New Caledonian Event Finals!

We head back to where we started. Pictou, Sheet 3,  Red rocks. 

Jamming to Firework by Katy Perry...of course. 

1st: Without the hammer for the finals. Away we go. The teams testing out the ice early, weight is iffy to start for both teams. 

Donna lands her second for a guard. Katie has a good hit on her first and rolls to the back 12. 

They sit 2 after second's rocks. 

Cindy's first draw drifts through. Blue is heavy on almost everything. They are struggling early. Her second lightly butterfly kisses a red guard and settles on the back button. 

Blue finally finds line and noses shot rock. Marissa is just wide on her first hit attempt. Girls sit 2, 3 and 4. 

The blue 7 isn't great. Marissa can force to one or steal a bunch. It's s good hit. Blue facing 4 or 5. Rogue Squadron steals 1. 1-0. 

2nd: The girls control the front early. Blue 2 chips in a red. Red sits 2. The girls are really in their game now. Pushing hard on blue. 

Blue makes a few hits. Fighting back now. But misses another one narrow. The girls can put more pressure on here. Cindy to hit: great nose hit. 

Red sits 2 briefly before blue hits 1 out. 

Marissa hits it back, sitting 2 again. Blue 7 rolls too far to the back 12. Girls sit 1. Power sweeping brings Marissa's last rock too deep to the back 8, sitting 2. Rogue Squadron again for 1. 2-0 after 2. 

3rd: Donna hits the house on 1 and guards it up on 2. 

Blue 2 hits and rolls out. Katie is short on her first draw attempt trying to come around their guard. Heat inbound in her second, it removes her first guard. Blue sitting 2 now. 

Cindy with a good double to improve things half way through this end. 

Marissa lining up a run back on shot rock behind their right corner guard...soooooo close. It just misses but opens up the front. Good try girls. 

One more swing at that blue shot rock. Great rock and sweeping. It's a good hit. Rogue Squadron again for 1. 3-0 after 3. 

4th: It's a fairly clean start to 4. Katie has a good hit and stay to split the house to sit 2. 

The girls are really sharp now. Really applying pressure. Katie's magic spell with the Harry Potter wand was a good call it seems. Katie has a draw to the button. Blue hits it out. 

Cindy exchanges hits with the other mate. Then is long on her second, as she pops out to us and says "the old hit then draw combination, bleh".

Marissa with a nose hit to sit 1 open, top 8 left side. And a second hit out there. 

Blue just bites for 1. 3-1 after 4. 

5th: Donna with a great freeze for her first. The next few shots line up towards the center. Now Katie has a hit and roll attempt I think, some kind of hit anyway. It connects removing the back blue stone. (Note: I later learn this this was an epic triple. It was hard to see how great a take out it was so far away)

Katie has a great draw in her second to sit 2 with on buried. All that trading with Tram Ireland is paying off. Good work Katie. 

Marissa calls for a guard in shot rock and it's mostly covered now. Blue 6 just nudges the red shot rock to the back 8. Cindy's s bit lite on her second, possibly still spooked by her heavy draw last end. It ends up guarding the center line. 

Blue sneaks one through a left side port to get something near the back 8 it looks like. Marissa tries to follow but can't quite squeeze through. There maybe a run back for her next one. Why doesn't this club have video screens or mirrors?

A shot for 4 at least. Again so close. Just one inch more Marissa says. Blue steals 1 now. 3-2 after 5. 

6th: That could have broken the game wide open. Oh well. Donna gets her second draw to the top 8 but it didn't come over enough. Blue takes it out but rolls across the house, open on the other side. 

Katie, on her hits all game removes it to clear the house. She finds a spot in the back at to sit shot. Blue is fighting back now, gaining some confidence that last two ends. 

Cindy to peel: hits and rolls out. Open house now with 3 blue guards out front. 

The next blue draws to the back 4 foot. Cindy has a good hit and now red is shot. 

Blue 7 hits and rolls open slightly to our right. Marissa answers with a beautiful tap out to sit 1. Blue responds with another hit: Marissa with a hit for 1. It's wide. Blue steals 1. 3-3 after 7. 

