Estevan’s Team Janssen was a newly formed rink at the annual McComb Automotive Youth Spiel at the Power Dodge Curling Centre this weekend, but that didn’t stop them from going 4-0 in the tournament and taking home the under-15 gold medal.
Team Janssen, which includes Kolby Janssen, Sarah Leverton, Megan Parsons, Conner Piche and Kristen Carlson, began the weekend with a Friday night victory over Team Kmita. The next morning Team Janssen beat Team Blancard before stopping fellow Estevan rink Team Keating at midday, setting up a final game with Team Magyar later that afternoon.
“They were pretty good,” said Kolby, 14, about their Saturday afternoon opponents. “We just put a lot of guards out there to make sure we draw a lot and try to take a little momentum and make it a challenge for them and us too.”
The Janssen rink beat Team Magyar 7-2 thanks in part to stealing two in the sixth and final end. The Estevan rink seemed to score at will in the game, recording multiple points both with the hammer and without.
Kolby said he usually plays with Team Johnson, which includes Kyle Johnson, Lucas Wallewein, Rachel Kramer and Caitlyn Green. They finished with a 0-3 record in the under-18 bracket of the McComb’s Youth Spiel. He said Estevan Curling Club manager Pauline Ziehl Grimsrud asked him to skip the U15 team this weekend, considering his prior experience, and everyone seemed to come together well.
“The team has been pretty good,” he said. “The kids this week all know each other. I know them from Estevan. I curl with them with the league here, not with a team together, but I’ve curled with them before.”
Also curling out of Estevan in the U15 bracket was the Keating rink of Jamison Keating, Angelle Avery, Kayle Carlson and Katrina Zinchuk, who finished with a 0-4 record. Joining Team Johnson in the U18 division was a second Janssen rink, consisting of Cameron Janssen, Trey McIntyre, Selena DeBruyne and Renai Easton, who finished 1-2 in the spiel. Team Ryan, who is skipped by Jaedon Miller and includes Rachel Ryan, Laurel Oberkirsch and Jordan Walter, won the U18 gold medal with a 10-5 finals win over Team Murray.
Ziehl Grimsrud said she was pleased with the Youth Spiel's turnout considering the -25 C weather blanketing the region over the two days. She said many families stayed overnight on Friday and kept the curling centre busy with activity during the weekend cheering on the kids.
“Anybody who would have come down would have been impressed with the shot making that was going on,” said Ziehl Grimsrud, noting teams from Regina, Assiniboia, Moose Jaw, Gainsborough, Weyburn and Estevan competed at the event. “We had a huge coverage of the southeast corner, so I was really happy with that.”
