The first games of the second half of the Kootenay Savings Super League saw the top teams continue their winning ways.
Team Les Lepine and Team Nando Salviulo got things started with Salviulo blanking the first end. Lepine stole one in the second when Skip Nando just clipped a guard with his last rock draw, then stole another single in the third when Skip Lepine, facing four, made a perfect hit and roll behind cover that couldn’t be removed. Team Salviulo tied the game with a deuce in the fourth, when Skip Nando made two delicate hit n rolls. Team Lepine jumped back in the lead with a field goal in the fifth, then kept the pressure on to steal the sixth and seventh, and a 7-2 win.
Team Ken Fines were in tough against league leaders Team Myron Nichol. Team Nichol applied the pressure from the get go, but Skip Fines responded, blanking the first, then running a double take-out to blank the second. Team Nichol had two stones guarded early, which led to a steal of three, when Skip Fines last rock draw over-curled, and bumping in another Nichol stone. Skip Fines drew for one in the fourth, then forced Team Nichol to one in the fifth, but Team Nichols front end were on fire, leading to steals in the sixth and seventh, and a handshaking 6-1 win.
It was a tight, well played game between Team Nathan Small and Team Desiree Borsato. Skip Nathan attempt at a double take-out for two, jammed on the back stone for a Borsato steal in the first. Team Small scored a deuce in the second, followed by Team Borsato blanking the third. Team Small gained some breathing room in the fourth with one of the few misses on the night. Skip Desiree’s last rock draw was slightly heavy, and gave Small a steal of two. Team Borsato blanked the fifth, then closed the gap to 4-3 with a deuce in the sixth. Team Small manufactured a deuce in the seventh to be three up coming home without, and needed that cushion. Team Borsato was laying three in the eighth when Skip Nate came to throw his last rock, executing a perfect double take-out, shutting the door on Team Borsato’ s comeback, and a hard fought 6-4 win.
Team McKenzie Remax, skipped by Deane Horning, had their hands full with a streaking Team Brian LeMoel. Team LeMoel, staring at three Horning rocks, calmly drew for one in the first, then grabbed momentum in the second, when LeMoel’s third, Marcus Partridge, with four Horning stones in the house, made a perfect six-foot hit n roll behind a wall of granite, leading to a LeMoel steal of two. Skip Horning made a nice raise tap to the 4-foot for one in the second, but jammed a take-out in the fourth, leading to a LeMoel deuce. Skip Horning’s last rock draw in the fifth was slightly outside and heavy, gift-wrapping a large LeMoel steal of three, and an 8-1 victory.
Team Darrin Albo had his full team back for the first time in a month against Team Bill van Yzerloo. Skip Albo showed no signs of rust, with a nice hit-n-roll behind cover to steal the first, followed by a delicate tap freeze to the button to steal another in the second. After Albo’s take-out rolled too far, Skip van Yzerloo had a free draw for three in the third, but Team Albo bounced right back, manufacturing a deuce in the fourth.
Team Albo kept the pressure on, forcing van Yzerloo to one in the fifth, then looked to take control of the game with another deuce in the even-ended sixth. Team van Yzerloo responded with a field goal in the seventh, to be one up coming home without, then dodged a bullet in the eighth when Albo’s last rock draw for the tie curled more than anybody else all game, handing Team van Yzerloo an 8-6 win.
