Close-calls for curling favourites

By: Paul Wiecek Posted: 3:37 PM CST Thursday, Feb. 10, 2011

BEAUSEJOUR - Top seed Mike McEwen and two-time defending champion Jeff Stoughton both survived scares here Thursday afternoon at the Manitoba men’s curling championship.

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BEAUSEJOUR - Top seed Mike McEwen and two-time defending champion Jeff Stoughton both survived scares here Thursday afternoon at the Manitoba men’s curling championship.

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BEAUSEJOUR – Top seed Mike McEwen and two-time defending champion Jeff Stoughton both survived scares here Thursday afternoon at the Manitoba men’s curling championship.

McEwen gave up a game-tying steal of two in the ninth end and had to draw the eight-foot with the last rock of the tenth to eke out a 6-5 victory over Winnipeg’s Garth Smith, while Stoughton got all he could handle from La Salle’s Randy Neufeld in a 6-4 victory.

McEwen and Stoughton, who are widely expected to face each other in Sunday’s provincial final for what would be the second year in a row, played this afternoon on adjacent sheets and Stoughton was asked if couldn’t help but be a spectator to McEwen’s nailbiter.

MIKE.DEAL@FREEPRESS.MB.CA
Team Stoughtons' lead Steve Gould throws a rock during the 12:15 draw on the first day of the Safeway Championship in Beausejour on Thursday. — MIKE.DEAL@FREEPRESS.MB.CA Team Stoughtons' lead Steve Gould throws a rock during the 12:15 draw on the first day of the Safeway Championship in Beausejour on Thursday.

“I watched when he came up light in 9, but I wasn’t paying too much attention because we had a lot on our own hands,” Stoughton said.

McEwen admitted his team dodged a bullet in a game in which they struggled at times with even the simplest of shots. “I wouldn’t say we were that sharp out there. If you’re flashing the odd peel, you’re not at your best out there. We were a little off that game and we gave Garth chances to get back in it,” McEwen said.

The victories advanced McEwen and Stoughton to A-side qualifying games Friday morning. McEwen will play former Canadian mixed curling champion Sean Grassie, while Stoughton will play Deer Lodge’s Willie Lyburn.

The other two A-side qualifiers for Friday morning are also now set. Former Manitoba champion Peter Nicholls and former Brier champion Vic Peters, who both won earlier Thursday, will face each other, while Brandon’s Rob Fowler and Hamiota’s Brent Strachan — who were also winners today — will also play each other.

The remaining two draws in Beausejour on Thursday will consist entirely of B-side games. Notable teams facing elimination with one more loss include 2011 MCA Bonspiel champion Dave Boehmer and 2002 world junior champion David Hamblin, who will face each other on the 4 p.m. draw.