Darrell Houston’s Nufloors is through to the Baron Insurance Super League semifinals after a 7-2 quarterfinal win over Robbi Kuhn’s North Enderby Timber Wednesday night at the Vernon Curling Club.
Houston, who will face Dave Merklinger’s Canwest Propane in the semis, opened with a huge four-ender and never let up against NET. After forcing Kuhn to singles in two and four, and counting one in three, Houston earned an early night upstairs with a deuce in five.
Less than a week after meeting in men’s provincials, Mark Longworth’s Sladen Moore earned a berth in the Super League championship by brushing back Jim Cotter’s Woodland Equipment 6-5 in semifinal play.
Longworth jumped out to a 3-0 lead on thefts of two in one and one in two. Cotter stormed back with a triple in three and took the lead by burgling singles in four and five.
Sladen looked assured of a three-ender in the sixth end until Cotter delivered the shot of the game – a triple takeout to force a blank end.
Longworth counted one in seven to pull within a point, and then sealed the comeback by burying a pair on the four-foot that Cotter was unable to dislodge.
n There are two girls and two boys teams battling at Juvenile playdowns this weekend in Salmon Arm. Representing the Vernon club are: Team Schmidt (skip Clare Schmidt, third Emma Smith, second Jaelyn Cotter, lead Cassidy Schwaerzie and alternate Miranda Chapple); Team Hofer (skip Sydney Hofer, third Erin Huitema, second Sarah Huitema, lead Emma Denty and alternate Megan deSousa); Team Cliff (skip Brendan Cliff, third Matthew Schiman, second Deven Schmidt and lead Matthew Young); and Team Love (skip Thomas Love, third Jonathan Schwartz, second Erik Colwell and lead Greg Geistlinger).
n Team Canada, featuring Armstrong’s Ina Forrest at second and Vernon’s Sonja Gaudet at lead, begins play at the World Wheelchair Curling Championships Saturday in Sochi, Russia. Playing at the Ice Cube Curling Centre (2014 Olympic venue), Canada will face Korea in their opener.
