REGINA -- Saskatoon’s Ava Beausoleil and Estevan’s Olivia Fonstad are the first two teams through to the Page Playoffs at the Curl Sask U20 Women’s Provincial Curling Championship currently underway in Regina.
Beausoleil and her Nutana foursome of third Annika Steckler, second Leah Beausoleil, lead Hannah Rugg and alternate Mya Silversides were the first to get through, taking a 7-3 win over Fonstand in the A final during the afternoon draw.
It was a close game throughout, with Beausoleil holding a 4-2 lead through seven ends, but a three-spot in the ninth would be all the eventual victors needed to pull away.
Fonstad and her rink of third Amy Fradette, second April McMillan and lead Andrea Fradette didn’t have to wait long to book their playoff spot, as they rolled to an 11-5 win over Regina Highland’s Chloe Johnston in the B final one draw later.
Fonstad did a large portion of damage in the fourth end when she scored five, and back-to-back steals in the seventh and eighth would bring things to an early finish.
The C finalists have also been decided, with North Battleford’s Chloe Semeniuk scoring five over the final two ends and then stealing in the extra for a 9-8 victory over Lloydminster’s Kamdyn Bauldic to land her spot.
Semeniuk will face defending U20 women’s champion Jenna Pomedli and her Saskatoon Nutana foursome of third Melissa Remeshylo, second Kelsey Noyes and lead Kylie Willms after Pomedli lost 7-6 to Johnston in the B semifinal.
Reigning U18 girls provincial champion Shawna Simpson and her Regina Highland rink of third Lauren Speidel, second Makena Bailey and lead Katelyn Speidel picked up deuces in three straight ends late in the game to take a 9-7 win over Saskatoon Sutherland’s Heidi Fradette in the other C semifinal.
Simpson will take on Johnston, third Cara Kesslering, second Kya Ladouceur and lead Kaylee Rosenfelt for the spot in the playoffs.
Both C finals are set for 9 a.m. Saturday at the Highland Curling Club, with the Page Playoff 1-2 game between Beausoleil and Fonstad taking place at 7 p.m.
The winner of that contest will advance directly to the final, while the loser will drop down to face the winner of the two C qualifiers in the semifinal at 9 a.m. Sunday. The winner there advances to the championship game at 2 p.m. Sunday.
Be sure to keep an eye on www.curlsask.ca for up to the minute updates.
