The Leader-Post from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada • 25

Mm, shoatina SilaoCcs By David Moser L-P Sports Writer It wasnt one of the most exciting games for the fans, but Gary Bryden will take it. Bryden edged Les Rogers 3-2 in an A-event quarter-final game Sunday night in the mens southern curling play-downs at the Agridome. Bryden and Rogers blanked six of the 10 ends as the two veteran skips played a game of chess on ice. From the sixth end, when Rogers tied the game at 2-2, until the 10th, when Bryden hit and stuck for the winning point, there wasnt more than one rock in the rings at one time. Its not the type of game spectators love to see, Reginas Bryden said, but in the winloss column it shows up OK.

Lesters team kept putting rocks where they wanted to put them and we were forced to play an open game. We took a long time before we got Lester to take a point (in the fourth) because he kept blanking ends so well. We were fortunate in the fifth to be able to pick up two. That was the turnaround because it gave us control. Rogers, whos curling out of Fillmore this year after playing a wait-and-see game to win it in the 10th.

There were just no chances to press his advantage of last rock. We were looking for a chance that maybe theyd throw one off the centre line and we could go around Bryden said. We were looking to be aggressive, we just never had the opportunity. They threw rocks on the centre line and it was so straight that if you decided to go around and didnt do it quite right, you could be working for them. So I was perhaps a little bit non-aggressive.

We dont like to leave it to the last end, thats just too scary. Anything could happen, it doesnt take much. As it was, third Dale Graham, second Wilf Foss and lead Gerry Zimmer were able to peel off all of Rogers guards. Lesters strategy was that sooner or later hes got to get an opportunity, it just never came, Bryden said. The three guys I play with can play any game and thats one of our strengths.

We can play half a game one way and switch if we have to. Harvey Mazinke, Reginas fourth team in the playdowns, lost both his games Sunday and plays in a C-event game this afternoon at 4:30. Results in Scoreboard section. competing in Regina for years, was philosophical about his loss in the A event. There are four teams that go to the provincials, said Rogers, who curls with third Terry Obst, second Butch Obst and lead Rod Finney.

Just because we lost one game only one team comes out of the A. There will be 31 other teams down where we are right now. Matter of fact, some have already gone by. In the other quarter-final games, Rick Thompson of Maryfield downed Reginas Vic Rogers 4-2, George Frechette of Moose Jaw beat Gary Stahn of Assiniboia 10-8 and Estevans Jim Packet edged Brad Hebert of Regina 5-4. The A-event semi-finals go in todays 12:30 p.m.

draw. Bryden and Thompson meet in one, and Packet and Frechette are matched in the other. The A final, and the first of four berths for the Labatt Tankard provincial championship which begin Thursday at the Agridome, is slated for Tuesdays 12:30 p.m. draw. The final is Wednesday, starting at 2:30 p.m., and the two finals are also Wednesday, 8 p.m.

Against Rogers, Bryden had little choice but to play the hitting game. He wasnt laying back after the sixth end and Dacey believes his curling rink has right stuff cey said. This is a business trip for us. Were down here to win some green sweaters. Saskatoons Eugene Hritzuk, the defending provincial champion, is another favorite coming out of the north.

Hritzuk, the qualifier in Saskatoon, won his first game 4-3 over Terry Marteniuk of Yorkton. Hritzuk has now won eight of his last 10 playdowns games with last rock. We didnt take any chances; we played the game simple, Hritzuk said. The atmosphere and the ice was just like at the Brier. This kind of thing is great for curling.

Other skips winning opening-day games were Bryan Derbowka of Yorkton, Bob Costain of Prince Albert, Ken Bell of North Battleford, Jim Walker of Perdue, Glen Pryor, also of Prince Albert, and Len Booth of Meadow Lake. Dacey also mentioned the Brier, to held March 5-12 in Saskatoon. He talked about his teams goal. Two years ago, when we got the Brier in Saskatoon, we said, Thats perfect timing for us, we should be gelling by then, Dacey said. Its going good now and we still have high hopes to play in the Brier.

Results in Scoreboard section. More curling on Page D2. Eugene Hritzuk isnt asking for much. All he wants is to do a little bit better, go a little bit further, than he did a year ago. Ordinarily, a little bit better and a little bit further might not be enough to significantly distinguish one year from any other.

