Spartans capture first provincial curling title

Posted on: Staff Writer

From edition: March 9 2018 Strathmore Times

By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter

The Strathmore Spartans celebrate with their first provincial curling title in school history. The team of coach Brad Steele (l) and curlers Cheldynn Molnar, Nick Slater, Micayla Kooistra and skip John Damen, alongside coach Michelle Ledene pose with the newest banner to hang on the gym walls. Photo Courtesy of the Strathmore High School

The Strathmore Spartans celebrate with their first provincial curling title in school history. The team of coach Brad Steele (l) and curlers Cheldynn Molnar, Nick Slater, Micayla Kooistra and skip John Damen, alongside coach Michelle Ledene pose with the newest banner to hang on the gym walls.
Photo Courtesy of the Strathmore High School
For the first time in school history, the Strathmore High School Spartans can hang a provincial curling banner among the several other provincial championship banners that crowd their gym walls.
Competing in the mixed curling event, the Spartans cooked the Barrhead Composite High School Gyrphons 10-6 March 3 during the 3A Alberta School’s Athletic Association provincial final at the St. Albert Curling Club.
John Damen skipped the rink, with Micayla Kooistra as third, Nick Slater as second and Cheldynn Molnar as lead.
The dramatic final was tied 6-6 after eight ends and required an extra end, where the Spartans came up clutch with four massive points.
It capped off an amazing weekend for the mixed team that saw them finish 5-1, averaging 11.95 points per game while only allowing 5.61 points per game. They also played great without the hammer, stealing points 50 per cent of the time.
In the semis, the Spartans brushed back the Chinook High School Coyotes of Lethbridge 6-2.
The Spartans cruised through the round robin with a 3-1 record, with wins over the Catholic Central High School Cougars of Lethbridge 10-2, the St. Albert Catholic/Paul Kane High School Bears 12-2 and opened the weekend with a 7-3 win over the Delia School Bulldogs. Their only loss came in their second draw against Dr. Folkins Community School Cavaliers of Chauvin 8-4.
There was no men’s or women’s Spartan teams at provincials.
The mixed team will be celebrated during the next school-wide assembly.