Tillsonburg's curling championships conclude
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With the final week of curling and championship play completed, we can now announce the champs of all the leagues and say thank you to all our wonderful local sponsors.
The week began with the Scotia Bank Mixed Club Championship trophy being awarded. Dave Abrams from our long time sponsor ScotiaBank was on hand to award the trophy to the team of Walt and Diane Kleer with Paul Belcher and Lindee DeClercq at front end who were undefeated in the tightly contested three game finals. The two-game high winner was the team of Les and Nora Peter along with Ashton Nembhard and Karen Rice. To complete the season with a little fun the conveners organized a turkey draw where all the curlers had the opportunity to draw a rock closest to a turkey set out on the ice- the contest led to some interesting shot-making.Great fun to end a fun and successful season. Thank you to conveners Bill and Wendy Young and Tracy and Larry Beattie for all their work organizing and running the Mixed League. We look forward to next season being even better!
In the Tuesday Ladies ServiceMaster Championship three teams were very close going into the final game and the team of Nora Peter, Diane Burgess/Tracy Beattie, Helen Cull and Karen Rice were the winners with the top score after the last game. Second place went to Tina VanderWallen-Howey with Carole Stephenson, Lorna Law and Judi Gale. Ruth McSpadden awarded the trophy on behalf of our sponsors Gary and Lynn VanPuymbroeck of ServiceMaster. We appreciate your continued sponsorship. Past President’s provided the ‘snacks’ for the evening. Thanks go out to Dorell Clark, Helen Cull and Ruth McSpadden for organizing all the draws.
The Thursday Men’s League finished with their traditional steak dinner and some fun curling. Paul Belcher of the Men’s wanted to thank their many sponsors beginning with McMullen Machine for sponsoring the championship and other sponsors - Harry Dykxhoorn, Green Lea, Waste Management Canada and the Copper Mug. The Men's Champions were Dave Ireland with Frank VandeSlyke, Terry Chute, and Gerald Sandham who went undefeated in the championship round. Another tradition honoured on the last night was that the team finishing last in the playoffs does the dishes. The honour this year fell to Walt Kleer’s team. It was a good year for the Men, thank you to conveners Paul Belcher and Win Cull.
In the 28th Bert Mooney Championship the trophy was taken by the undefeated team of Nora Peter, Yonna DiLella, Josie DeCloet and Barb McCorkell. In the tight race for second Betty Tull and her team of Tina VanderWallen-Howey, Marilyn Dykxhoorn and Carol DiBon scored the highest points. The Ladies curled early in the day for this final draw and capped the season off with a pot-luck meal. Prizes were awarded and the trophy presented to the winners. Thank you to the Games Committee of Diana May, Ruby Withington and Heather Benton for all their work.
Friday night saw the finals of the month long Rec League play downs and the wind-up wing and pizza night for all the teams. With the top teams in each tier playing for the trophies there was lots of action on the ice. In the Tillsonburg Travel ‘A’ Tier the Rockbusters faced off against team Mighty Stone Chuckers. Lisa Hirt of Tillsonburg Travel was on hand to award the championship trophy to the Rockbusters. In the Copper Mug ‘B’ Tier Team Grumpies defeated the Sheet Disturbers to take the trophy. Doris Weiler of the Mug was on hand to award the trophy. The Tier ‘C’ Domino’s Pizza Trophy went to the Odds and Ends team who defeated the Rolling Stones. Will Prichard of Domino’s Pizza was on hand to present his trophy to the winners. In the Consolation Round which features the top points knocked out teams (or the best of the losers) team T-Liners beat Domino’s Delights to end the season with a win! Trophies and prizes were presented, photos taken and teams enjoyed Copper Mug Wings and Domino’s Pizza. Another great finish to the season. A big thank you to Daryl Malcolm, Lorna Law and Marianne Murphy for all the work they do running Rec League.
Coach Ken Patterson reports that the Junior Rockers Buddy Bonspiel was won by the team of Johnathan Tran, Michaela Young, and Madison Covey. The same team won the off ice curling Scavenger Hunt where Ken sends them around the club in search of 'curling' dates, names, articles etc. The closest to the button contest was won by Madison Covey, Logan Brown and Johnathan Tran. Michaela Young was the winner of the bubblegum guess. Coach Patterson hopes to see everyone back in the fall for another season.
Saturday night the plug was pulled on the ice as 56 curlers looked to the next season and putted their way around a 9 hole golf course set up on the curling sheets. There was lots of fun and laughter as they worked their way around the course with some serious and some not-so-serious putters emerging.
Sponsors to be thanked for the evening of fun are Sobey’s, the Thirsty Golfer, and the following local golf courses - Otter Creek, Mt. Elgin, the Bridges, Tillsonview, and Eden.
And so another curling season at the TCC comes to a close, a very successful year I think- kudos to all the league conveners and the board of directors for all the time spent working on behalf of the members to keep the club running smoothly. You can do your part or express your opinion about what happens in the club by attending the annual general meeting being held on May 15th at 7 p.m. Club concerns, the financial statement, new board members will all be part of the discussion that night. All members are welcome to attend.
I can’t sign off this final FTH without a comment on the Men’s Worlds which aired all last week. I’m not sure if I’m just tired of winter and all it brings or if I’m tired of curling! In my opinion the Worlds were boring! Too many blanked ends and too many excuses made by the commentators for missed shots! I didn’t miss Linda Moore’s talking, and I didn’t watch more than one or two games live most were PVR’ed until I got around to it. Yeah me the No. 1 curling fan! Even the final with Thomas Ulsrud didn’t garner my attention! Although he did look good and I’m glad to see him win gold before his team breaks up. I think the Olympics just out-classed everything else for exciting games, competitive tension and super shot making. I found both World’s a bit of a let-down maybe because Team Canada was a disappointment?
The elite curlers have one more kick at the can at the Players Championship which begins April 17th on Sportsnet and we’ll see 3 games a day until the 2 finals on Sunday the 20th at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. By that time more of the teams will be announcing line-up changes so that might peak my interest again.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed info over the season, to those of you who read the column and especially to Chris Abbott and the Sports Dept. of the Tillsonburg News for all your support it’s appreciated. Curling Rocks! Have a Safe Summer (if it ever comes!)!