Malysha Johnstone’s rink did not have the opening draw they wanted to at the Junior Women’s Provincial Curling Championship at the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre, dropping a 10-1 decision to the Lorraine Schneider rink.
“It was a tough way to open up the tournament,” said coach Al Bromley. “It was a lot of technical mistakes.”
The Johnstone rink includes Malysha Johnstone, Kaitlin Corbin, Emily Farago and Amanda Esmond and battled Lorraine Schneider, Callan Gamon, Tessa Vibe and Ashley Desjardins.
Schneider’s rink opened with two points in the first end and added another in the second end. Johnstone would score their only point in the third end that came down to the last shot with Johnstone able to roll the rock in between a couple of Schneider’s guards to get the point. Schneider would then break open the game with three in the fourth end, two in the fifth end, one in the sixth end and another in the seventh end.
“They were consistently calling too much ice on the outside away and then on the side coming home, you have to throw it to the sweepers and be tight to the broom to get the curl,” said Bromley. “We really struggled with our weight and we struggled with getting to the broom and I don’t think it was nerves.”
The Schneider rink curls out of the Regina Callie Curling Club and came out strong to start the round robin action. Their coach, Jamie Schneider was please with how the team got onto the ice well.
“They seemed to be able to make some good shots and get some rocks in play,” said Schneider. “That was the start we were looking for.”
The Schneider team will be looking to have a strong tournament with hopes of moving onto the playoff round.
“We are really focused on playing well in the round robin and trying to get into that playoff situation,” said Schneider. “We have that mindset and the ability to get there.”
The competition didn’t get any easier for the Johnstone rink as they took on Brooklyn Lemon’s rink in the second draw and lost by a 10-1 decision.
For more on this story, read Friday's Times-Herald.
