The Leader-Post from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada • 11

The Leader-Post Regina Feb. 7, 1994 Sports 3 nn LTU Leader-Post photo by Bryan Schlosser Eventual champs (from left) Kevin Kalthoff, Brian Wempe, Doug Harcourt and Greg Harcourt ponder strategy Kitchener-Waterloo as Team Canada. A team from northern Saskatchewan hadnt won the crown since Lori McGearys Saskatoon foursome in 1986. Regina had won every title since then. A team from outside Regina or Saskatoon hadnt won the championship since 1981, when Susan Altmans Wadena rink turned the trick, Ironically, in 1981 a Wadena rink went to Prince Albert and claimed the crown.

In 1994, a Prince Albert rink came to Wadena and won it all. This is a dream," said Montgomery, who was named the winner of the Marj Mitchell Award for competitive excellence and sportsmanship. Ive been curling in this province for a lot of years. Theres no doubt this is a dream come true. You work hard but you never anticipate winning.

Im numb. I cant believe this is actually happening. This is a wonderful feeling. Andersons rink, which is in its third season together, is on a roll. The foursome was 3-0 at the regional playdowns, 5-1 at the northerns and 6-1 at the Scott.

Anderson posted victories over Whitrow in the A final (8-1), the final (4-2) and the playoff. Whitrow won the final with a 10-9 victory over Milestones Sharon Garratt the only rink to beat Anderson here. Sometimes thats the way it goes, said Whitrow, whose rink of Maureen Belanger, Pamela Bryden and Joanne Warbey finished its first season together. She had our number all weekend. Theyre a well-deserved team.

They out-curled us. Unfortunately somebody has to lose, but Im quite proud of the way things turned out. Theres always next year. This year, Anderson has the title that has eluded her since 1989. It doesnt make up for it, Anderson said.

It would have been nice to do it back then, too. Its certainly nice to do it anytime. It was looking like it might never happen, but I figured we were playing well this year and wed get something happening. By ARDITH STEPHANSON L-P Sports Writer WADENA The scene was very familiar similar to 1989, in fact to Prince Alberts Sherry Anderson. Anderson captured two events the A and at the Scott Tournament of Hearts provincial womens curling championship.

The Callies Leanne Whitrow won the event, and had to beat Anderson twice to capture the title. Fortunately for Anderson, thats where the similarities to 1989 ended. Anderson beat Whitrow 7-4 in the first playoff game Sunday to win the provincial title and a berth at the Canadian championship, Feb. 26-March 5 in Kitchener-Waterloo. The only other time we played with a table full of goodies in front of us was in 1989, Anderson who curls with Kay Montgomery, Donna Gignac and Elaine McCloy said, gesturing to the table of plaques and necklaces which were handed out after the game.

We tried not to look at that. We tried to think of it as just another game. The girls did a good job of that. Its hard not to look ahead. It was also difficult not to think of 1989, when Anderson won two events and the Tartans Michelle Schneider won one.

Schneider proceeded to beat Anderson twice to win the second of her four provincial titles. Back then, Whitrow was the lead on Schneiders rink. We knew after winning two events in 1989 that we couldnt let up, said Gignac, the only member of Andersons current rink that was with her in 1989. There was no way wed let that happen. We tried to stay focused and confident.

We were relaxed coming into this one. That (loss in 1989) stuck with us for a long time. Its hard to come that close and let it slip away like that. This time we got it. Anderson snapped a number of streaks in winning the title: Schneider and the Callies Sandra Peterson had won the last six titles Schneider in 1988, 89, 90 and 92; Peterson in 1991 and '93.

Peterson, who won the provincial, Canadian and world titles last season, will join Anderson at Cold cuts into Tankard audience 4 SLCA sets dates for next season Mark Dacey faced a crowded house in the last game; from Regina and the problem was rectified by Saturday night Curlers participating in the Saskatchewan Winter Games next week in Kindersley will represent the province in the 1995 Canada Winter Games in Grande Prairie, Alta. The SCA and the SLCA decided to give the mens and womens champions the extra year to prepare and to ensure the coaches are properly certified to coach at the Winter Games level. There are still many curling coaches who dont have their Level I coaching certification. By MURRAY McCORMICK L-P Sports Writer ESTEVAN The cold may have had an effect on the attendance for the 1994 Labatt Tankard. According to figures kept by the organizing committee, 5,680 fans took in the nine draws over the four days of the provincial men's curling championship at the Civic MQtes, Auditorium.

