Vernon’s Trevor Perepolkin rattled off three straight wins to earn a berth in tonight’s (7 p.m.) A final of the Okanagan Men’s Playdowns at the Kelowna Curling Club.
The other qualifier goes 9 a.m. today. Winners advance to provincials, Feb. 5-10, in Parksville.
Perepolkin, backed by third Tyler Orme and front-enders James McKenzie and Chris Anderson, counted a huge four-ender to brush back Kamloops’ Scott DeCap Saturday morning.
Trailing 3-2 after three ends, Perepolkin rallied with a single in four and deuce in five to take the lead. DeCap countered with a single in six before conceding after the Vernon skip’s big seventh end.
Perepolkin opened the playdowns with a 7-5 win over Kelowna’s David Mellof Friday afternoon, followed by a 7-2 decision over Kamloops’ Brent Yamada that night.
Vernon’s four other rinks – skipped by Darrell (Heavy D) Houston, Darren Heath, Jamie Sexton and Aron Herrick – were all vying for a place in one of the two provincial qualifying games Saturday.
Heath won his Friday opener 7-2 over Kamloops’ Michael Smith, but was relegated to the B Bracket after falling 7-4 to DeCap. Heath rebounded with a 7-6 win over Yamada Saturday morning to set up an afternoon draw with Mellof.
Houston, Sexton and Herrick were all left in the C Bracket at the Morning Star’s press time.
Meanwhile, Vernon’s Jim Cotter begins play at the Canadian Open of Curling against Calgary’s Kevin Koe Wednesday (7 p.m.) at Prospera Place in Kelowna.
