The Winnipeg Sun from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada • 52

52 THE WINNIPEG SUN Sunday February 13 1994 Streak stops THOMPSON Dale Duguid incred- lble run came to an abrupt halt hero yesterday V- Duguid GTanlte foursome was swept i out of the 1994 Labatt Tankard in an uncharacteristic two straight games at the A Nesbitt Arena By JIM BENDER Sun Staff Writer THOMPSON Selkirk ice If you can believe it there were even uggestlona that a city employee just couldn't relate to such white-collar workers as Burtnyk and Stoughton Both Burt-nyk and Stoughton by the way always defended Smith First St Dave Smith beat Duguid 7-4 in the A-side final then Jeff Ryan of Deer Lodge took no pity on the No 1 seed eliminating Duguid 4-2 thought that we had a real good chance a real good shot" said Duguid who maintained a classy decorum moments alter his frustrating loss to Ryan "Obviously there were some big names missing here like Vic Peters But beaten Vic this year" Duguid had entered the Tankard on a high after winning his second Grand Aggregate in the Manitoba Curling Association annual spiel "We were on a pretty good ho "said "We were 26-4 in our last 30 games" '-Jm But the team went 0-2 yesterday and it was all for naught 'C V3' ''TdiidIi luck was just one of those said "Duguid -who was supported by third Chris Fulsher second Al Purdy and Scott McFadyen "Things just going right we lost both tosses and when you get down into the eights facing tough teams" Duguid put in a plug for a proposed change to the Tankard draw Ralph Mc-Fadyen Scott father has submitted an official proposal to adopt a draw loosely based on the McCain SuperSpiel one where a team would not be eliminated Who's a bum now? There has been a lot of whispers the past few years unfairly blaming Dave Smith for the demise of some pretty fine curlers Smith became the whipping boy when Assinibolne Kerry Burtnyk foiled to qualify for the Tankard for the first time in a decade with Smith at third in 1991 then again in 92 Returning to third for former Manitoba champ JefT Stoughton then of Wildewood Smith made it back to the Tankard last season But early elimination caused tongues to wag before the team even slid off the But the bum is back Skipping his own team out of the St Vital Smith is on the verge of a heroic slide into his first La bait Brier Super for Dave Smith 29 knocked IT top-seeded Dale Duguid 7-4 in the A-side final of the 1994 Labatt Tankard before a surprisingly sparse crowd hero at the CA Nesbitt Arena yesterday morning Duguid was later ousted 4-2 by JeiTRyan of Deer Lodge it is kind -of nice for conceded Smith's third Peter Nicholls who was a key player in the victory "But you just never know when different combina tions are going to click" To his credit Smith has refrained from rubbing it in He left Stoughton voluntarily and denied nny revenge factor when he beat his former skip Friday And Smith who has no doubt heard the knocks against him has made no noise about having something to prove here very quiet" Nicholls said "But he a great player" Of course probably why Burtnyk and Stoughton had asked Smith to join them in the first place "Yeah a little surprised" admitted Smith referring to his current Tankard position "But played with these teams all year and we can beat them We know what to Reality sinks In Yet the possibility of reaching such a lolly height only started sinking in late Friday night the No 6 seed said "Being only one game away is the biggest part of It" said Smith who is also supported by second Scott Grant and Char lie Salina "It feels good really Nicholls said "But we have to keep it in perspective that we haven't won anything Indeed Smith was upended by Doug Armour of Souris 8-8 in a B-side semifinal last night Armour will face Ryan who eliminated Charieswood Stoughton 84 in the B-side final today at 2 pm The winner faces Smith in the A-B final today at 7 pm In late games Friday Orest Meleschuk Mordent Bob Gcnoway Ray McPhall and Glen Hobson were eliminated CJOB will broadcast tho finals live You ain't seen nothing yet: Smith by two losses "I like the double knockout-double knockout draw (the said Duguid whose opinion has not been sought by the MCA 1 The Tankard committee is expected to discuss the proposal within the next qualified for this Tankard with al different team) Nicholls actually declined an offer from another skip in this year Tankard to play with Smith Then Vic Peters gave them the tip that -Charlie Salina was moving here from Thunder Bay Salina was the fifth man for Northern Rick Lang at last 1 year Brier 4 And the new foursome made an immediate impact on the Manitoba Curling THOMPSON fanny things happened to Dave Smith team on the way to the Thompson Tankard Smith and third Peter Nicholls had discussed hooking up together three years back' But then Kerry Burtnyk called Smith8 "I blame him I gono with Burtnyk said Nicholls who has bounced from Jeff Tipping to Clare Dc-- Blonde to Doug Harrison to Bob Slgurdsoa After spending a season with Jeff Stoughton Smith decided to return to the Us again Nicholls he needed a break from the grind (yet helm' and called Nicholls again Nicholls rl ItAAN nlavlnfl for Slgurdsoo but their skip had decided month v- '-'In the end though it was the A-side final loss to Smith that spelled the be- 1 Smith cautioned Just our firsts i- "We haven't even reached bur prime ginning of the end for Duguid f-- "That was unfortunate" we play collectively better we win But that the way the curling game year together'.