THUNDER BAY -- Team Henderson got a bit of revenge in the rematch of last year's final downing Team Bryan Burgess 7-2. Scott Henderson back on the ice after a two year absence from the game due to a knee injury looked sharp getting the support from his revamped lineup of Mike Desilets throwing last rocks and the front of Dale Wiesema and Bill Peloza.
In fairness to Burgess, the 41-year-old skip was playing with a brand new squad made up of his club players from the Kakabeka Falls Curling Club Mike Vale, Tristan Vale and Greg Hollins.
Henderson who skipped Northern Ontario in the 2003 Brier with Desilets as his second that year got the early jump on the less experienced Burgess squad. Henderson after blanking the opening end put three on the board in the second end and then three more in the third to take a commanding lead. Burgess scored back-to-back singles but it was not enough and the teams shook hands when Henderson scored one more in the sixth end.
In other games, Dylan Johnston iced Ron Rosengren 7-1 in a game that featured two teams making their return to the major league. Johnston, a perennial contender at the Northern Ontario men's provincials was on their game against his senior opponents. Johnston rode a three in the third end with steals in the next three ends to clinch the victory.
Al Hackner with Joe Scharf playing third prevailed over Krista McCarviille 6-4. Hackner socked two rocks on the button in the eighth end and did not have to throw his last rock when McCarville forced into a tough shot was unable to move the Hackner stones.
Mike McCarville was full marks for their 7-1 win over Liane Fossum while Gary Weiss gave a lesson to the young Matt Duizer squad with a 9-0. victory. The experience of Frank Morrisette was the difference in a 7-4 deciision over Jonathon Vellinga's U21 squad. In the night's other game, Ben Mikkelsen prevailed in an extra end over Trevor Bonot 5-4..
Draw 2 in the Tbaytel Major League of Curling resume with a late draw this coming Wednesday at the Port Arthur Curling Club. -- By John Cameron
