Team Johnston clicking at the right time at playdowns

THUNDER BAY – Dylan Johnston rink continues to roll along.

The foursome, which includes lead Brennan Wark, second Jordan Potter and third Chris Briand, made a hit-and-stick for one on Friday night in the 10^th end to edge Brian Adams Jr. 5-4, keeping Johnston and his teammates on the B-side of the bracket.

Johnston moves on to play Sandy MacEwan in the B-side qualifier, the winner getting an automatic berth in Sunday’s semifinal.

The loser gets another chance to advance to the playoffs in the C-Side qualifier.

“It’s always tough games against Brian. They’re a really good team. It was a battle,” Johnston said.

Neither team put up a point in the first two ends, before Johnston was held to a single in the third.

Adams, who will take on Thunder Bay’s Zach Warkentin, one of four local teams still alive in the C-side bracket, evened the match up with a single in the fifth, the two teams blanking three of the first five ends.

Johnston responded immediately, picking up two, only to give them right back to Adams Jr in the seventh, the game now tied 3-3.

They traded points again in the eighth and ninth and though Adams Jr.  tried to make it tough to score one for the win, Johnston was able to make the draw for the win.

Sudbury’s John Epping, who hails from the GTA, earlier in the day qualified for Sunday’s final, beating MacEwan 10-2 in seven ends.

Epping scored three in the sixth and stole three more in the seventh to put the game away.

In the other C-side match, Thunder Bay’s Chris Silver will take on defending champion Trevor Bonot, all four teams in C facing the reality that another loss ends their competition in the triple knockout format.

Silver dispatched of North Bay’s Jeff Brown, winning 8-5 on Friday night.

With four Thunder Bay teams in the hunt in C, there is guaranteed to be a Thunder Bay team curling on Sunday morning in the semifinal round.

Five of the seven local teams remain.

Earlier in the day Warkentin eliminated Frank Morissette, scoring two in the 10^th to pull out a 7-5 victory.

Warkentin and Adams Jr. will take to the Port Arthur Curling Centre ice at 9:30 a.m., along with Ashley Palmer and Claire Dubinsky, Emma Artichuk and Lauren Johnston and Lauren Mann and Thunder Bay’s Robyn Despins.