Team BC curlers started their competition on Sunday night at Pidherney Curling Centre in Red Deer, with the male and female teams both squaring off against Quebec.
On sheet 11, the men’s team had a strong performance to start the Games, defeating Quebec 4–3. Team BC stole three ends over the course of the game to take the win. Led by skip Hayato Sato (Coquitlam), the team also consists of Joshua Miki (Port Coquitlam), Dawson Ballard (Surrey), and Troy Chong (Burnaby).
It was an exciting finish to the game as Quebec came close to tying it up in the eighth end when a measurement was required to determine whether the Quebec side has scored one or two points. Two points would have extended the game into extra ends, but Team BC prevailed when it was determined that Quebec’s second rock was mere centimetres beyond theirs, giving Quebec a single point in the final end.
Troy Chong (Burnaby) discussed the team’s performance today and the atmosphere at the first match at the 2019 Canada Winter Games.
“The first half we played it kind of slow, felt out the process. But then, we got our groove and we found our footing and we managed to play well in the second half. In the last end it was a real nail biter, but we managed to pull through. We definitely couldn’t have done it without the team’s support; our communication held up strong throughout the entire game. It was just a really cool experience hearing our families cheering us on in the sides right next to that sheet, right next to us as we played. It was a really cool experience.”
Next to the men on sheet 10, the women’s team of Gracelyn Richards (Courtenay), Keelie Duncan (Comox), Chanelle Meeres (Courtenay), and Bryn Woloshyn (Royston) suffered an 8–5 loss to Quebec in extra ends.
The women’s team stole two points from Quebec in the third end to jump to a 3–1 lead, but Quebec added 4 points over the follow four ends to get ahead 5–3 on Team BC. In a similar finish to the eighth end of the men’s game, the Team BC women came into the end down on points to Quebec, but pulled out two points after measurement to equalize the game and send it to extra ends. Quebec subsequently took three points in the ninth end to claim the victory.
Team BC did not compete in Draw 1 on Sunday morning as they received a bye. Team BC women’s (0–1) and men’s (1–0) teams are on sheets 4 and 5 respectively Monday morning at 10:00 am versus Nova Scotia for Draw 3.
Results
Male Draw 2 vs. Quebec, 4–3 win (1–0)
Female Draw 2 vs. Quebec, 5–8 loss (0–1)
Next Up (Mon, Feb 25)
Male and Female Draw 3 vs. Nova Scotia, 10:00 am, Pidherney Curling Centre
Male and Female Draw 4 vs. Manitoba, 5:00 pm, Pidherney Curling Centre