Jon Gardner’s Team B.C. rink was midpack at 2-4 in the M&M Meat Shops Canadian Juniors in Calgary heading into Tuesday curling action.
They faced undefeated Saskatchewan’s Braeden Moskowy (6-0) and Newfoundland’s Colin Thomas (5-2). They resume action today with games against Nova Scotia’s Kendal Thompson (4-2) and Ontario’s Mat Camm (4-2).
Gardner ends the round-robin Thursday against Alberta’s Colin Hodgson (3-4) and Manitoba’s Sam Good (2-5).
The junior men’s semifinal and championship games go Sunday at the North Hill Curling Club.
The Vernon foursome, who curl in the local super league, opened with a tough 5-2 loss to Yukon’s Thomas Scoffin (3-4).
After the two teams blanked five of the first eight ends, Gardner counted a single in eight to lead 2-1 heading into nine. Scoffin cracked a four-point ninth end to seal the win.
Gardner opened with a three-ender against Quebec’s Vincent Bourget, but fell 8-7.
The two rinks went back and forth, with Gardner holding a 6-4 lead after seven ends. Bourget (2-5) responded with a triple in eight, then held Gardner to a single in nine and counted a single in 10 to earn the win.
Gardner needed an extra end to earn his first win of the spiel, counting a single in 10 and steal in 11 to ground P.E.I.’s Spencer Pitre 6-5.
The Vernon rink made it two straight when they outlasted North Ontario’s Cody Johnston 7-5.
Gardner earned a solid lead early by counting three in the first end, and built on that with a deuce in four to go up 5-1 after four ends.
Joh-nston (2-4) chipped away at the lead with singles in five, six and seven, but Gardner put the game away with singles in eight and 10.
Gardner gave up several big ends in an 11-4 loss to North West Territories’ Colin Miller.
Tied 2-2 after four ends, Miller (2-4) exploded for three in the fifth end followed by a double steal in the sixth to seize control.
Gardner replied with back-to-back singles in seven and eight, but Miller iced the game with four points in nine.
The Vernon crew were right with New Brunswick’s Jon Rennie until the final end, but gave up three in the final end to lose 7-3.