7th: The girls need their mojo back. Here we go. 

Donna has her first rock taken out and her second is too light. Blue has two corner guards on the right. 

Katie is lite on her second. There is a blue and red in the back 12, I think blue is shot. 

Blue 5 stops for shot in the top 4. Cindy chips it out with her first. Then draws to the top 12 on her second. There is a nervous energy here in the crowd. I think it might be harder to watch this game than to play it. 

An over curl on Marissa's first leads to an opportunity to tap up but I can't tell how far the tap went.

Cindy with the line out wide for critical draw. Msrissa needs the 8 foot for 1: it looks good. Phew. Red for 1. 4-3 coming home. 

8th: This is where Rouge will shine (hear that curling gods, here that?). Donna's first rests at the top 4. Good two rocks from Donna to control the 4ft.

A blue double changes that. Katie answers with a hit of her own. Blue gets lucky with a biter out left. It's tough ice out there, Katie flashes by. 

One more swing at it for Cindy. 

A clutch hit for Cindy. Marissa exhales deeply. Blue misses their chip attempt. The girls are trying to draw around. It stays open at the button. Blue hits it. 

I've lost all my saliva. I am so nervous. I'd rather be out on the ice. Marissa hits the blue shot but just rolls out. 

Blue 7 is long. Marissa to draw around. She's through on a heavy draw. Blue needs paint to tie but they are trying to chip in for the win. Blue gets 1. 4-4. Bonus curling. 

Extra End: Blue hogs their first.  Donna sets up in the 12 foot but blue elects not to hit putting up a center guard. Seems like a tactical error but what do I know really. 

Now Marissa will split the house. Donna is just light but it's a good corner option for later if needs be. Blue 3 draws into the top 8 foot. 

Katie knocks it out: Donna pulls back before illegally sweeping the shooter 🙂.

Katie drawing to guard up the red shot rock near the button: she plugs the gap. 

Blue with a fortune miss resulting in a chip in but it's not shot. Red still one. 

Cindy with a nice draw and great sweeping by Donna and Cindy. Blue knocks that out and also rolls out the shooter. 

Cindy draws on the right side now: it plugs the gap well I think. 

Skips rocks -  a good roll in for blue. I can't tell how good though. Looks like it's still up top. Marissa to keep blocking the right side. 

It comes over a little too close to the center. Nothing is getting through the middle. The blue team confers. This is it. 

Blue is narrow.  The girls win the New Caledonian Cup!  California Girls!!

They finish a perfect 3-0 at Pictou. So good, due to the coach I'm sure 😉. 

Sunday - Semi Finals

Semi Finals - Bluenose, Sheet 3, Red Rocks

There was so much sweeping yesterday. 

1st: There is a crowd at the outset this morning to watch the semis. These California Girls are drawing a lot of attention. This is the first game the girls don't have hammer to start; were in uncharted territory. 

The play is in the house to start, draws and hits back and forth. Katie flashes her first and peels a guard in her second. 

Cindy, playing in sweat pants after forgetting her tights and kilt at home, throws a solid hit to start. And also connects on her second. 

Marissa draws into an open house on her first. And a great draw behind the lone yellow guard to make yellow 8 a hard shot, and stealing 1. Great start girls!

2nd: Cindy pops off the ice to change, her dad has arrived with tights and a kilt. 

Donna is too strong on her first. 

There is 1 yellow in the house for Katie who connects in her first hit. It's a clean now. 

Two good hits from Katie. Yellow 4 flashes opening a chance for Cindy to draw behind one red center guard; it wrecks but taps in and bites. Girls sit 2. 

Marissa calls for a tap; it connects, they sit 3 for a moment before yellow removes one. 

Marissa draws top button, leaving a possible double. Only 1 is removed. Girls sit 1. 

Marissa is lite in her second draw. Big shot for yellow 8 here... but it flashes by. Another steal of 1. So roguish. 2-0 after 2.

3rd: I think the Advill gave Donna super strength this morning. She's heavy again but leaves her second in the house. It is removed by yellow 2. 

