Carey survives scare at Scotties

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This article was published 26/01/2011 (5655 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ALTONA – Morden’s Chelsea Carey survived a major scare while Fort Rouge’s Cathy Overton-Clapham romped as the co-favourites won their opening games here at the 2011 Scotties Tournament of Hearts on Wednesday.

Carey — who’s been one of the premier teams on the World Curling Tour this winter — got all she could handle from 22-year-old Michelle Montford, who is making her first-ever appearance at the women’s provincials.

Montford had the hammer with the game tied 6-6 coming home in the tenth end and appeared to have the end set up for what would have been a huge upset of Carey.

But late rock miscues by third Courtney Blanchard and Montford turned the end around to Carey’s advantage and Montford needed a cold draw to the four-foot with the final rock of the game to salvage the upset.

The rock slid a little too far and Carey got the steal to escape with a 7-6 victory. “We played hard and left it on the ice,” said Montford. “It just didn’t work out.”

Carey tipped her hat to her young counterpart. “Michelle Montford comes from the game. She’s a good ice-reader… She’s good at angles and that kind of stuff. And she’s a good hitter. She made some good takeouts and runbacks.”

Defending Manitoba womens champion Jill Thurston, 2001 Manitoba womens champion Karen Rosser and Brandon’s Lisa Blixhavn were the other winners on the 12:15 p.m. draw.

Earlier Wednesday, three-time defending Canadian champion Cathy Overton-Clapham was a 12-3 winner over Carberry’s Betty Buurma. Overton-Clapham scored four in the fourth end and then stole four more in the eighth end.

Other winners on the morning draw were Joelle Brown, Janet Harvey and Kerri Einarson.