At least, for everyone other than the first-place teams.
The league’s top-three squads all posted comfortable wins, while games on the other sheets proved to be exceptionally close.
For Seaborn Insurance (Joel Jordison, 12-1), it was a quick night as they scored four in the fourth end against EMJ Marketing (Joe Gunnis, 6-9) to take a 5-1 lead and the two teams decided to shake hands.
BTN Chartered Accountants (Danielle Sicinski, 12-2) ended up playing one more end than their contending counterparts as they took an 8-4 win over Barb Wallace (2-12). Things were interesting early, as Sicinski scored three in the first end, but had Wallace come right back with a deuce in the second. That all changed the next frame, though, as Sicinski put up a five spot to take an 8-2 lead. Wallace would pick up singles the next two ends but would call it a night at the break.
For KMS (Ben Gamble, 12-2) against Kelsey Noyes (2-13), it wasn’t so much the big ends as it was the steady output – Gamble picked up deuces in the second and fourth to lead 5-1, and after Noyes scored one in the fifth, added three more in the sixth to take an 8-2 win.
The other three games on the night went right to the final end.
Paws N Play (David Gray, 7-7) picked up the biggest upset of the night with their 5-4 win over Tax Team (Murray Stroeder, 11-4). Stroeder took a 3-2 lead out of the fifth-end break only to see Gray immediately tie the game 3-3 before taking a crucial steal of two the very next end for a 5-3 lead. Stroeder would get one in the eighth, but it wouldn’t be enough.
Matt Froehlich (6-7) found himself in a back-and-forth battle with Main Street Strength & Conditioning (Jazmin Ackerman, 2-13), scoring three in the second and fourth against Ackerman’s deuces in the first and third to take a 6-4 lead. After Ackerman pulled within one 6-5 heading into the break, the two teams would exchange single points the rest of the way for an 8-6 Froehlich win.
It was the 1987 Canada Cup all over again in the remainder of the games, as all three contests ended 6-5.
Ackerman Ag (Patrick Ackerman, 4-9) surrendered points in three of the first four ends to Protec Video (Wade Gray, 4-10) to trail 4-2, but a single in the fifth, steal of two in the sixth and another steal in the seventh suddenly saw them leading 6-4. Ackerman would hold Gray to one in the eighth to secure the win.
Walchuk Masonary (Ralph Courtnage, 5-8) scored one in eighth and stole one in an extra end to take a 6-5 win over Easy Care Living (Lorraine Arguin, 7-9). Things were as close as one would expect the rest of the game, as Courtnage took a 4-1 lead out of the fourth end but saw Arguin steal her way back in with a deuce in the fifth and single the next two ends.
John’s Music (Ryan Wenarchuk, 9-5) overcame a bit of a late scare to get past Pro-Tec Electric (Stan Barnsley, 8-7). After falling behind 4-2 through six ends, Barnsley was able to get all of it back and more with a three-spot in the seventh. Wenarchuk would rally in the final frame, though, scoring a pair to take the win.
Only two league nights remain on Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 before the league takes a break for the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Playoffs begin Mar. 4. All games are at the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre.
