Scheidegger, Jones set for Scotties Tournament of Hearts
Casey Scheidegger and Jennifer Jones are heading to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts following dramatic finishes to wrap up this year’s round of women’s provincial curling championships.
Scheidegger stole two points in the extra end to edge Shannon Kleibrink 8-6 during Sunday’s final at the Jiffy Lube Alberta Scotties in Medicine Hat.
While Scheidegger earned her first provincial title, Jones captured her record eighth Manitoba women’s championship.
A thrilling comeback was in order for Jones in Killarney as well. The 2014 Olympic gold medallist scored a deuce in the 10th to clip Darcy Robertson 7-6 and book her trip to the national event taking place Jan. 27 to Feb. 4 in Penticton, B.C.
The Scotties Tournament of Hearts winner will represent Canada on home ice at the world championship running March 17-25 in North Bay, Ont.
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Scheidegger didn’t start off the Alberta final on the right foot hitting and sticking for a single in the first while attempting to blank. Fortunately for her, the defending champion Kleibrink was also forced to take a single in the following end to tie it 1-1.
That allowed Scheidegger to take control with a deuce in three followed by a steal in four to extend her lead 4-1.
The 2006 Olympic bronze medallist Kleibrink got a deuce in five to close within one. Scheidegger wanted to blank the sixth, but again like in the first end, she jammed it and settled for a single to make it 5-3.
Kleibrink matched with a hit and stick in seven to close within one again and stole her way into the lead taking two in the eighth when Scheidegger came up light on her last.
A blank in the ninth gave Scheidegger the hammer coming home for the 10th end. Looking to make contact with two Kleibrink stones, Scheidegger connected with one but not the other. Scheidegger was saved by the measuring stick, which awarded her a single to tie it 6-6 and send it to an extra end.
Kleibrink held the hammer in overtime, however, Scheidegger made a great hit with her last to nudge her rock over for shot and lie under cover. That set up the steal scenario as Kleibrink ran back her own but jammed the Scheidegger counter on the button.
It was also the first Alberta title for vice skip Cary-Anne McTaggart and second Jessie Scheidegger, Casey’s sister, while lead Kristie Moore collected her third.
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Scheidegger qualified for the playoffs via the B bracket of the triple knockout and defeated Calgary’s Chelsea Carey 8-7 in Saturday’s Page A-B playoff.
Kleibrink was the one who stole a victory earlier swiping a point in the 10th to oust Carey in the morning semifinal.
Elsewhere, Nova Scotia’s Mary-Anne Arsenault, Ontario’s Hollie Duncan and Quebec’s Emilia Gagne also qualified for the Scotties Tournament of Hearts by winning their provincial championships Sunday.
Arsenault, who won five Canadian and two world titles playing with Colleen Jones, earned her fourth provincial title as a skip by beating Kristen MacDiarmid 8-5 in Dartmouth.
Although Duncan claimed her first Ontario championship — defeating Danielle Inglis 10-7 in Whitby — third Stephanie LeDrew and second Cheryl Kreviazuk have both been to nationals and worlds as alternates for Rachel Homan while lead Karen Sagle won the provincial title in 2016 with Jenn Hanna.
Gagne fell in the Quebec junior semifinal just two weeks ago and is now off to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts after upsetting defending champion Eve Belisle 7-6 in Levis.
The 16-team field is not quite set though as the all-new wildcard entry remains with a one-game playoff on Jan. 26 between the top two teams based on the Canadian Team Ranking System (CTRS) as of Monday who had not yet qualified. Calgary’s Chelsea Carey and Kerri Einarson of East St. Paul holds those provisional positions should they accept the invitations. Expect an official announcement from Curling Canada soon [UPDATE 01/15: Curling Canada has confirmed Carey vs. Einarson as the wildcard game].
Michelle Englot did not have to defend the Manitoba title as her team received the Team Canada auto-berth spot. Homan defeated Englot in an extra end during last year’s final, however, her Ottawa club is heading to the Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
A conflict with the Olympic competition will also prevent Team Jones third Kaitlyn Lawes from playing at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Lawes and John Morris will represent Canada in mixed doubles when the discipline makes its Winter Games debut in South Korea.
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SCOTTIES TOURNAMENT OF HEARTS FIELD
Team | Skip |
---|---|
Canada | Michelle Englot |
Alberta | Casey Scheidegger |
B.C. | Kesa Van Osch |
Manitoba | Jennifer Jones |
New Brunswick | Sylvie Robichaud |
Newfoundland & Labrador | Stacie Curtis |
Northern Ontario | Tracy Fleury |
Northwest Territories | Kerry Galusha |
Nova Scotia | Mary-Anne Arsenault |
Nunavut | Amie Shackelton |
Ontario | Hollie Duncan |
P.E.I. | Robyn MacPhee |
Quebec | Emilia Gagne |
Saskatchewan | Sherry Anderson |
Yukon | Chelsea Duncan |
Wildcard | Chelsea Carey vs. Kerri Einarson |