A huge first end helped propel Darren Heath’s Canwest Propane back into the Baron Insurance Super League penthouse Wednesday night at the Vernon Curling Club.
In a battle for first place, Heath burgled four points from Jim Cotter’s Woodland Equipment and hung on for a 7-4 win, improving to 7-2.
Cotter, now 6-2, singled in two and stole in three before Heath came back with one in four. A deuce by the feller bunchers in five made the game interesting, but the gas men iced it with singles in six and seven.
Mark Longworth’s Sladen Moore rolled a third straight win, downing Darrell Houston’s Nufloors 5-3.
After forcing Houston (5-4) to a single in one, Longworth (4-4) counted a deuce in two and stole in three.
Knotted 3-3 at the halfway point, Sladen fourth Jamie Sexton drew for one in five. A triple takeout by second Kelsey Tetlock led to a blank end for Nufloors in six. Sexton stole one in seven and picked out Houston’s final freeze attempt for the win.
Robbi Kuhn’s North Enderby Timber and Sherry Heath’s De Vine Vintners traded bombs early, with NET riding out a 6-4 win.
Kuhn, now 4-5, made a great hit-and-roll for three to open, but gave up a deuce to the 1-8 wine crew in two.
NET blanked three, but gave up a steal in four to tie it at the break. The teams then swapped singles until Kuhn broke the pattern with a single steal in eight.
– Cotter’s Vernon-Kelowna rink begins the $100,000 Canadian Open of Curling against Calgary’s Kevin Koe on Wednesday, Dec. 12 at Prospera Place in Kelowna.
Cotter fell to Koe in the final of the recent Rogers Masters of Curling in Brantford, Ont.
To buy tickets for the Open, visit www.selectyourtickets.com. The event will be aired on Sportsnet.
– The Enderby Curling Club is seeking entries for its Women’s Open Spiel, Dec. 8-9.
“All meals are included in the entry fee, and if you have ever curled in an Enderby bonspiel, you know the meals are fabulous,” said Gloria Morgan, club vice-president.
To register, call 250-838-6702.
