by Jaime Lammerding
Saskatoon StarPhoenix
Bruce Korte’s Saskatoon team and Nancy Martin’s Martensville team came up just short of perfection at the Canadian Senior Curling Championships in Vernon, B.C., losing in their respective gold-medal finals on Saturday.
On the men’s side, Korte trailed 3-0 after five ends after Nova Scotia’s Paul Flemming stole a single in the third. However, Korte and his team of Rory Golanowski, Kory Kohuch and Darrell McKee fought back, picking up a double in the sixth and stealing a single of their own in the seventh to tie.
Flemming used the hammer to his advantage in the eight and final end, earning one point to claim the 4-3 victory.
Until this loss, Korte was undefeated at the event, going 6-0 in the round robin and defeating Manitoba’s Dave Boehmer 7-1 in the semifinal to earn a spot in the final.
Meanwhile, in the women’s final, Martin was up 4-2 after four ends, but it was only Ontario’s Susan Froud counting points after that as her team earned two in the fifth end to tie the game and then stole three in both the sixth and seventh ends.
Martin conceded the eighth end, giving Froud the 10-4 win.
The Martin team — which included Cathy Inglis, Nancy Inglis and Deanna Doig — hadn’t suffered a loss at the tournament before the final, securing a 6-0 round robin record and winning 7-2 over British Columbia’s Diane Gushulak in the semifinal.
QUAKERS ATOP PJHL STANDINGS
With 34 points to their name, the Saskatoon Quakers are the top-ranked team overall in the Prairie Junior Hockey League.
The Quakers have played 23 games since the season started in September, racking up a record of 16-5-0-2.
Only five points behind are the No. 3 Saskatoon Royals, who boast a record of 14-5-0-1 over 20 games, while the final Saskatoon-based team, the Westleys, are in sixth place with a 10-9-0-2 record and 22 points in 21 games.
The PJHL will wrap up the 2023 portion of their season on Dec. 23 with the Prince Albert Timberjacks travelling to Delisle for a game against the Chiefs.
SWIFT CURRENT AND P.A. BATTLE FOR FIRST IN SMAAAHL
Three months into the season, the Swift Current Legionnaires sit in first place in the Saskatchewan Male AAA Hockey League with 32 points (15-5-2) in 22 games; the Prince Albert Mintos are hot on their tail with 32 points (15-6-2) in 23 games.
In fourth place, with only 18 games under their belts — the fewest games played in the league — the Saskatoon Blazers hold the No. 4 spot with a 13-3-2 record for 28 points, while the Warman Wildcats, who also have 28 points (13-6-2) but in 21 games, are No. 5.
The Saskatoon Contacts are in 10th place, with a 8-12-2 record for 18 points in 22 games.
During the holiday break, Warman, Prince Albert and Swift Current will play in the Circle K Classic running Dec. 27 to Jan. 1 at the Max Bell Centre in Calgary and the Seven Chiefs Sportplex on Tsuut’ina Nation.
The event, formally known as the Mac’s U18 AAA Hockey Tournament, will feature 32 teams from Canada, the United States and Europe.
REGINA LEADS THE WAY IN FEMALE AAA HOCKEY
A 10-3-1-0 record in 14 games has culminated in 32 points for the Regina Avana Rebels and the No. 1 spot in the Saskatchewan Female U18 AAA Hockey League standings.
Sitting in second place are the Saskatoon Stars with 26 points (7-2-2-1) in 12 games, while the Prince Albert Northern Bears, also with 12 games, are in seventh with eight points (2-8-0-2). The league will enter its holiday break after games next weekend, which will include Saskatoon hosting Prince Albert on Dec. 17 at 5:15 p.m. at the Warman Home Centre Complex.
