Scotties final is Jones’s zone

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This article was published 06/02/2010 (5904 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. — Ah, there’s the rub. And there’s another … and another.

And so, with Prince Edward Island’s rocks glancing off guards at so many crucial times Friday night, Jennifer Jones and her Team Canada crew took full advantage of the miscues — and made some dandy shots of their own — to qualify for a third straight Scotties Tournament of Hearts final.

And this time they took the shortest route possible.

Team Canada posted an 8-5 triumph over Kathy O’Rourke’s Charlottetown team in the 1 vs. 2 game of the Page playoff system, before a crowd of 2,900 at the Essar Centre, collecting a free pass to Sunday’s final.

Jones, third Cathy Overton-Clapham, second Jill Officer and lead Dawn Askin, captured the 2008 and ’09 Canadian women’s curling titles — having to go through tie-breakers and semifinals to win those — and are gunning for the three-peat.

The Scotties final is slated for Sunday at 1:30 p.m.

O’Rourke, who throws second stones but calls the shots, will play in the Scotties semifinal tonight at 6 p.m., the second chance she earned for finishing atop the round-robin standings at 8-3, the same mark as Jones.

Earlier, in an afternoon tie-breaker, Ontario’s Krista McCarville cruised to a 10-3 victory over Jill Thurston’s Manitoba foursome in seven ends.

The McCarville team from Thunder Bay faces Kelly Scott of British Columbia today at noon in the 3 vs. 4 game. The winner faces O’Rourke tonight.

On Friday night, Team Canada was efficient with the hammer against P.E.I., scoring deuces in the third, fifth an seventh ends. In the 10th, Jones made a nice hit-and-roll to the button to put an exclamation point on the win.

Today, they get to relax and watch the others battle it out.

"We’re pretty excited to be back in the final. It’s a great feeling right now," said Jones, who also won in 2005. "You dream of winning one and you never know if you’re going to. Now, we’ve won three… and to have the opportunity to win four is really quite something."

Erin Carmody, who throws final rocks for P.E.I., is just 21 and playing in her first Scotties. She showed some nerves for the first time this week, rubbing guards on several crucial shots.

"They just rubbed a couple of guards and so maybe if they get by it’s a little bit of a different story. But we capitalized on our opportunities and made the most of it," said Jones.

O’Rourke said her team had chances for a couple of big ends, but just couldn’t convert.

"There was an inch here or a tick there and we were always on the other side of it for that game," she said. "We tried to just enjoy the experience and, hopefully, we’d come out with a win on our side. And you know we certainly had our opportunities to do that."

Meanwhile, Thurston’s team, the Manitoba champions, had a great week, but just couldn’t match Ontario Friday. Thurston and third Kristen Phillips, in particular, weren’t nearly as sharp as they needed to be to propel the Winnipeg team deeper into the playoffs.

As a team, Manitoba curled 79 per cent compared to Ontario’s 85 per cent. The front end — second Leslie Wilson and lead Raunora Westcott — curled over 90 per cent, but Phillips and Thurston were just 59 and 68, respectively.

"You can get away with half shots at some cash ‘spiels but not at a Canadian championship," said Thurston. "We made a couple of half-shots and I made a couple of no-shots, and that’s what happens.

"I’m disappointed. It wasn’t indicative of the way we played all week. It’s disappointing to go out and be flat like that."

Things went south in the second end for Manitoba, who could only stand by and watch as McCarville delivered one of the greatest shots of the week.

Rolling the dice on a long, raise-takeout, McCarville absolutely nailed it for three to seize control of the game.

"We just said it’s risk versus reward. If you miss it you only give up a steal of one. But to make it there’s a huge momentum shift so early in the game," McCarville said.

The raised red rock slid about 12 feet, barely grazed another red Ontario rock and then hit the Manitoba yellow stone on the beak.

"She made a great shot. What can you do?" said Thurston.

The Scotties final goes Sunday at 1:30 p.m. The winner qualifies for the Ford world women’s championship, March 20-28 in Swift Current, Sask.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

 

 

SCOTTIES TOURNAMENT OFHEARTS

 

Page playoffs

Linescores

 

1 vs. 2 game

Jones (Canada) 002 020 210 1 — 8

O’Rourke (P.E.I.) 010 102 001 0 — 5

 

Tie-breaker game

McCarville (Ontario) 030 203 2XX X — 10

Thurston (Manitoba) 002 010 0XX X — 3

 

Today’s games

 

3 vs. 4 game, 12 p.m. (CST)

Scott (B.C.) vs. McCarville (Ont.)

 

Semifinal, 6 p.m.

O’Rourke (P.E.I.) vs. winner of 3 vs. 4 game

 

Sunday’s game

Championship final, 1:30 p.m. (CST)

 

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Cheryl Bernard’s team from Calgary — 10 days from its first game at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver — spent some time in the Soo on Thursday and Friday, signing autographs, throwing rocks and giving interviews.

"It seems like we’ve been waiting a long time since the (Olympic) Trials. We’re all ready to get playing," said Bernard, who dropped by the Scotties with third Susan O’Connor, second Carolyn Darbyshire and lead Cori Bartel. They were all wearing their Canadian team jackets.

Ontario skip Krista McCarville had a close encounter with Bernard, who she hadn’t seen since the Trials in Edmonton

"I rubbed her Maple Leaf, so hopefully it will give us luck for here," the Thunder Bay product said, with a laugh. "I said as a joke, ‘I want to wear that.’ "

Bernard’s team leaves Wednesday for B.C., and will participate in the Opening Ceremonies on Friday night. They play their Winter Games opener on Tuesday, Feb. 16 against Switzerland’s Mirjam Ott.

Darbyshire, 46, originally from Portage la Prairie, will be Canada’s most senior athlete.

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The 2010 Scotties all-stars will be announced at a banquet this morning, and Winnipeg curlers could figure prominently in the selections.

Team Canada skip Jennifer Jones finished the round-robin in second place with a 76 shooting percentage, behind only B.C.’s Kelly Scott at 79. Manitoba’s Jill Thurston finished fifth at 73 per cent.

Team Canada’s Cathy Overton-Clapham led all thirds at 81 per cent, while Manitoba’s Kristen Phillips, playing in her first Scotties, was in third place at 75. Jones’ lead Dawn Askin (87) and second Jill Officer (81) led at those positions, while Manitoba lead Raunora Westcott was eighth at 78 per cent and second Leslie Wilson finished third at 78.

It was the first nationals for both Westcott and Wilson.

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Nova Scotia veteran skip Nancy McConnery pulled herself from a game earlier this week with her Dartmouth team trailing Prince Edward Island 6-1.

McConnery, 46, who played in her fourth Scotties, was curling just 64 per cent when she replaced herself with fifth player Kelly MacIntosh. Nova Scotia still lost, one of its 10 round-robin defeats.

Statisticians here said it was the first time in the 29-year history of the Scotties that a skip gave herself the hook during a game. But it has happened at other positions.

The most recent switch occurred in 2006 in London, Ont., because Nova Scotia second Mary-Anne Arsenault had an allergic reaction to either perfume or hairspray. She was replaced by fifth player Mary Sue Radford.