REGINA – It was like a good-old fashioned game of Canadian ground hockey – last shot wins.
Unfortunately for Thunder Bay’s Trevor Bonot, it was another Northern Ontarian who made the shot, handing the Fort William Curling Club foursome their first loss at the 2024 Montana’s Brier.
Sault Ste. Marie’s Brad Jacobs, throwing skip stones for Reid Carruthers Manitoba foursome, made a hit-and-stick for one in an extra end on Sunday night, earning his team a hard-fought 9-8 win, their second of the day and third in three appearances this week.
Bonot had attempted to bury his final stone behind cover and force Jacobs to a draw, but left a little too much rock showing and Jacobs pounced.
Bonot, third Mike McCarville, second Jordan Potts and lead Kurtis Byrd forced the extra end with a hit for two in the 10th.
The two teams traded deuces throughout the match, Bonot picking up two in each of the third, fifth, seventh and 10th ends, Manitoba in the second, fourth, sixth and ninth ends.
The Northern Ontario champs dropped to 2-1 at the Brier, tied for third in Pool A. The top three teams advance to the playoff round.
In other action Alberta’s Brendan Bottcher matched Carruthers at 3-0, downing Ontario’s Scott Howard 8-2.
BC’s Catlin Schneider picked up his first win of the week with a 7-2 win over Andrew Symonds’ Newfoundland and Labrador rink and Yukon’s Thomas Scoffin scored the first five-ender of this year’s Brier in the 10th end to knock off New Brunswick’s Jamie Grattan 11-7.
Bonot will face another tough test on Monday when he takes on Bottcher in the afternoon draw.
