Last-rock gaffe costs Jones; DeRiviere pulls another upset

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This article was published 27/01/2012 (5230 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE — Jennifer Jones has achieved extraordinary success in curling precisely because she does not miss last-rock draws to the four-foot.

But she not only missed one at the Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts on Thursday, the four-time Canadian champion sailed her final effort of the 10th end out the back of the house and into the hack in a stunning 7-6 defeat to Stonewall’s Kelsey Boettcher.

“The ice seemed to change and we just didn’t catch up on it,” said Jones. “But they played great. They deserved to win that game.”

Boettcher stole four different ends — including the last one — to author the victory. Facing seven Jones counters in the ninth end, Boettcher also cooly drew for one to send the game home for the 10th end tied 6-6.

“I honestly didn’t think about it until my third was like, ‘Well, you miss, we give up seven and we go home,'” said Boettcher. “We’re not favoured anyway. So I thought of it like any other draw and pretended like it wasn’t there.”

The loss was a costly one for Jones, dropping her to 3-1 and into a tie for third place with eighth seed Darcy Robertson — a game behind sixth seed Jill Thurston and fourth seed Barb Spencer, who both enter today unbeaten at 4-0. Boettcher stayed alive at 2-2.

The good news for Jones is she still controls her own destiny, with games today against Robertson and Spencer and then Saturday against Thurston.

— — —

She did it again.

A day after handing Cathy Overton-Clapham a stunning loss, 14th seed Lisa DeRiviere hung a 6-2 loss on three-time Manitoba women’s champion Janet Harvey on Thursday.

“We’ve played a lot of good teams and had success against them,” said DeRiviere, who also beat Jennifer Jones in a cash spiel last year. “We’re not big on the luck. If we all come together in the same game, that’s when we can curl really well and we can match up against these opponents.”

Overton-Clapham won twice on Thursday and heads into today tied for second place in her pool with Assiniboine-Memorial’s Michelle Montford at 3-1. Chelsea Carey continues to lead the pool at 4-0 and has been dominant. DeRiviere and Harvey remain alive at 2-2.

— — —

The epic troubles for Lori Forbes of The Pas continue to be, well, epic.

With a pair of 10-0 losses to Jennifer Jones and Barb Spencer on Thursday, Forbes has now been outscored 43-1 through four games and just 23 ends.

“Our goal really hasn’t changed,” said Forbes. “We want to win. I don’t think anyone who competes doesn’t want to win. But as the games have progressed, we’re just doing what we can to get some points.”

— — —

Four teams have already qualified for next month’s Canadian women’s curling championship in Red Deer, Alta. — Newfoundland’s Heather Strong, P.E.I.’s Kim Dolan, N.W.T.’s Kerry Galusha and Team Canada’s Amber Holland.

The rest of the provinces are holding their playdowns this week — including Ontario, which are being held at the Kenora Curling Club.

Ottawa’s Rachel Homan leads that field at 7-0 heading into today. Former Ontario champion Krista McCarville of Thunder Bay and veteran Sherry Middaugh are three games back at 4-3.

paul.wiecek@freepress.mb.ca

Jennifer Jones

AppearancesWinsLosses

Provincial

Junior6298

Women116221

National

Junior42911

Women88028

World

Women43914

Cathy Overton-Clapham

AppearancesWinsLosses

Provincial

Junior5208

Women178932

Mixed51310

National

Junior2193

Women1211049

World

Junior192

Women54816