Great experience for curlers at Provincials

Times Reporter   

 

Strathmore High School’s skip Jason Wilson, second Jesse Luehr, third Scott Thurston, and lead Aidan Anderson blew through curling zones in Drumheller Feb. 14-15. The boys team sadly didn’t have a similar record at Provincials in Leduc from March 7-8, as they failed to make it out of round robin play after three games.

“It was unfortunate,” coach Michelle Ledene said of the Spartans. “We were close – but that’s experience. Next year, hopefully we’ll get back and have that chance to really step it up a notch.”

Losing their first game 5-2 to Red Deer, and winning their second 9-3 against Edmonton, Strathmore High’s futures lay on their third game finish.

“Had we won that third game, there would have been a three-way tie, and we would have gone into a tie-breaker,” Ledene said.

Against Lloydminister, the game started strong for the Spartans, who jumped to a 6-1 lead by the end of the fourth. However, Lloydminister conquered back with steals, winning 7-6. They eventually went on to place second in Alberta.

“We could’ve won that game,” Ledene said. “It was really disappointing for us. They had actually improved. They played really solid, and they were all making their shots. Then, just little misses from everybody. That just adds up when you’re playing a tough team like that, who capitalize on your misses.”

All four boys will hopefully return next season – Wilson and Luehr are in Grade 11, while Thurston and Anderson are in Grade 10. This year’s experience will help build them for 2015.

“The hard part is going to be getting out of zones,” Ledene said. “Once you’re at zones, it doesn’t get any easier. Provincials are of really high caliber. One of the umpires there said, these are the kids who are going to be our future Olympians, and our future Scotties and Brier players.”

Scotties Team Alberta curler Val Sweeting was on hand at Provincials to speak to all the junior curlers.

“It’s very inspiring for the kids to hear that they got kind of the same start that she had. It was very motivating,” Ledene said. “It was quite nice for the kids to see a different side of a famous curler that they can look up to.”

Ledene expressed that her team is worth looking up to as well.

“We’re so proud of these boys, both on and off the ice,” she said. “They’re gentlemen and they’re just excellent representatives of Strathmore High School.”