THUNDER BAY – Winning isn’t supposed to be easy.
Skip Claire Dubinsky realized that twice on Saturday, needing final-end steals to pull out a pair of victories.
In her second game of the day, Dubinsky orchestrated a deuce in the seventh to even her match against Rachel Stoddart’s foursome, and stole a single in the eighth to pull out a 4-3 win at the Fort William Curling Club.
Then, hours later, she did it again, this time stealing three in the eighth, a bump and stick on her final stone leaving Dominique Vivier a tricky draw to limit the damage facing three in the four-foot.
The shot missed its target, staying a little too wide, and Dubinsky, lead Lily Ariganello, second Bella McCarville and third Rylie Paul had eked out a stunning 7-6 triumph and left themselves as the lone undefeated team in the six-team woman’s field after Day 1 of curling at the Ontario Winter Games.
Vivier and Deanna Chilton are tied for second at 2-1.
“We were down two and they had hammer, so we kept as many rocks in play as we could. It got messy,” Dubinsky said.
“On that last shot, I was really just focused, dialed in and tried to make it for my team. I knew we were in a good spot. I knew we were sitting well, but I really wanted to make sure (Vivier) threw her last.”
It was a struggle most of the contest for the Thunder Bay team, who curl out of the Kakabeka Falls Curling Club.
They gave up a deuce in the first end and a potentially game-deciding three in the sixth, but got one back in the seventh and played a near perfect eighth, helped by some untimely misses by Team Vivier, whose lineup includes Sydney Anderson at lead, Toula Pappas at second and Brooklyn Ideson playing third.
“Our team is great at shaking it off. If something bad happens, something goes wrong, we bounce back,” the 16-year-old Dubinsky said.
“We’re really great, when something doesn’t go our way. We smile, we give each other pats on the back, and even something like a ‘nice slide,’ that can really make the difference.”
That doesn’t mean the foursome has nerves of steel.
Paul said they knew they had a tough task after six ends, down three to a team that wasn’t missing many shots.
Getting one in seven made it a little easier, but still almost as daunting, forced to steal two without hammer.
“It was super scary. I didn’t make my one shot and I was like, oh shoot, they might have a double here. But I definitely think we stuck it out and we kept our spirits up and I think that’s what pulled us through and kept us in the game,” Paul said.
Team Dubinsky entered the games fresh off a win at the Northern Ontario U21 Curling Championships, earning themselves a spot at nationals.
That’s down the road. For now, their focus is squarely on Katrina Frian’s team, first up as play continues Sunday at noon.
“We’re definitely a one-game, one-day-at-a-time type team. We don’t really like to look to the future. We just like to keep it one game at a time, nice and light and airy, just have fun and really keep our pace slow.”
Thunder Bay’s Josh Hari was also on the ice, but couldn’t come up with a win against Tyler MacTavish, falling 7-3 on Saturday night to fall to 0-3.
They’ll take on Dylan Stockton on Sunday at noon.
In mixed doubles, Jackson Dubinsky and Karli Hicklin were edged 9-8 by Team Emiry/Cassidy and sit at 0-2. Brayden Sinclair and Lily Wright are 1-1 after Day 1.
