Scotties Champions Guest on RockTalk

Sunday Jan 10 2010

Newly crowned Manitoba Scotties Champions Jill Thurston, Kristen Phillips, Leslie Wilson, and Raunora Westcott and their coaches Ron Westcott and Don Duguid were the featured guests on this week's RockTalk on CFRW 1290. You can link here to an archived version of the program which also includes the comments of next year's co-chair Al Friesen of Altona and a repeat of a Curl Manitoba Executive Director interview emphasizing that this week's MCA Men's Bonspiel deadline will not be extended.
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Thurston Wins Scotties Final - Jill Thurston and her Deer Lodge team have won the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Killarney. It was the second comeback win & second extra end win of the day after they needed an extra end earlier to beat Kim Link in the semi-final. The final was a 7-6 win over Janet Harvey and her Assiniboine Memorial team..

Leading 4-2 at the fifth end break, Harvey was heavy on a draw and gave up a steal of two to tie the game at 4-4. The momentum in the game shifted from that point. A Thurston freeze in the four foot set up another steal on the seventh and Thurston led for the first time.

After a Harvey blank, Thurston stole another on the ninth to lead 6-4 coming home but Harvey had a draw to the eighth foot for two and a tie on the tenth. Thurston controlled the home end and won it when Harbvey’s last rock rubs and rolled throrugh.

It is Thurston’s first Scotties title as a skip. She played third for Harvey when they won together in 2006 and she played third for Cathy Overton-Clapham when they won in 2000. It is a first Scotties title for Kristen Phillips, Leslie Wilson and Raunora Westcott.

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Scotties Final: Extra End, Thurston & Harvey Tied 6-6, Thurston has Hammer
Extra End: With two rocks to come, Thurston lies shot rock in the top corner of the eight foot. There is a Harvey stone frozen to it and they both lie behind a Harvey stone about 3 feet in front of the rings. The Harvey rock peeks pout slightly but not enough to play on it. Harvey has to draw to the back of the button bheind the shot rock. It is an in-turn draw. She rubs her own rock and rolls away giving Thurston a 7-6 win.

Thurston - Shot 7 (1st skip rock): Blasts both rocks out.
Harvey - Shot 7 (1st skip rock): Harvey draw to the face of the Thurston rock, biting the button.
Thurston - Shot 6: Removes Harvey stone, rolls away out of play.
Harvey - Shot 6: Plays freeze to the Thurston stone in back four foot - wide - stops corner frozen.
Thurston - Shot 5: Peels high guard.
Harvey - Shot 5:  Centre line guard,half way to the rings.
Thurston - Shot 4:  Peels high guard.
Harvey - Shot 4: Long Centre guard.
Thurston - Shot 3: Attempting to peel - A Harvey stone is pushed into the top eight foot. Thurston lies 2.
Harvey Shot 3: Overcurls - now three centre guards
Thurston-Shot 2 - Out-turn draw slides through fourfoot.
Harvey-Shot 2: Long Centre Guard
Thurston - Shot 1: Out-turn draw to side of four-foot, half open.
Harvey-Shot 1: Short Centre Guard

END 10: Harvey had an opportunity to get a scond rock inthe rings but a draw by Cherie-Ann Loder was heavy. Kristen Phillips took out the other stone and Loder made her second drawq behind a corner. With skip rocks to come, there is a Thurston rock on the centre line a few inches outside the rings and a Harvey stone behind the teeline half into the 12 foot heind a corner guard. After a timeout, Thurston's first removees the corner and rubs the centre guard without removing it.

With her first, Harvey draws to the other side of the rings, full eight foot behind the tee line. Thurston plays the in-turn hit on the first ock but rolls across the rings allowing Harvey a draw for the tie. Extra End, Thurston & Harvey Tied 6-6, Thurston has Hammer

END 9: Thurston opens with a tight centre guard. The Harvey attempt to bury stays wide and Raunora Westcott's hit rubs the guard but also makes contact with the Harvey counter. With skip rocks to come, a pair of Thurston rocks are in the front 2 behind  three other stones. There is a rock on the tee line that may also be nibbling. Harvey takes a timeout to consider options and plays a draw around the centre wall. She bites the button
 but is mostly open. Thurston follows with her first rock  tapping the Harvey rock to bite the back of the four-foot but rolls open. Harvey's first rock draw attempt overcurls and wrecks.

