And then there was one.
Penny Barker and her BTN Chartered Accountants rink are the lone unbeaten team in the Original 16 Cash League after Ben Gamble and KMS Construction lost their first game Wednesday night at the Moose Jaw Curling Centre.
Protec Studios (Tyler Krupski, 8-4) came away with the win over Gamble (8-1), but it was anything but easy. The teams exchanged single points in the first two ends before Gamble stole one in the third for a 2-1 edge. Krupski took control of the contest the very next frame by putting up a three-ender, but Gamble got one back in the fifth to trail 4-3 heading into the break. He then stole three more in the sixth to regain the lead, but Krupski got all those back with three of his own the next end to take a 7-6 edge into the eighth. There, Krupski would steal one to secure the 8-6 victory.
The victory saw Krupski move into a tie for third with Matt Froehlich at 8-4, with Froehlich’s contest against R.K. Sunview Farms (Dayne Heisler, 0-12) postponed.
Things were far less dramatic for Barker (12-0) in her match-up KalTire (Dustin Woloschuk, 5-8). Things were close in the early going, as Barker picked up a deuce in the first end and after blanking the second, Woloschuk replied with two of his own. Barker brought things to an early end the next frame, though, putting up a five-spot to take a 7-2 victory.
Jaedon Miller (Pups Parlour, 7-5) maintained his spot in the top half of the league standings with a come-from-behind 9-8 victory over Pro-Tec Electric (Stan Barnsley, 6-6). Barnsley got off to a great start and made it look like it might be an early night with deuces in the first two ends and one in the third for a 5-0 lead. Miller fought back quickly, though, scoring two in the fourth and stealing three in the fifth to tie the game heading into the break. Barnsley picked up a deuce in the sixth for a 7-5 lead, but Miller got one back in the seventh, stole another in the eighth to tie the game and then stole again in the extra end to secure the win.
Rod Montgomery (6-7) moved a game closer to getting back to .500 thanks to a 9-3 win over EMJ Marketing (Joe Gunnis, 3-10). Montgomery got off to a fast start with three in the first and a 5-1 lead through four ends before Gunnis closed some ground with a deuce in the fifth. Montgomery got a pair back the next end, though, and a steal of two in the seventh brought things to a close.
The other contest was a low-scoring battle that saw John’s Music (Ryan Wenarchuk, 6-7) also get within striking distance of an even record with a 4-3 win over Fountain Tire (Barry Silk, 4-9). A Wenarchuk deuce in the first end would be the biggest score of the game, as Silk scored one in the third and Wenarchuk one in the fifth for a 3-1 lead. Silk picked up single points the next two frames to tie the game 3-3 heading into the final end, where Wenarchuk would use the hammer to score one and take the win.
The Original 16 Cash League plays every Wednesday night at the Moose Jaw Curling Centre.
