There were more than just provincial bragging rights on the line Saturday night as Ontario鈥檚 Matthew Hall faced Northern Ontario鈥檚 Tanner Horgan in what was very much a heated rivalry.
There was the privilege of qualifying for today鈥檚 final and, eventually, the right to don sa国际传媒鈥檚 colours.
Hall will have that opportunity after defeating Horgan 7-6 in an extra end in the Canadian Junior Men鈥檚 Curling Championship semi-final.
Hall now faces sa国际传媒鈥檚 Tyler Tardi in today鈥檚 1:30 p.m. final at Archie Browning Sports Centre where the latter should have plenty of fan support. sa国际传媒 defeated Ontario 5-4 during the week and lost just once, to Saskatchewan, which did not qualify for the championship round.
The Canadian champions, for both the men and women, will go on to the World Junior Championships, Feb. 16-26, in Gangneung, South Korea. It鈥檚 been 16 years since a sa国际传媒 junior men鈥檚 team has won nationals.
鈥淵ou get in there and you鈥檙e just playing the game, right. It鈥檚 always been the dream of mine to have that shot at winning and have that Maple Leaf on my back and I鈥檓 so happy that I at least get the chance to do that,鈥� Hall said of the opportunity.
鈥淲e have to come out with our best stuff [in today鈥檚 final]. We know they will and it should be a good game. We鈥檙e ready to play 10 or 11 more ends, if that鈥檚 what it takes.鈥�
Horgan, last year鈥檚 silver medallist, gave up a four-ender in the pivotal seventh, but managed to record a deuce in the 10th to force the extra end.
Hall, and his team of Jeff Wanless at third and brothers Joey and David Hart at second and lead, respectively, had a hit for the win and made no mistake in the 11th.
In the women鈥檚 semifinal, there was no stress for Alberta鈥檚 Kristen Streifel as she soundly handled Northern Ontario鈥檚 Krysta Burns 7-3.
Tied 1-1 after four ends, the game changed in the fifth as Burns was short with her first draw attempt and then heavy on her second and wrecked on her own rock up front, which gave up a steal of two to Alberta for a 3-1 lead.
Burns鈥� hit in the sixth was wide and the Moose calls from Northern Ontario fans went dead silent when she gave up another steal of two for a 5-1 deficit, followed by another swipe of one in the seventh as Burns obviously didn鈥檛 have her best on this day.
Streifel and her rink of third Chantele Broderson, second Kate Goodhelpsen and lead Brenna Bilassy now faces undefeated Hailey Armstrong of Ontario this morning at 9 for gold and the right to represent sa国际传媒.
鈥淨uite honestly, I think [Sunday] is a fresh day,鈥� said Streifel, who lost 7-3 to Armstrong on Friday. 鈥淲e just had one or two ends go the wrong way for us, but other than that it was a close game.
鈥淚鈥檓 looking forward to it. They鈥檝e obviously proven themselves all week so we鈥檙e just going to have to focus on our game and, hopefully, we can get the momentum on our side and go from there.鈥�
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