The atten- (prt dance is the only disappoint- ing thing, said cubunc Glen Schmu- land, publicity and media chairman. But we can only draw from two directions and it was so cold. The temperature dropped to minus-30 on Sunday, with a bitter wind chill, which may have accounted for there being 472 spectators for the 7 p.m. draw. The committee expects to turn a profit because there were appoxi-mately 1,000 ticket packages sold before the event started.

And the attendance figures didnt include fans in the Power Patch, the Tankards watering hole. STVs coverage was interrupted Saturday when a SaskTel microwave link in Estevan went down. The interruption occurred during Saturdays final between Quill Lakes Doug Harcourt and Saskatoons Mark Dacey, which Harcourt won 94. SaskTel brought in another relay Charette By L-P SPORTS STAFF Agnes Charette is back. Charette won her third straight Quebec womens curling title Saturday with a 3-1 victory over Lisa Hoyts Lennoxville foursome at the provincial Scott Tournament of Hearts in Montreal.

Charette and her Buckingham rink of Sylvie Daniel, Chantal Osborne and France Charette advance to the Scott Tournament of Hearts national championship which will be held Feb. 26 to March 5 in Kitchener-Waterloo. Charette, who also represented Quebec in the Scott in 1983, 84 and 89, blanked six ends against Hoyt before securing the victory. In the Alberta womens final Sunday in Peace River, Gloria Palinkas of Grande Prairie came Kershaw maintains Quebec crown SCOTT TOURNAMENT OF HEARTS Provincial Women's Curling Champions Province Representative Newfoundland Laura Phillips, St John's PEI Shelly Danks, Charlottetown Nova Scotia Colleen Jones, Halifax New Brunswick Heidi Hanlon, Saint John YukonN Shelley Aucoin, Whitehorse Ontano Anne Merklmger, Ottawa Diane Dalio, Prince George Manitoba Connie Laliberte, Winnipeg Sherry Anderson, Pnnce Albert Quebec Agnes Charette, Buckingham at the mens national championship in 1987 and 89 as a third for Gary Mitchell. Dobsons rink also includes Charlie Sullivan Andrew Buckle and Dan Philip.

Leader-Post photo by Bryan Schlosser soon his dream was over The Lloyd Dressier rink from the' Tartan was honored with the Norm Balderston award, which is present-' ed to the most sportsmanlike team in the championship Lyle Muyres, a provincial champion in 1986, was named Harcourts fifth man for the Brier. Alberta Gloria Palmkas, Grande Praine Team Canada Sandra Peterson, Regina I lTHnTMCTTTTT) I LABATT BRIER Provincial Mens Curling Champions Province Representative Newfoundland Mark Noseworthy, St Johns YukonN Robert Andrews, Atlm, New Brunswick Bnan Dobson, Saint John Saskatchewan Doug Harcourt, Quill Lake In B.C., former Saskatchewan champion Rick Folk was one of four rinks from the Interior to earn a berth in the eight-team provincial tournament, Thursday through Sunday in Vancouver. director of player personnel. I Former Rough Riders general man- ager Dan Rambo is also being con- sidered to help operate the fran-! chise. I Adam Rita, the offensive co-ordi-; nator of the Edmonton Eskimos, is the leading candidate to become head coach.

Rita and McCarthy have admitted being interested in the positions. Ironically, McCarthy fired Rita as Torontos head coach in 1992, the season after the Argonauts won the Grey Cup. I Calgary Stampeders offensive co-1 ordinator John Hufnagal and B.C. Lions offensive co-ordinator Joe Paopao are also head coaching can-! didates. The CFL has set a deadline of Feb.

15 for the Riders to be sold or fold. The city is debating making $3 million in renovations to Frank 1 Clair Stadium to entice buyers. By ARDITH STEPHANSON L-P Sports Writer WADENA The Saskatchewan Ladies Curling Association approved its playdown dates for 1995, the first year of the Season Of Champions. The Canadian Curling Association has changed the dates for all of its national championships as part of a new television and marketing package. That forced the provincial associations to move ahead many of the provincial championship dates.

The new schedule was approved at policy meetings the SLCA held in conjunction with the Scott Tournament of Hearts provincial womens curling championship which wrapped up Sunday. Several other ideas were brought forward. Changing the format of the eight-team, triple-knockout provincial championship to a 10-team round-robin, with a semifinal and final, was discussed. It was decided to wait and see what the mens provincial association deeides on the same matter. If it was changed, it wouldnt be in place by the 1995 Scott.

