The team of Robyn Silvernagle has won the provincial Scotties women's curling championship in Humboldt.
The Silvernagle team, based at Twin Rivers Curling Club, defeated defending champion Sherry Anderson by a final of 6-5 in the final game in Humboldt.
Like their two victories on Friday, when they defeated Chantelle Eberle 9-8 and Kristen Streifel 6-5, this was another dramatic come-from-behind win. Silvernagle had earlier led 1-0, 3-1, and 4-3, but trailed Anderson 5-4 going into the ninth.
However, in the ninth Silvernagle scored one to tie it at 5-5. The tenth end saw Anderson have the hammer, but Silvernagle was scoring two as Anderson threw her last rock. As Anderson was attempting her final shot, Silvernagle had left the ice surface and could not even watch as the play unfolded.
Anderson's final angle shot hit one of her own stones and rolled out, with the other rock hitting a second Silvernagle stone in the house. Silvernagle had the point, and the steal for the win.
That touched off a wild celebration among the Silvernagle team, who hugged each other after the win.
This was Silvernagle's third straight trip to the provincial women's final, and her first provincial Scotties title. Her winning rink includes third Stefanie Lawton, second Jessie Hunkin and lead Kara Thevenot. For Lawton, winning provincial titles is getting to be routine; she has won four titles previously.
The win is the high point so far of an amazing season for the Twin Rivers-based team, which was revamped to include Lawton and Hunkin in the off-season. The team had used the Northlands Power Curling Centre for their practices and had competed at the Pinty's Grand Slam of Curling tour stop in North Battleford, the Meridian Canadian Open, at the Civic Centre where local fans cheered them on.
In speaking to Devan Tasa of the Humboldt Journal following the game, Silvernagle paid tribute to the Battlefords for their support.
"Oh, the Battlefords. I'm going to tearing up talking about them because they've just been so incredible. I actually said to the girls Ian (Naismith), the icemaker North Battleford has done everything for us. He wanted this just as bad as we did. I know he's gonna be so happy and so proud. I know all of North Battleford was cheering for us and they've just been incredible. You know, at the slam, we had the biggest crowds of cheerleaders and they've just been so, so supportive of our dreams and allowing us to get there."
The team now has earned the right to represent Saskatchewan at the national Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Sydney, Nova Scotia.
