The past couple of weeks have brought a highly entertaining finish to the season for men’s curling teams at both the international and local levels.
On the international scene, Canadian men’s skip Jeff Stoughton and his Manitoba team were certainly favoured to win this year’s world men’s curling championships.
Stoughton didn’t disappoint in Regina. After finishing first in round-robin play, the Canadians defeated Scotland in the one versus two playoff game to advance to the final. Then in gold medal game last Sunday, Tom Brewster and his Scottish crew were again the victims as Stoughton came from behind to post an exciting 6-5 win.
Turning to local curling, another season is now in the books, and year-end awards nights are being held.
Among them was a recent evening to recognize the top men’s teams from the past year
It was a successful season for skip Garry Smith and his team in the Tuesday men’s league. Based on their record over the entire year, the Smith foursome claimed the overall league aggregate title.
As well, Smith also won the playoffs between teams who had won one of the three squares of competition during the season. Following a win over the Bob Chlan squad came a victory over Joe Greene in the square final.
Enjoying a successful season with skip Smith were third Frank Voysey, second Joe Pulak and lead Ken Wilson. On the runner-up Greene squad were third Dave Yule, second Gerry Taylor and lead Gerry Coukell.
In the playoffs for Tuesday night B square winners, the Mark LaBonte team emerged victorious, thanks to wins over the Mike Kenefict team, and then against the team I skipped.
Others on the LaBonte foursome were Colin Wood, Mike Lajos and Don Robertson. Teammates with me were Gerry Adams, Randy Gummer, Fred Carter and spare Mike Gallo.
Skip Randy Forbes, third Joel Brittain, second Scott Forbes and lead Rick MacLachlan combined to claim C square honours. The Forbes team posted a win in the final against Matthew Van Osch and his teammates Alex Denninger, Griffin Woodward and Ed Van Osch.
Top spot in D square playoffs went to Rick Ringma and his team of third Chris Marcan, second Don Lutes and lead Lorne Bury. The Ringma foursome first downed the Darren Horton entry, then in the final picked up a win against Micheal Sloan and his teammates Vic Brice, Brian Vroom and Dennis Anderson.
From this past season’s popular Thursday men’s league, aggregate champions were skip Frank Smith and his teammates Doug McGlenen, Tony Wright and Bill Shaw.
In separate A and B square competition for the final portion of the season, A square winners were Craig MacRae, Louis Cavezza, Bob Cavezza and Tom Weinreich. Tops from B square was the entry skipped by Daryl Knievel.
This year’s men’s club championship playoffs featured the top five teams from the Tuesday league along with the top three teams from Thursday. Involved in the double knock-out competition were teams skipped by Garry Smith, Frank Smith, Dave McGarry, Chlan, Adams, MacRae, Greene and Forbes.
The final was tightly contested, with steals of single points in the third and fourth ends spelling the difference in a 5-3 win for Chlan over McGarry.
So this year’s club championship title went to Chlan and his team of third Keith Clarke, second Bob Franklin and lead Harold Levesque.
Others on the runner-up McGarry squad were Kevin Weinreich, Kyle Anderson and Brian Mahovlich.
For teams not competing in the club championship playoffs, a separate mini-spiel attracted 16 other men’s teams. Both A and B division winners were declared, with the A event won by the foursome of skip Dave Perpeluk, third Gary Howk, second Murray Renner and lead Ed Zwart.
Winners of the B event were skip Neil Edwards and his team of Louis Papp, Dave Bandy and Darryl Jacobs.
Whatever your sport, a reminder in closing to play your hardest, play fair and show good sportsmanship.
Ian Thorpe writes about sports Saturdays.
