Province League Round-up

Notice anything unusual with the image above (other than Gordie not ferociously shouting for sweeping on Ryan's stone)? 

Yep, you guessed it, there are only three Ballindalloch curlers on the ice, this was the theme for both Ballindalloch teams in our early session games on Wednesday night.  In the game in question Steve Mcgingle, third for Gordie Kennedy, pulled his calf muscle during the first end of play and had to leave it up to Gordie, Ryan and Tony to carry on without him.  This didn't seems to affect the team as they ran out winners over Bill Jaffrey's Fochabers rink in their opening game of the season. 

On the centre sheet Stuart Mackenzie had similar trouble, Kyle Mackenzie had to leave the ice in the second end due to ill health forcing the team to also carry on with three members.  Like team Kennedy, team Mackenzie held out for their second win in as many weeks. 

In the late session team Scott faced Forres' Charlie Watt, with both teams having won their first games it was always going to be a close encounter.  Team Scott took the early advantage going up 4-1 after four ends, Charlie pulled it back to peels after six ends, team Scott thought they had wrapped up the win with a big three in the seventh and a 7-4 lead going into the eighth end.  Some slack play and unlucky shots by team Scott allowed Charlie to build up a head and eventually take a four, Disaster!!  Into the ninth end and Charlie kept things clear, hitting every shot team Scott put into the house.  Lynn faced a hit and stick for the peel, which she did with ease to secure a hard fought point.  

All three Ballindalloch teams have made a promising start to the season, hopefully we can all resume where we left off when the rink reopens for curling in two weeks.

photo above shows Ryan, Tony and Gordie during their game on Wednesday night.

Province Division 3

Last seasons Division 4 champions took to the ice last Wednesday to play their first game in the lofty heights of Division 3.

Lynn Scott and her team of Alan Mcintyre, Robert Bremner and Don Gatt faced Fochabers Ronnie Christie and his team of Susan Durno, Francis Duncan and Stan Smith.

Team Scott got off to a flying start, opening up a five shot lead after three ends.  By the time the fourth end got underway Ronnie and his team had warmed up,  taking a big four and reducing the deficite to one, game on! Lynn took a single in the fifth before Ronnie took control of the game with a three in the sixth.

Into the seventh, and final end, things got interesting.  With Lynn about to play the last stone of the end this is what she faced:

                                                            

With three stones biting the four foot circle, knowone was sure who lay shot.  Lynn (playing red stones) elected to tap the red stone biting the top four to ensure at least the peel.  The shot looked good all the way, but on unpredictable ice, swung at the last missing the target stone and coming up short.

It came down to the measure!  After a few careful attempts it was given to the good guys, just!

The first, hard fought points on the board for team Scott.

P.s , as it turns out Ronnie had to call on a sub, but as the sub plays for a division one team, had to give up a penalty shot resulting in a win for team Scott.