SPORTS FLASHBACK 1974: Zone champs reach schoolboys’ semis

Curling has often been called a game of inches, and a shot that was just that far short eliminated the SRSS foursome from the schoolboys’ championships at Virden last weekend, after the rink had battled their way to the ‘B’ side final of the draw.

Trailing by one coming home, the team could have forced at the very least an extra end and possibly a shot at A-B finals, but their last rock fell inches short.

Earlier in the championships, the SRSS foursome of Lorne Pauls, Doug and Allan Penner, and Kelly Barkman had come up with victories in their first two games, 8-4 over Okumura of Grant Park and 7-4 over Robertson of Neepawa.

The victories advanced them to the semi-finals of the ‘A’ side of the draw, where they lost to Light of Transcona in an extra end.

On the ‘B’ side, Pauls came up with an 11-5 victory over the hometown Virden rink and again faced Light in the semis. This time, the Steinbach foursome came out on top, stealing one in an extra end to advance to the ‘B’ finals and a second chance at the championship.

Their one-point loss to Gourlay of Flin Flon eliminated them from further competition. Gourlay, in turn, lost to Duguid, the 1974 Schoolboys’ champion.

While the high school team came up a little bit short on the weekend, another young Steinbach foursome was in the money at a Junior Men’s Cash Spiel in Winnipeg.

The foursome of Chris Neufeld, Jack Rempel, Gary Tarasenco and Vic Peters pocketed top prize money of $320 in a Charleswood cash spiel for curlers under 20.

The Steinbach rink defeated a combined rink of former Schoolboys’ and Schoolgirls’ champions 4-3 in the final game.