Silver for Manitoba's Forrest Team in a Last Rock Loss

Monday Jan 25 2010

CCA Photo Courtesy of Michael Burns Photography

Manitoba`s Alex Forrest team played well enough to win but came away from the M&M Meat Shops Canadian junior final game with the Silver Medal when Ontario scored a pair coming home to win 8-7. The Manitobans had taken a pair of their own in the ninth to go one up coming home without the hammer. With a corner guard to work with the Ontario skip`s first rock was deep in the rings in front of a Manitoba rock. Forrest could see enough to play a bump-weight tap to leave Ontario a draw for the tie. In an interview after the game, Forrest said his guys felt his weight was right but they `jumped the sweeping because it might have been a little tight`. The rock ran straight and just missed, allowing Ontario a draw for the win.

With the win, skip Jake Walker and his Ontario team join Rachel Homan, also of Ontario, in representing Canada at the World Juniors. Homan was undefeated in the event winning her 12 round-robin games and the Sunday afternoon final over British Columbia.

Forrest and third Joey Witherspoon were recipients of the events Fair Play Awrads, selected by the officials, for their conduct during the round-robin.  Coach Tom Clasper said after the final that recognition, and the way the team handled the disappoinment of the final game loss, was a true indication of how the Manitoba team represented Manitoba curling for the entire event. He said he was proud of the team and to have be a part of their run to the Canadian final.

The Alex Forrest and Breanne Meakin teams will be arriving home to Winnipeg Monday, January 25th, 2010 at 4:24 PM on Air Canada Flight 8521.

**
Friday Update: Forrest Finishes at 10-2 in 1st, Meakin Finishes 6-6 at Canadian Juniors - Alex Forrest and his Manitoba Junior men's champions lost their final round robin game Friday morning, 7-4 to Saskatchewan. Despite the loss, Manitba finished in first place with a 10-2 record. Saskatchewan finished 9-3, tied for second with Ontario. Onatrio and Saskatchewan play in Saturday's semi-final with the winner playing Forrest's Manitobans in the Suday evening final (TV-TSN). Defending champion, and world silver medallist, Brett Gallant (PEI) missed the playoffs at 8-4.

In the Junior Women's event, Manitoba's Breanne Meakin won her final game, a 5-4 extra end with a steal on the extra. The win created a 3-way tie for third place, giving Saskatchewan an 8-4 record along with Alberta and BC. Ontario's Rachel Homan finished perfect at 12-0. Northern Ontario is in second in the Junior Women's at 9-3.

Standings Board - JUNIOR MEN (AFTER DRAW 20)
10-2 Manitoba (Forrest)
9-3 Saskatchewan (Moskowy)
9-3 Ontario (Walker)
8-4 Nova Scotia (Garnett)
8-4 Prince Edward Island (Gallant)
6-6 British Columbia (Klymchuk)
6-6 Newfoundland (Schuh)
6-6 Alberta (Bottcher)
5-7 New Brunswick (Barry)
5-7 Yukon (Scoffin)
4-8 Northern Ontario (Tolusso)
1-11 Quebec (Rivest)
1-11 NorthWest Territories (Miller)

Standings Board - JUNIOR WOMEN (AFTER DRAW 20)
12-0 Ontario (Homan)
9-3 Northern Ontario (Lilly)
8-4 Saskatchewan (Paulsen)
8-4 Alberta (Chyz)
8-4 British Columbia (Sivertson)
6-6 Prince Edward Island (Fullerton)
6-6 Manitoba (Meakin)
5-7 Newfoundland (Cunningham)
5-7 New Brunswick (Daigle)
4-8 Nova Scotia (LeGay)
4-8 Quebec (Lapierre)
3-9 Yukon (Koltun)
0-12 NorthWest Territories (Moizis)

**
THURSDAY UPDATE #2: Forrest 10-1, Meakin 5-6 at Canadian Juniors - Alex Forrest and his Manitoba Junior men's champions won their evening game at the Canadian Juniors and withthe win clinched a spot in the Sunday final game. Their 10-1 record is 2 wins ahead defending champion Brett Gallant (PEI) and Saskatchewan, Manitoba's final round opponent on Friday. Ontario is at 7-3 and could still make the playoffs depending on wins and losses on the final day. Manitoba's Thursday evening win was a close 6-5 one over New Brunswick.

On the women's side, Rachel Homan (ON) has clinched first place with a 10-0 record. Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Northern Ontario are all 8-3 and BC is 7-4. Manitoba's Breanne Meakin has a 5-6 record after a 6-5 victory over New Brunswwick Thursday evening.

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Thursday Update #1: Alex Forrest and his Manitoba Junior men's champions improved their W-L record to 9-1 with a morning draw 8-5 win over British Columbia. At 9-1, Manitoba is now guaranteed of a place in post-round robin play. Defending champion Brett Gallant PEI is at 8-3 with a game to play, so even with a pair of losses and a PEI final game win, Manitoba would be tied with PEI at 9-3.  Ontario is at 7-2 with three games to play and Saskatchewan is at 7-3 with two to play. Both could still pass Manitoba in the win column but even in that case, Manitoba would stil lhave the tie for third place. The important game for Manitoba will be the Thursday evening draw against New Brunswick who are currently 5-5. Manitoba's final game Friday is against Saskatchewan.

In the Junior Women's event, Breanne Meakin's team droppped to 4-6 with a 7-6 loss to B.C.

**
Wednesday Update: Alex Forrest and his Manitobans finally tasted defeat at the Canadian Junior Men's Championship in Quebec. On the morning draw Wednesday, the Forrest team's undefeated run ended with a 9-4 loss to Northern Ontario. Manitoba gave up four twos in the eight-end loss but bounced back for a six-end 8-1 win over Quebec on the late draw.

