I’ve played third and second in the other (Briers),” Muyres said. “(As skip) there will be a little added pressure because everyone will know your name and everyone will be watching. When you miss one (shot), you’re the dog, and when you make one, you’re the best ever. It comes with territory and I’m going to enjoy that pressure and that excitement of it.”
Muyres and his teammates were up to the pressure on Sunday from the opening end, when they forced Dunstone to take one with the hammer. Muyres then scored two in the second end, which proved pivotal in the back-and-forth match.
“After the second end, we got that little momentum change with that deuce and all of sudden we were walking a little taller and with that little extra energy,” Muyres said. “We had to keep fighting through that because they are some of the best players at owning the sheet and we had to continue that as well.”
Dunstone, who was curling with his Highland team of third Braeden Moskowy, second Catlin Schneider and lead Dustin Kidby, felt his team just wasn’t up to the challenge presented by Muyres.
“Kirk’s team didn’t budge all day and we just didn’t play well enough,” Dunstone said “We’ve had a great year, but we were outplayed. Kirk’s team played the best we’ve seen them play and that happens and you just get beat.”
The other skips who have qualified for the Brier are Brad Gushue (Team Canada), Jim Cotter (British Columbia), Andrew Symonds (Newfoundland and Labrador), Terry Odishaw (New Brunswick), Stuart Thompson (Nova Scotia), Brad Jacobs (Northern Ontario), Dave St. Louis (Nunavut), Scott Mcdonald (Ontario), John Likely (Prince Edward Island), Martin Crete (Quebec), Mike Mcewen (Manitoba), Jamie Koe (Northwest Territories) and Jon Solberg (Yukon).
Information on Alberta’s representative, which had yet to be decided at press time, can be found at leaderpost.com.