One lopsided win and one nailbiter qualified Alyssa Connell and her rink for the B.C. junior women's curling championship.
Connell and her Prince George Golf and Curling Club team - including Bailey Eberherr at third, Jordan Henson at second and Erin Ross at lead - defeated the Carly Connor foursome, also from Prince George, in a weekend north region playdown. In a best-of-three format, Connell won 9-2 in Saturday morning's opener and battled to a 7-6 decision later in the day. Both games were played at the PGGCC.
Connor's rink features third Hannah Lindner, second Lorelei Guidos and lead Carsyn Hamilton.
In the first game, Connell stole a single point in the fifth end for a 5-2 advantage and then stole four more points in the next three ends (one in the sixth, two in the seventh and one in the eighth) to seal the victory.
In the much tighter afternoon game, Connor came out strong. Helped by a steal of two in the third end, she was up 4-2 at the fifth-end break. Connell fought back with a deuce in the sixth and the score was tied. Connor, with the hammer in her possession, settled for a single point in the seventh end but then stole a single in the eighth and was back in front, 6-4. Connell closed the gap to 6-5 in the ninth end and pulled off a steal of two in the 10th for the win.
Provincials (women and men) will be held Dec. 27 to Jan. 1 at the Royal City Curling Club in New Westminster. Team Connell is one of eight in the women's draw. Prince George will not be represented on the men's side.
Winners will advance to the Canadian junior championships, Jan. 21-29 in Esquimalt.
