The regular season is in the books for the Original 16 Cash League, and a late-season surge has paid off for KMS Construction’s Ben Gamble.
Gamble battled to a 9-6 win over John’s Music (Ryan Wenarchuk) in one of four games at the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre on Wednesday night and as a result finished with a 14-4 record, tying the idle Matt Froehlich for top spot in the 10-team league.
It wasn’t an easy night against Wenarchuk by any stretch, as with the game tied 2-2 through three ends, the two teams exchanged three-enders to stay knotted up at five. Gamble took control of things with another three-spot in the sixth, though, and after the two teams exchanged singles the final two ends, had his spot at the top of the standings.
Wenarchuk finished in third place at 12-6.
Pro-Tec Electric (Stan Barnsley) kept pace with the leaders and improved to 12-6 with a 5-3 win over Fonger Wealth Management (Nick Cornea, 4-14). The game was tied 1-1 through two ends, but after Cornea blanked the third, Barnsley stole single points the next two ends to lead 3-1. Cornea tied things up with a deuce in the sixth, but single points the next two frames gave Barnsley the win.
KalTire (Dustin Woloschuk, 9-9) improved to .500 on the season with an 8-3 win over Walchuk Masonry (Tyler Krupski, 4-14). Woloschuk wasted little time getting going with three in the first end and a 4-0 lead through two, but Krupski clawed his way back in with a deuce in the third and steal in the fourth to trail by one. Another three-ender in the fifth gave Woloschuk back control, and a steal in the sixth brought things to an early end.
The other game on the night saw EMJ Marketing (Joe Gunnis, 4-14) score one in the eighth to take a 6-5 win over Motion-Golden Mobility (Lorraine Arguin, 8-10). The game was tit-for-tat from the start -- Gunnis stole two in the second to lead 3-0, Arguin two in the fourth to tie things up. Gunnis retook the lead with one in the fifth and the two rinks exchanged single points the rest of the way.
BTN Accounting (Penny Barker) finished at 9-9 after having to default games missed due to her run to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
Next up is the first round of the playoffs beginning next week at the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre, with action kicking off Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
