By Melissa Murray
NAPANEE, Ont. (04/02/12) Alberta Skip, Brendan Bottcher, 20, yells at the sweepers while watching a rock glide down the ice, Saturday, Feb. 4, 2012 in Napanee Ont. during the Canadian junior curling championship. The mens team won their first game of the tournament against B.C. 7-2 in the eighth end. The tournament runs from February 4 until the 12. Photo by Melissa Murray.
Four teams made a clean sweep at the Canadian junior curling championship in Napanee, after the first weekend of play.
Each day, more than 20 games are played to move the 13 men’s and women’s teams through the tournament.
The women’s Alberta team beat out British Columbia and Saskatchewan on Saturday and Prince Edward Island and Ontario on Sunday.
On the men’s side, Alberta, Quebec and Northern Ontario, all had a perfect record of 4-0.
But by Tuesday, only two teams were still undefeated, becoming quick favourites for spectators at the competition, said Stephen Paul chair of the host committee.
“The Alberta teams have been playing extremely well, with a 6-0 streak for both the men’s and women’s teams,” said Paul.
And the crowds have responded.
“The crowds have been exuberant. The teams brought friends and family from all across Canada and they’ve brought their flags and cowbells to all the games,” said Paul.
Alberta skip Brendan Bottcher, 20, and two of his teammates are familiar with the championship. Both lead Bryce Bucholz, 19, and second Landon Bucholz, 19, curled with Bottcher in 2010. Between them and their teammate Evan Asmussen, they have logged 42 years of playing experience.
Their counterpart, the women’s team, played in the 2011 Canadian Winter Games and won silver. They too, have played the game for most of their lives, logging 45 years of curling between each teammate.
The Alberta women’s team squeaked by British Columbia during their first match when British Columbia skip, Kesa Van Osch, narrowly missed the last shot in the 10th end, to give Alberta the win 9-8.
Not every team has as much experience as the Alberta teams. The men’s and women’s Newfoundland leads, Brendan Murphy and Nicole Noseworthy, have only been curling for one year and the men’s Prince Edward Island team has an average career of just over four years.
Both Ontario teams have the most experience on the men’s side. Northern Ontario has 47 years of experience, while the Ontario team has 51 years.
The girls beat out the boys in experience, though, with Prince Edward Island’s team logging 55 years of experience between the four 20-year-old girls.
Some players are also making and breaking appearance records.
Will Mahoney, Mitch Young and Thomas Scoffin of the Yukon will make this tournament their sixth appearance at the Canadian Juniors, tying them with three other people. David Aho of the Northwest Territories switched to the Yukon team after six appearances in the tournament. He now has the most appearances of any player at a Canadian junior championship with seven appearances.
Chelsea Duncan and Linea Eby of the Yukon are tied with each other for the most appearances at the junior championship each competing six times.
Last year, Regina’s Saskatchewan went 13-0, but this year their Saskatoon club is representing Saskatchewan and they are off to a rocky start with two wins and two losses.
More round-robin games will be played throughout the week.
The women’s final game will be held on Saturday Feb. 11, and the men’s game will be held the following day. First rocks for both games are thrown at 7 p.m. Each of the games will be televised on TSN. “We are really excited to show off the tournament and Napanee to the country during the final games,” said Paul.
The winner of the tournament will represent Canada at the World Juniors at Östersund, Sweden from March 3-11.
SIDEBAR:
Undefeated Records Mens:
1952- Saskatchewan 9-0
1962-Saskatchewan 10-0
1963- Alberta 10-0
1986- Manitoba 12-0
2011- Saskatchewan 13-0
Undefeated Records Womens:
1975- Saskatchewan 10-0
1978- Alberta 10-0
1989-Manitoba 11-0
2010-Ontario 13-0
The last men’s back-to-back winner was Alberta in 2006 and 2007.
The last women’s back-to-back winner was Manitoba in 2008 and 2009.