In the Junior Women's Championship, Breanne Meakin's team sits at 4-5 after splitting their Wednesday game. A morning 6-4 win over Northern Ontario was followed by a 9-8 loss to Quebec when the host team stole one coming home.

On Thursday, the Manitoba teams play British Columbia and New Brunswick. They finish the round-robin Friday morning against Saskatchewan.

**
Tuesday Update: Alex Forrest and his Manitoba Junior men's champion team won a pair of games again on Tuesday to improve their perfect records to 7-0. At the end of Tuesday's games, Manitoba holds sole possession of first place. On Tuesday afternoon, Team Forrest stole one coming home to defeat Alberta 7-6. They followed with an evening 9-5 win over Nova Scotia. A steal of one on the fifth end of that game gave them a 4-2 lead which they never relinquished.

Breanne Meakin's Junior Women's team lost a pair on Tuesday, dropping to a record of 3-4. An evening 5-1 loss to Nova Scotia folowed an afternoon 8-6 loss to Alberta.

Standings Board - JUNIOR MEN (AFTER DRAW 12)
7-0 Manitoba (Forrest)
6-1 Saskatchewan (Moskowy)
5-1 Ontario (Walker)
5-3 Prince Edward Island (Gallant)
4-3 Alberta (Bottcher)
4-3 British Columbia (Klymchuk)
4-4 Nova Scotia (Garnett)
3-4 Northern Ontario (Tolusso)
3-5 New Brunswick (Barry)
2-4 Yukon (Scoffin)
2-5 Newfoundland (Schuh)
1-6 Quebec (Rivest)
0-7 NorthWest Territories (Miller)

Standings Board - JUNIOR WOMEN (AFTER DRAW 12)
6-0 Ontario (Homan)
6-1 Northern Ontario (Lilly)
5-2 Saskatchewan (Paulsen)
4-3 British Columbia (Sivertson)
4-3 Alberta (Chyz)
4-4 Prince Edward Island (Fullerton)
4-4 Nova Scotia (LeGay)
3-4 Manitoba (Meakin)
3-4 Newfoundland (Cunningham)
2-4 Yukon (Koltun)
3-5 New Brunswick (Daigle)
2-5 Quebec (Lapierre)
0-7 NorthWest Territories (Moizis)
**

Monday Late Update: Manitoba's Junior champion won their Monday evening games with Nefoundland by identical 9-6 scores. Alex Forrest improved his perfect record to 5-0, leading 4-1 at the mid-game break but trailing 5-4 after seven ends. A three on the eighth end was the margin of victory. Manitoba`s 5-0 record is the only perfect record left in the Junior men`s event.

Breanne Meakin trailed 4-3 at the break but stole 2 on the sixth end to go ahead 5-4. Deuces on ends 8 & 10 solidified the win. Manitoba is one of three teams at 3-2, tied for fourth in the standings.

**
Manitoba's Alex Forrest has won four in a row to open the Canadian Junior Championship in Quebec. Following the first round win over Yukon, Manitoba defeated Northwest Territories (8-2), then followed with a pair of extra end wins. An 8-7 EE win over reigning Canadian Champion Brett Gallant from Prince Edward Island was followed by a 5-4 EE win over Ontario.

For Breanne Meakin's Junior Women wins over Yukon and BNorthwest Territories have been followed by losses to Pronce Edward Island (11-4) and Ontario's Rachel Homan (6-4). Homan is the Ontario Junior who took part in the Curling Pre-Trials competition.

**
Manitobans Win Openers: Manitoba's junior champion teams both won their opening games Saturday afternoon against the teams from Yukon. Breanne Meakin's  Junior Women scored a pair of deuces and stole 5 points in three consecutive ends enroute to an 11-3 win.  Alex Forrest and his Junior Men blanked the first five ends before scoring a single with the hammer on the sixth end. The Manitobans gave up two on the seventh end but scored three over the final three ends in a 4-2 victory.

**
Canadian Juniors Start Saturday - The M&M Meat Shops Canadian Junior Men¹s and Women¹s Curling Championships will be contested in Sorel-Tracy, Quebec from January 16-24. It's the fifth year of title sponsorship by M&M Meat Shops, Canada's leading retail chain of specialty frozen foods, in an extended agreement with the Canadian Curling Association through 2012.
 
Thirteen men's and 13 women's teams (representing the 10 provinces plus Northern Ontario, Northwest Territories and Yukon) will compete.   Among the skips are Prince Edward Island's Brett Gallant of Charlottetown, the reigning Canadian junior men's champion and 2009 world junior silver medallist, Manitoba's Breanne Meakin of Winnipeg, who played lead last season for Kaitlyn Lawes when winning the Canadian Juniors and a silver medal at the World Juniors and Ontario's Rachel Homan of Ottawa, runner-up in last year's M&M Meat Shops Canadian Juniors, who also skipped at the pre-Trials in Prince George last November.
 
Round robin games will be played at both Colisée Cardin and Club de curling Aurèle-Racine.  At the conclusion of the round robin, the first place teams advance to their respective finals, while the second and third place finishers meet in semi-finals on Saturday.
 
Both the women's and menss finals will be played on Sunday, January 24 at Colisée Cardin and will be televised live across Canada on TSN.   The women's final takes place at 2:30 pm ET while the men's final begins at 7:00 pm ET.
 
The winners will then represent Canada at the 2010 World Junior Curling Championships, March 6-14 in Flims, Switzerland.   Canada has won a leading 16 world junior men's titles since 1975 and eight women's crowns since 1988.

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