The Kootenay Savings Super League will crown its champion on Thursday, after Corvus Construction, led by skip Deane Horning, and Trail’s Ken Fines rink booked their ticket to the final in playoff games last week at the Trail Curling Club.
Corvus battled a tough Darrin Albo team in one semi-final, while the Fines foursome faced the always formidable Bill van Yzerloo rink in the other.
As good as Team Albo was playing, not letting Corvus score more than a deuce, they couldn’t manufacture anything more than a single for themselves. Corvus held a slight 4-2 lead after five ends, before putting up another two in the sixth.
Albo made a nice pick and roll out, to blank the seventh, but his last rock fudged in the eighth for a Corvus steal. Up 7-3 after nine, Corvus ran Albo out of rocks to advance to the final.
In the other semifinal VanYzerloo looked strong early, drawing for two in the first, forcing Fines to take one in the second, then already lying two, attempted a last rock chip for four in the third. But he had to settle for two, when the attempt sailed wide. The game turned into Team Fines favour, when vanYzerloo crashed on a guard, leading to a huge three in the fourth . With momentum on their side, Fines stole the fifth and sixth to hold a 7-4 lead. VanYzerloo closed the gap to be one down coming home without. Bill had the tying rock at the back of the eight foot, when Fines last rock slightly overcurled, rubbing the front guard, but still spun in for shot rock, giving Team Fines a 9-7 win, and a spot in the final with Corvus Construction.
It was spouse versus spouse again in one of the B semis, as Team Myron Nichol went head to head with Team Heather Nichol. Both teams played well offensively, each scoring a three, with Myron holding a slim 5-4 lead after five. But a steal in six, then another in eight, gave the men some separation, leading to an 8-4 Myron Nichol win.
With Russ and Rose away, Team Beauchamp, bolstered by Brian Lemoel and Bill King, were on fire against Team Justin Umpherville. Skip Lemoel caught on to the swingy ice quickly, scoring three’s in the second and fourth ends. Umpherville finally managed to create some offence, putting up their own field goal in the fifth to cut the lead to 6-5. Undeterred, Lemoel had a free draw for two in the sixth, held Umpherville to one in the seventh, then made a perfect weight, come around tap for another three in the eighth, for a handshaking 11-6 victory.
The Kootenay Savings Super League winds up in the Trail Curling Club this Thursday at 7 p.m.