In this case, however, it would make a world of difference. A little bit better and a little bit further would take Hritzuk to the top in Canadian mens curling. Everybody wants to do better than they did the previous year, Hritzuk was saying Sunday night. The only way we can do better is to be the best team in Canada. Last year, Eugene Hritzuk, Del Shaughnessy, Murray Soparlo and Don Dabrowski were the second-best team in Canada.

The Saskatoon Nutana foursome came within one disastrous end of winning the Brier. They were ahead 7-5 coming home and lost 8-7 to Albertas Pat Ryan. The scoreboard didnt show it, but we feel we were better than Ryan, Hritzuk said. "Wed like to get back there and prove it. To get back there, Hritzuk and company will have to turn aside all challengers at the Agridome this week.

The first step is to emerge from northern play downs. In their opening game yesterday, the defending provincial champions beat the Terry Marteniuk foursome from Yorkton. It was a 4-3 decision and typical of the way things have been going lately an exchange of singles, an exchange of deuces, five blank ends, and an open hit with the hammer to win it in the 10th. This year, Hritzuk said, were capable of playing a more balanced game. We didnt hit as well last year.

We got into the junk games, which are really unnerving. Were keeping it more simple this year. The idea is to avoid the pitfalls that might sabotage their chances of another shot at the Brier, which has been in the back of their minds ever since they lined up to shake hands with Ryan and his boys. It was only 15 minutes after that game, Hritzuk said, when my lead (Dabrowski) came up to me and said, Well, were going to have to get back, and were going to have to win it. We came very close, and you dont know if youll ever get another chance, Shaughnessy said.

It was nice to get that close, but on the other hand, when you get that close and you dont win, its very disappointing. It hurt for a long time. It stayed with us the whole summer. People were always reminding us of it. Needless to say, the reminders continued into the curling season.

As anyone who has ever defended a championship can tell you, your opponents will first congratulate you and then try to clobber you. Said Shaughnessy: Theyre a lot more up for us than we are for them. To a man, they believe theyre a better team this year. Thats good, because theyre going to have to be. Everybody is going to be coming after them.

Theyll be challenged and theyll have to respond. We havent been resting on our laurels, said Hritzuk. Weve worked our butts off. Last year we were an unknown quantity. This year were not.

We wont catch anybody by surprise. We bring out the best in teams. It is curlings version of the toughest-guy-in-town contest and it doesnt end until youre dethroned, until youre no longer the toughest guy in town. Hritzuk is determined to prolong it for another year. Whether or not we win it all is not the important thing, he said.

The important thing is that we feel we can. I certainly feel more confident than I did last year, and I think the whole team does, because weve been through that whole scenario. The Brier was certainly not a bad experience. There was nothing negative about it, except that we didnt get to Switzerland, and I heard the weather was beautiful during the world championship. I dont know if we thought we were good enough to be the No.

1 team in Canada last year. Now we feel we can be. Ive got the perfect curling team, quite frankly. Its the perfect mixture of ability and personality. I dont think anybody could have a better mix.

Its perfect. Yes, but can it do a little better, can it go a little further, than it did a year ago? Pictured clockwise from top left are: skip Eugene Hritzuk; skip Terry Marteniuk; skip George Frechette and his third Norm Hales; Brad Hebert's third Dale Beare; skip Hebert; and skip Jim Packet. By David Moser L-P Sports Writer Mark Dacey should have fond memories of Regina. The last time he was here, he went home $14,000 richer after winning a major cash bonspiel. This time, the prize up for grabs at the Agridome is not cash for the winner, its the honor of wearing this provinces colors at the Labatt Brier.

Dacey, who curls out of Saskatoon, believes he is skipping one of the top rinks in northern playdowns. He won his opening game Sunday with an 8-2 decision over Rob Ewen of If you go through the bonspiel season to handicap teams, we still won more money ($19,000) than anyone out here, Dacey said. So, as far as Im concerned, were the favorites. We have no experience here, but I still think were one of the top rinks. Dacey, third Scott Coghlan, second Tony Koral and lead Dave Mellof, won the A event in Saskatoon.