Thurston now lies first and third shot rock. Harvey is second with the rock biting the back of the button. Her final shot - a draw - rubs her shot rock and sits beside it biting the button. Harvey has to look at the angles on a double raise up the centre line. The rocks are perfectly lined up and close together with the second one just off the rings. The angles don't work. She kills one but not both. Thurston leads Harvey 6-4 coming home

END 8: Now Harvey plays guards and Thurston peels. Clean and simple all the way. Harvey blanks the end. Thurston  Leads Harvey 5-4 After 8 Ends           

END 7: Thurston's first rock draw freezes to a Harvey stone biting the back of the button and behind cover. Harvey's attempt to follow touches the edge of it but leaves Thurston shot rock. A Thurston guard forces Harvey to waste her last rock - conceding a steal. Harvey trails for the first time in the game. Thurston  Leads Harvey 5-4 After 7 Ends   

END 6: Facing four with her last rock, Harvey's draw slides into the back of the rings leaving stolen pair and a tie for Thurston. Harvey-Thurston Tie 4-4 After 6 Ends   

END 5: With a pair of Harvey stones in the four foot, Thurston third Phillips makes a freeze. Cherie-Ann Loder's gentle tap overcurls and Thurston lies one now biting the button cornered on a Harvey stone behind it. Phillips draws to bite the top of the four foot - Harvey hits  but leaves Thurston shot rock and Harvey 2nd & 3rd, Thgurston 4th. Thurston's hit overcurls rubbing the rock biting the front of the four foot circle. Harvey's hit on the 4th shot stone noses, leaving a possible double kill for a 3. Thurston got too much of the first stone and didn't make the double - scores  a single.  Harvey Leads Thurston 4-2 After 5 Ends   

END 4: With third rocks to come, Thurston was in trouble. A Harvey stone biting the four foot behind two centre guards. A Harvey stone in the top corner of the 12 foot behind a corner guard. A Harvey biter filling th gap between the centre line and the corner guard. Kristen Phillips ripped the two guards, remove the biter,and bounced the rock in the 12 foot into the open - all on her first shot. She left her shooter about a foot off centre and Harvey played a centre guard. Attempting another double peel, Phillips hit her own and rolled across centre.

With skip rocks to come, Harvey has the rock biting the four foot behind a centre line guard and the second chot open in the 12 foot circle on touching the back side of the tee line. Shot 1 - Harvey guards against  the out-turn draw. Shot 1- Thurston runs the outside guard back, just missing the shot stone. Shot 2 - Harvey draws behind the centre, frozen to the shot rock. Shot 2 - Facing three, Thurston has to be in the four foot to score. Her draw attempt is just inches short and she gives up a steal of one. Harvey Leads Thurston 4-1 After 4 Ends       

END 3: Lots of rocks in play and Thgurston probably saved the end with a bury on her first rock. In the end Harvey is forced to draw for a single. Harvey Leads Thurston 3-1 After 3 Ends            

END 2: Harvey played to the fur foot with the opening rock and Thurston hit it, setting the tone for a simple end but it didn't develop that way. When the smoke cleared there were half a dozen rocks in the four foot and a Kristen Phillips draw was the one that counted.  Harvey leads Thurston 2-1 After 2 Ends.            

END 1: Keeping it simple, Thurston got in trouble early when lead Raunaora Westcott missed a hit, crossing an outside Harvey rock in the back 12 foot. Harvey split the house. Trading rocks, a Cherie-Ann Loder draw just nibbled the back 12. Thurston and Harvey each hit and stuck on the other side and with her last rock Harvey hot for an opening deuce, confirmed by a measure. Harvey leads Thurston 2-0 After 1 End.          

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Semi-Final:  Thurston Steals to Beat Link 10-9    
END 11: Heart-break for Link and her team. They got a bad break when a Kilgallen attempted double peel nose hit and ran through to remove their own stone from the four foot. They scrambled from there. Link had to make a double kill with her first and lying one on top corner of the 12 foot, Thurston drew behind the centre guard to bite the top of the four-foot circle. Link's final rock draw was heavy. Thurston wins 10-9.

END 10: Link's Third Colleeen Kilgallen flashed an attempted double peel with her first and Thurston went behind to the four foot, biting the button but partially open. Link elected to rip the guards again and this time got the perfect double peel - nothing in play but the Thurston stone in the four foot. After trading shots, Thurston made a perfect guard with her last. Link was forced to draw the button for the win - she bit the back of the button but it wasn't good enough. Thurston steals to tie. 9-9 tie in an extra end - Link has the hammer.

END 9: An open end. Thurston drew to bite the 12 foot with her first rock - left a corner showing but Link missed and Thurston drew for two. Link leads 9-8 coming home with hammer.

