Taylor Reese-Hansen’s Victoria Curling Club foursome fell behind early in the competition and couldn’t quite recover to earn a qualifying berth to the championship round of the 2018 New Holland Canadian Junior Curling Championships in Shawinigan, Que.
Hansen’s hopes faded Tuesday afternoon as Newfoundland and Labrador’s MacKenzie Glynn toppled previously undefeated Lauren Lenentine of P.E.I. 7-6 with a steal in the extra end. A loss would have meant a showdown for the last qualifying spot with Reese-Hansen.
Instead, B.C. wrapped up the qualifying round with a 2-4 record after a tight 6-5 loss to Glynn, who made a difficult through-the-port draw for two in the 10th end. Northern Ontario’s Hailey Beaudry easily defeated Nunavut’s Sadie Pinksen 12-2 in eight ends to secure the last position at 3-3. A loss would have meant a tiebreaker with B.C. for the final spot.
Reese-Hansen and her team of third Catera Park, second Jordan Koster and lead Sydney Brilz and coach Todd Troyer must now play in the seeding pool to determine final standings.
The competition was a learning experience for the crew that still has a year of junior eligibility together after winning the provincial championship last month. This should go a long way toward the 2018-19 season.
“That’s the plan. We already have it locked in for next year, so we’re thinking ahead,” Reese-Hansen said of the team’s future prior to heading east.
“This has been a short year because of the Olympics, with everything pushed up,” Troyer said beforehand. “With us just having the one season together, it would have been nice to have a few more weeks to get on the same page. But they’ve come a long way in a short period of time.”
Reese-Hansen’s team began the event with a 7-3 loss to Ontario’s Emma Wallingford, a game in which B.C. was up 3-2 before timely steals in the seventh, eighth and ninth ends led to handshakes in Draw 1. Wallingford finished at 5-1 along with Newfoundland and Labrador and P.E.I.
In Draw 3, B.C. fell behind 6-1 before clawing back to 6-4, but eventually succumbing 10-7 to Northern Ontario. A heartbreaking setback came in Draw 5 as the VCC crew led 6-2 after seven ends, but allowed a three in the ninth and a steal of two in the 10th in a 7-6 loss to P.E.I.
Reese-Hansen then downed Nunavut 9-2 on Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, a pair of Vancouver Island rinks have qualified for the B.C. Winter Games, slated for Feb. 22-25 at the Kamloops Curling Club.
Representing Zone 6 on the boys’ side is skip Zack Drought, third Sampson McNeil, second Cohen Dawson, lead Anthony Budden and coach Len Chilibeck from Juan de Fuca and Kerry Park clubs.
The Comox Valley Curling Club’s rink of skip Gracelyn Richards, third Chanelle Meeres, second Keelie Duncan, lead Bryn Woloshyn and coach Sarah Hassall will play in the girls’ U-16 event.
