Three Saskatchewan High School Athletics Association (SHSAA) high school provincial curling championships will be contested this coming weekend, March 2-4, 2012. Weyburn will host the boys and girls championships while Cabri will host the mixed championships at the Abbey curling rink.
Each of the three championships will consist of eight teams in a triple knockout format leading to four qualifiers taking part in a championship round to determine the medalists.
The eight teams participating in each championship were decided through regional action played out Feb. 17-18 at various locations across the province.
Boys curling in Weyburn involves Swift Current, Assiniboia, Estevan, Weyburn, Foam Lake, North Battleford Comprehensive High School, Saskatoon's Holy Cross and the Yorkton Regional High School.
The YRHS senior boys curling team advanced to SHSAA regional curling action in Foam Lake over the long weekend.
Coach Lana Stanek-Sebastian told the media that the team is now headed to the SHSAA provincial tournament which is scheduled for March 2 in Weyburn.
"The boys defeated Melfort on the Friday (Feb. 16) then PA (Prince Albert) St. Mary's later in the day. On Saturday morning they had a game against Zenon Park that gave them a good challenge but they rallied in the fifth end and (staged) a comeback to win by three."
The YRHS boys team is: Paul Toth (skip), Brennen Peleshytyk (third), Darren Tillman (second), Ryan Nagy (lead).
Coach Stanek-Sebastian is joined by two other coaches on the YRHS team, Cindy Smith and Gerald Shymko.
Stanek-Sebastian told YTW she couldn't be happier the way this team operates.
"This team is a pleasure to watch. As well as displaying consistent skill and precision in the game, they are mature and conduct themselves with (true) sportsmanship, in all situations."
She added that the provincials will be held in Weyburn on March 2-3. Eight teams from the province will play off in a triple knockout format.
Their biggest test came against Zenon Park when they found themselves trailing by two after four ends.
"Ryan and Paul weren't in it for the first four ends," recalled Stanek-Sebastian.
"The ice was heavy," remarked Nagy.
Going into the SHSAA provincials, nobody in orange seems to be nervous.
At least not yet.
Toth said there's no pressure, at least "not right now".
Adding curling to his round of high school sports, Toth isn't new to pressure. In a football game in the fall, he was part of a roughed-up YRHS squad that was down almost all night long.
He said it's hard to compare curling pressure to football pressure.
"I don't think it helps for the curling," he says before talking about the difference in the size of the two teams.
Toth said he wasn't worried. The Zenon Park game was on the 'A' side and he wasn't worried if they slipped to the 'B' side.
Toth added that his favourite part of the game was "when it was over".
Both he, Nagy and Stanek Sebastian said they are leaving the YRHS on Thursday to get ready to leave for Weyburn.
Coach Stanek-Sebastian said the team can be followed on the school's twitter account (#yrhs).