It marked the first time in three tries that they were able to qualify for northern playdowns. Dacey wants to be one of four northern skips to reach the provincial finals, which begin Thursday. We need four wins to qualify and this was one so theres three to go, Da Gaylene Senft (a substitute) and lead Shawna Phaff. I was sure she had T-line weight. Not until it hit the hog line did I realize it was going through the house.

It was more disbelief than anything else. I never thought wed be two ahead going home. It was definitely the break we needed. Weiss created two other important breaks. Her draw to the button in the sixth end staved off Fahlmans bid to steal two, narrowing the gap to 4-2.

Fahlman Counted one in the seventh, but Weiss responded with a double takeout which produced two crucial points heading Fahlman loses three finals Koch watches team come back into the eventful ninth end. Fahlman ran out of rocks in the 10th, to" the delight of a predominantly pro-Koch gallery. Fahlman and Inglis declined comment; after the game. An ailing Koch was in better spirits, vowing to return by Thursday. Tomorrow, she said, I plan to the doctor.

Despite all the adversity, the southerns; were just what the doctor ordered for Koch. I Its strange, she said, but its almost like an omen. Judy was sick for regionals and we won' the A event. I was sick for this one. Maybet somebody should get sick next time.

I1 Results in Scoreboard section. Leader-Post photos by Bryan Schlosser first provincial championship providing she returns to health. It was really hard to watch, said Koch, who curled once during four days of competition. I did more skipping upstairs than I ever did in my life. A couple of times, Dena heard me, too.

The Koch foursome will be joined at the Agridome by three other southern representatives Crystal Brunas of Gray, the Tartans Michelle Schneider and Darlene Ruuth of Loreburn. Brunass foursome, which also includes third Dorenda Schoenhals, second Randi Kelly and lead Rochelle Balfour, earned the first southern berth by defeating Fahlman 6-3 in Saturdays A final. Brunas won the 1977 provincial title. Fahlman also lost 6-5 to Schneider in Sundays final. Schneider, third Joan Strieker, second Lori Kehler and lead Leanne Eberle are the defending provincial champions.

In the other final, Ruuth, third Sharon Wankel, second Shirl Flink and lead Shirley Knutson defeated Mossbanks Gwen Kowalski rink 10-8 in 11 ends. As that game raged on, a dejected Fahlman sat by the rink, staring straight ahead. Words of consolation offered by third Sandra Peterson, second Jan Betker and lead Joan Inglis appeared to be of little solace to Fahlman, whose missed ninth-end draw gave Weiss a decisive steal of three. I wasnt paying much attention to it, said Weiss, who curled alongside third Judy Blythman (normally a second), second By Rob Vanstone L-P Sports Writer MAPLE CREEK Until late Sunday afternoon, it appeared Lady Luck had launched a cruel conspiracy against Myrna Koch and associates. Grounded by the flu, Koch was a reluctant spectator as her rink contested one of two C-event titles at the southern womens curling playdowns.

To complicate matters, replacement skip Dena Weiss normally the third on Kochs Maple Creek rink trailed the Tartans Kathy Fahlman 4-1 after five ends. Advantage, Fahlman. After the fifth end, however, Lady Luck slipped quietly out of the Maple Creek Curl- ing Club. Schneider Weiss proceeded to seize the momentum, engineering a 7-5 comeback victory over Fahlman the 1987 Saskatchewan champion. Were going to provincials, Weiss said, beaming.

This is something Ive always dreamed about. Those dreams will be realized Thursday, when the Scott Tournament of Hearts provincial championship begins at the Agridome. After four unsuccessful appearances at the southerns, Koch will compete in her McGeary grabs berth By L-P Sports Staff Lori McGeary of Saskatoon defeated Susan Altman of Foam Lake 9-2 in a C-event final of the northern womens provincial curling playdowns In Melfort on Sunday to advance to the provincial championship. McGeary, the 1984 and 1986 provincial champion, lost the A-event final 4-3 to Sherry Anderson of Foam Lake on Saturday. Marnie McNiven of Saskatoon won the event by beating Heather MacMillan of Saskatoon 7-1 in eight ends.

MacMillan rebounded from the loss to defeat Charlene Goodwin of Saskatoon 10-9 in the other C-event final. The four northern qualifiers advance to the provincial championship which begins Thursday at the Regina Agridome. Results and rosters in Scoreboard section. ryTHRr Scoreboard D5, DO 1 AtlfiMiAiftiWil.