END 8: Pulling out all the stops, Link went behind a corner guard early and when Thurston came up short facing three behind that corner, Link was faced with a choice - put another behind or hit an open Thurston rock and roll behind. The Thurston rock was promotable so, after using her first timeout to consider options, Link elected the hit and roll. She got to the centtre line but left a small hole for Thurston to draw into. (photo shots layout before Thurston shot) She got into but not through the hole, leaving a Link a draw for 4 and a a three-point lead with two to play. Link leads Thurston 9-6 after 8 Ends.

END 7: Link got away with one this end. With her first stone, she already had shot rock on the button and Thurston had 3, one in front full in the 12 foot and two on the centre line in the back 12 foot. Link's draw to the four foot rubbed her shot stone and left Thurston a double kill to lie 3 and maybe four, depending on the nibbler at the corner. Link's last rock draw to the back stones was good enough to force Thurston to draw for one. Thurston leads 6-5 after 7 ends.

END 6: A deep first rock draw by the Thurston team means there are rocks behind the tee for the whole end. Link gets a corner guard and third COlleeen Kilgallen makes her last rock draw behind it. When Thurston rubs and rolls open it sets up a trade-shots scenario that allows Link to play a last shot for three - she has to run a Thurston rock back from front eight to back eight for a double kill. Her shot overcurls slightly but she sticks for a pair and a tie. Thurston - Link tied 5-5 after 6 Ends - Thurston has Hammer

END 5: Maybe the turning point in the game - Link attempts a tap back hit on an in-turn around the outside of a fairly wide corner guard, has to curl to push a THurston stone past one of her own to lie two. She jams. Thurston lies two draw the top of the eight foot, half buried. Facing three, Link's draw is heavy and Thurston steals three. Thurston leads for the first time. Thurston leads 5-3 after 5 ends.

END 4: Link lead Renee Fletcher makes a second rock freeze on the button that dictates the end. By third rocks, Thurston uses a precious timeout, but it's worth it. Phillips makes a three rock combination hit that removes two Link stones from the four foot. By last rocks, Link is forced to draw facing a Thurston counter int he eight foot - she overcurls a bit ploaying acking in the back eight. Thurston has a shot for two but also overcurls just enough to roll off and count only one. Link leads 3-2 after 4 ends.

END 3: Phillips makes up for the opening end miss with a critical  double to turn the end around. With her last rock, facing a pair, Link plays a control weight hit to remove a Thurston counter in the four-foot for one. Link leads 3-1 after 3 ends.

END 2: Link controls the end. Facing four, Thurston draws to a rock in the back eight foot and sits with a few inches separation in the back four.  There is some cover froma centre guard and Linik nearly flashes a hit up cente with her final rock but she rubs that Thurston rock to the 12 foot circle. Again facing four, Thurston draws the four foot for a point. Link leads Thurston 2-1 after 2 ends.

END 1: Kim Link (East St Paul) had the hammer. Not quite as sharp as they were in the opening end last night, Thurston's hits roll out rather than sticking and a Phillips flash allows Link to score an opening end deuce. Link leads 2-0 after End 1.

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Saturday....Manitoba Scotties Playoff Summary: Harvey Advances to Final - Janet Harvey will attempt to win her fourth Manitoba Women's championship when she plays the final in Killareny Sunday afternoon against the winner of the Jill Thurston-Kim Link semi-final. Harvey won the Page 1-1 game while Thurston won the Page 2-2 game Saturday evening.

A five-ender in each of the Page Playoff games at the Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Killarney effectively ended the games tonight. In the Page 2-2 game, Joelle Brown needed a last rock draw to reduce the damage. She didn't get the freeze she needed and Jill Thurston had an open hit for the five. The Deer Lodge team never let Brown and her Fort Rouge foursome back in the game, scoring 2 more on the third and leading 7-2 at the mid-game break. Four more on the seventh gave Thurston an 11-3 lead. Brown played the eighth but could get nothing going - drew to the button for a deuce and conceded.

The five in the Janet Harvey-Kim Link game came on the sixth. Harvey led 3-2 with the hammer. Attempting to hit and stick with her first stone to establish third shot rock, Link rolled out. Harvey made a double kill. Link's freeze attempt was not good enough and Harvey made a hit up the centre, angling the Link stone out betwen two of her own for 5 and an 8-2 lead. Link had to take one on the seventh and a draw to the four foot behind a centre guard to lie two. it set up a steal of a pair. Harvey led 8-5 with hammer playing end #9  and took one, when she was light on an attempted tapback to the 4-foot for a deuce. Leading 9-5 it was a simple matter to run Link ot of rocks coming home.

Link here to thecurler.com's draw by draw summary of the round-robin group featuring Harvey and Thurston.

Link here to thecurler.com's draw by draw summary of the round-robin group featuring Link and Brown.

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