The ranks of the undefeated in the Great Western Original 16 Cash League became another team smaller on Wednesday night at the Moose Jaw Curling Centre, leaving only three rinks with perfect records.
And for two of those teams, it took a late-game rally to remain unbeaten.
Penny Barker and her defending champion BTN Chartered Accountants foursome improved to 3-0 on the season with an 8-5 victory over Paw N Play’s Jaedon Miller, but it was anything but easy.
Miller picked up deuces in the first and third ends to lead 4-1 and after Barker picked up two of her own in the fourth, a Miller single in the fifth restored the three-point lead. You don’t contend for the Original 16 title every year without the ability to come back, though, and Barker did that and then some in the seventh -- a five-ender completely turned the tide of the game, and she’d go on to an 8-5 victory.
Miller fell to 1-2 with the loss.
For Matt Froehlich and his 3-0 foursome in their match with KalTire (Dustin Woloschuk (0-3), things weren’t as dramatic but still plenty close. Single points in the first, fourth and fifth ends had given Froehlich a 3-2 lead, but Woloschuk responded with singles of his own in the sixth and seventh to lead 4-3 heading into the final end. Froehlich would use the hammer to perfection, scoring three to take the 6-4 win.
KMS Construction (Ben Gamble, 2-0) also found themselves in a close battle with Rod Montgomery (1-2), with a Gamble deuce in the third end proving to be a critical score. Gamble took a 3-1 lead at the time and led 5-2 through six before Montgomery closed ground with single points in the seventh and eighth, giving Gamble the 5-4 win.
John’s Music (Ryan Wenarchuk, 2-1) fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 7-3 loss to ProTec Studios (Tyler Krupski, 1-1). Krupski took a 3-0 lead out of the first two ends, but Wenarchuk put up single points the next three frames to tie things up. Krupski got back on track with two in the sixth and another deuce in the seventh to close things out.
An early lead proved the difference between Pro-Tec Electric (Stan Barnsley, 2-1) and Fountain Tire (Barry Silk 0-3). Barnsley led 3-2 through three ends, and after Silk blanked the fourth, put up a three-spot to take a 6-2 edge. Silk got two back in the sixth and stole one in the seventh but would drop a 6-5 decision.
EMJ Marketing (Joe Gunnis, 2-1) had a quick night against RK Sunview Farms (Dayne Heisler, 0-3). Gunnis took a 3-0 lead out of the first two ends and after Heisler responded with a deuce in the third, put up four in the fourth to bring the game to an early end with a 7-2 win.
Original 16 Cash League action takes place every Wednesday night at the Moose Jaw Curling Centre.
