Thursday, February 10, 2011

Chase for the Playoffs

Only one of the top eight seeds has fallen at the 2011 Safeway Championship. David Bohn of the Assiniboine Memorial went bang bang this time around. He lost two close games to David Hamblin of Morris 8-7 and his first game in an extra end to Hamiota's Brent Strachan 9-7. Sometimes we fall on the wrong side of the inch and for Bohn and his team it was there turn.




Strachan is part of thr eight teams still alive on the "A" side of the championship so far. Strachan will play Brandon's number 3 seed Rob Fowler, number 1 seed Mike McEwen will play Deer Lodge's Sean Grassie, defending champion Jeff Stoughton of Charlsewood takens on Willie Lyburn and the final match up in the "A" qualifying games has Peter Nichols playing Vic Peters.



When and if you get the chance to come to Beausejour please take note of these three players who I believe don't get enough attention.



Steve Irwin - He often goes overlooked as the third for Terry McNamee. Steve is a very quite guy and he is making his return to the Safeway Championship after missing last year. His first son was born last year on the Thursday of the Safeway Championship. He is a great shooter and shows plenty of consistenty on the ice.



Alex Forrest - The second for Willie Lyburn of Deer Lodge. Alex was the runner-up last year the M & M Meat Shops Canadian Junior Curling Championship. In the last end of the final Alex missed a takeout to give his team a great chance to win and threw it just a bit wide. He teamed up this year with Willie Lyburn, James Kirkness and Greg Melnichuk. They are showing him the ropes of the men's game and are all consistent winners on the cash circuit. Alex also has a sibling that he can look up to. His brother Tyler Forrest was the lead for Jason Gunnlaugson this and last year.



Corey Chambers – Third for Sean Grassie. I curled with Corey for the past few years and he showed to me he has the potential to be one of the great curlers in Manitoba for years to come. You could compare his slide somewhat to John Morris but his slide is much slower. Corey can generate lots of power from his hack foot but backs it up by having a great finesse game.



Look for these curlers next time you have a chance and I promise you won’t be disappointed. All three of them are very quite but you can see the passion and intensity in their eyes while they play the game.

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