The SLCA will vote yes at CCA policy meetings to a proposal to change games from a 75-minute limit per team to a 70-minute limit. It carries with it the stipulation that two one-minute timeouts, rather than one, be allowed per team. The CCA policy meetings are held in conjunc- Rison shines HONOLULU (AP) In a Pro Bowl dominated by defence and turnovers, thank the Atlanta Falcons fora bit of offence. Andre Rison had six receptions for 86 yards and teammate Bobby Hebert, a late fill-in for injured Troy Aikman, engineered two quick touchdowns in the second half Sunday to help the NFC to a 17-3 victory over the AFC. Rison was voted the most valuable player of the season-ending all-star game.

Its the first time Ive won the MVP of anything, he said. Its especially great when you compete against such top echelon athletes. In fact, my next tattoo will say MVP Pro Bowl Hebert playing because Aikman and Phil Simms were injured, com K19951Schedule! SASKATCHEWAN LADIES CURLING ASSOCIATION 1995 Championships Level Location Dates Canadian Feb 18-26 Provincial Regina Highland Jan 26-29 NorthSouth BayCarlyle Jan 19-22 Regions Jan 6-8 Junior Canadian Regina Callie Feb 4-12 Provincial Wynyard Jan 1215 NorthSouth Jan 5-8 Qualifying Bonspiels Nov. 1 -Dec. 1 1 Senior Canadian Nova Scotia Jan 21-29 Provincial Watrous Jan 5-8 Zones completed by Dec.

18 Regions completed by Dec. 1 1 tion with the Canadian championship, Feb. 26-March 5 in Kitchener-Waterloo. The executive agreed to listen to a proposal by the CCA to lower the senior age limit from 50 to 45 before deciding which way to vote at the Kitchener-Waterloo meetings. A potential sponsor of the Canadian senior championships it hasnt been named yet but is believed to be a financial institution apparently wants the limit lowered.

And it was tentatively decided to use the $2,400 donated Friday by Sandra Petersons world championship rink towards a junior development program. That will be decided at the annual general meeting in April. in Pro Bowl pleted four of six throws for 68 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown pass to Cris Carter of the Minnesota Vikings early in the final quarter. Rookie running back Jerome Bettis of the Los Angeles Rams scored the games only other touchdown on a four-yard run late in the third quarter, capping a 48-yard drive that included a 32-yard pass from Hebert to Rison. The NFC defence came up with four interceptions and two fumble recoveries as the AFC offence struggled.

Tight end Brent Jones of the San Francisco 49ers fractured his right ankle in the first half. He can begin workouts in six to eight weeks, meaning he should be ready far in advance training camp. Roughriders board from behind twice to post an 8-7 victory over Spruce Groves LaDawn Funk. Palinkas, who became only the third Peace district rink in 44 years to win the provincial title, rebounded from deficits of 4-0 after two ends and 74 after eight. She completed her comeback with a steal of two in the 10th end when Funk missed an open takeout with her last rock.

Palinkas and rinkmates Crystal McLeod, Charlene Robinson and Candy Taylor will be making their first appearance at the Scott. In Bathurst, N.B., on Sunday, Brian Dobson downed fellow Saint John resident Greg Mackin 6-5 in the mens provincial final. Dobson will be making his first trip as a skip to the Labatt Brier (March 5-13 in Red Deer), but he was drops off By DARRELL DAVIS L-P Sports Writer Phil Kershaw has temporarily withdrawn from the Saskatchewan Roughriders executive because of his involvement and potential new jobs with the Ottawa Rough Riders. Kershaw, Saskatchewans past president and a former CFL chairman, reportedly will assume Ottawas presidency and become its general manager if Bruce Firestone buys the Rough Riders. The press reports are premature, Kershaw said Sunday.

The club hasnt been sold to anyone yet. There are a lot of hurdles that have to be cleared yet. I cant comment any further because the speculation that I am going to Ottawa as president and general manager of the Rough Riders is preriiiture. Firestone is a former owner of the NHLs Ottawa Senators. Firestone leads one of at least two groups interested in buying the Rough Riders from Bernie Glieberman, who wants to dump his team and establish a franchise in Shreveport, La.

Kershaw apparently met with Firestone last week in Ottawa to discuss a planned purchase of the franchise. Because there was potential for conflict of interest, Kershaw decided to withdraw from Saskatchewans nine-member executive. Kershaw will be allowed to return to Saskatchewans executive if he is no longer involved with Ottawa. Kershaw expects the situation to be resolved within 10 days. The CFL has contingency plans for operating the Rough Riders.

Former Toronto Argonauts general manager Mike McCarthy has been contacted about.becoming Ottawa's Kershaw.