It was semifinal week in the Kootenay Savings Super League, with all four games ending early.
Team Brian LeMoel and Team Darrin Albo faced off in one of the A event semis, with Albo and third Dennis Schlender keeping it close with multiple double take-outs.
Skip Albo was slightly heavy on his last rock draw giving LeMoel a steal of one in the first, but made a delicate come around tap for two in the second.
Facing four LeMoel stones, Skip Albo made back to back double take-outs in the third, limiting Team LeMoel to a deuce and a 3-2 lead. Albo’s last rock draw crashed on a guard, giving LeMoel a steal of two in the 4th. But Team Albo came right back with a raise double by 3rd Schlender, followed by Albo’s long raise double take-out for a big three, to tie the game at five. Skip LeMoel made a nice hack weight take-out for two in the sixth, then grabbed control of the game with a steal of two in the seventh when Albo’s last rock draw slid too far, for a 9-5 LeMoel win.
Related read: Kootenay Savings Super League: Lepine knocks off top seed
The other A semi saw a streaking Team Les Lepine playing Team McKenzie Remax, who were skipped this week by usual second James McKenzie, as Deane Horning was away at the Provincial Seniors.
With very swingy ice, both teams encountered some issues on where to put the broom on this night. Team Lepine stole one in the first, then forced Skip McKenzie to make a good draw to the 4-foot for one in the second. Facing four stones with his last rock, Skip McKenzie made a beautiful hit n roll behind cover to cut Team Lepine down to one, that Skip Les couldn’t get to, settling for the lone single point. Team Lepine’s front end drew around guards to the four-foot early in the fourth and fifth ends, then guarded heavily, leading to steals and a commanding 5-1 lead.
Team Lepine were laying two at the edge of the 4-foot, when Skip Les attempted draw to the top off the house for three, and cut off access to the shot stones, overcurled, allowing Skip McKenzie a difficult wide angle draw to the button for his single point. Team Lepine kept things clean in the 7th, for a blank, and a handshaking 5-2 win.
In the B semifinal, Team Nathan Small and Team Bill van Yzerloo played an aggressive and exciting game, with multiple rocks in the 4-foot every end. Both teams settled for one with their hammers in the first two ends, when their shot stones were surrounded by 3 or 4 opposing rocks in the 4-foot and multiple guards. Skip van Yzerloo attempt at a difficult in off with his last rock to get to Team Smalls early rock that was sandwiched on the button, failed for a Team Small steal of one in the third.
Third Don Freschi’s attempt at a long raise take-out to lay two, overcurled, taking out their own shot stone, and leaving four guarded Team Small rocks. Two more attempts at long angle raises by Skip van Yzerloo failed, resulting in a huge Team Small steal of three and a 4-1 lead in the fourth. After two good draws by Skip Nate, Skip Bill’s attempt at a skinny double for two, ran straight for only a single in the fifth. Team Small settled for one in the sixth when Skip Nate’s last rock draw came up short, but made two perfect draws in the seventh leading to a game ending steal of one, and a 7-2 win.
Team Myron Nichol played Team Ken Fines in the other B Semi Final, and dispatched the wily veteran with little trouble. Team Nichols front end started strong with well placed guards and come arounds leading to a Nichol deuce in the 1st, then forcing Skip Fines to draw for one in the 2nd. Skip Fine’s last rock attempt at a freeze on the shot stone in the 3rd, was a foot too heavy, bouncing off just enough to allow Skip Nichol a delicate back line tap for two. Facing two buried stones with his last rock in the 4th, Skip Fines was forced to attempt a very wide draw that got caught in the frost, coming up short, for the Nichol steal of two. Again facing multiple opposition stones, Skip Fines drew to the 4 foot for one in the 5th, and was looking to steal the 6th before Skip Nichol made a tricky hack weight take-out for a game ending deuce, and a dominating 8-2 win.
The finals are set for the Kootenay Savings Super League Playoffs on Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Trail Curling Club, with Team Lepine versus Team LeMoel in the A Final and Team Nichol versus Team Small in the B Final. The remaining six teams will also play in Consolation events at the same time.
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