Katie is also long on her first draw - I deeply suspect the Advill now. Katie is looking at a hit and roll for her second; she gets the hit but rolls the wrong way. 

Cindy gets her first hit, nice. Some of the women watching want to trade shirts with the girls - they love the pink jerseys. 

A second good hit for Cindy. 

Marissa is a little wide but hits the lone yellow in the house and rolls out. Open house now but there is 1 yellow corner guard out left. 

Yellow 7 is through the house. Marissa's second stays straight and goes deep. 

Yellow gets 1. 2-1 after 3. 

4th: Katie has a nice draw behind a yellow guard but yellow picks it out.  

The girls sit 1 as Cindy sets up to split the house. Good sweeping gets her second in but there is a double since it stayed so straight. 

We sit 2 starting skips rocks. 

Yellow makes a good shot. Marissa needs full 8 foot for 1. 

It's good...by millimeters. The drama. 3-1 after 4. 

5th: Donna finds good weight with a great 2 center guards. The ladies sitting next to me are hilarious and fun. It's a good crowd. 

Katie loops 1 into the top 8 but yellow has 1 on the back button. Looking for a hit on her second; it's good and the girls sit 2nd and 3rd. 

The shots are getting complicated now, Cindy slides down to confer. 

Her second is light and over curls high on the center line. Yellow sits 1st & 3rd.

Yellow 7 is lite blocking the left draw path now; the right side is blocked by a wall of granite. 

Marissa's first rock drifts deep. Yellow will have a tough time getting 2 I think. It's a mess up front. 

Yellow gets 1. 3-2 after 5. 

6th: Donna goes around the center guard to sit 1. Yellow follows right after almost frozen. And Donna followed again. Great opening shots. 

It's all in the rings except for 1 yellow center guard. Katie is short but the next yellow changes the angles now favoring the girls. Katie has a nice tap to help even more. 

Cindy's first wrecks on a red guard out front. Her second connects but rolls open. Girls sit 4. 

This is a good game. Yellow has a good hit and roll cutting the girls to sit only 1. 

Marissa just clips a guard opening up the center. The whole yellow team comes down to chat. High stakes here. 

Yellow 8 is short. The girls have 1 but it's not a lock for two. 

Tough for 4...it stayed straight. 4-2 after 6. 

7th: A center-ish guard from Donna to start. It seems to stay straight out wide. 

Katie shakes her head. She knows she's lite. Yellow 4 taps a red into the back 12. Red sits 1. 

Cindy has a geat draw but it looked so fast from here. How did that stop in the top 4?  Yellow hits it out. And then a great hit and roll. Woo! Clutch Cindy, clutch. 

Red is still sitting that one after all that drama. I'm tired, it's so nerve wracking and exciting. 

Marissa with a great draw buried in the top 8 to sit 2. 

A hit to try and sit 3...she gets the hit but rolls out (a bit of wobbly slide wifey 🙂). Yellow 8 wrecks. Rogue Squadron steals 2. 6-2 coming home. 

8th: Its going to be a hit game for the girls to win. 

Katie's first peel flashes. Her second nose hits and almost jams on the back red. Phew! That was close. Still too many guards out front. Gotta clear. 

Cindy peels one red and rolls the shooter out. It's a bit better now. 

Yellow can't seem to find the house, they are running out of rocks. 

Cindy with a great draw to the delight of the crowd. The ladies here are cheering for you, even against their own. 

A great hit from Marissa ends the game. Girls win and are now in the money! New Caledonian Event Finals at 2:30 (10:30 PT)

I'm so proud of you girls. 

Game 4 - The We Don't Need Luck, We Have Magic Game.

Game 4 - Pictou Sheet 1, Red Stones. 

Also, this game is more mega drama. You've been warned.

Also, also I just figured out the text issue, I think. Hopefully it will be better after this post.  On we go. 

1st: The girls start with hammer all day today. It is below freezing out on the ice. Well below. Sheet 1 has a bit more curl in it than 3 did the other day. Line is tricky the first 3 rocks for the girls. Katie gets it on her second take out attempt though, clearing the blue center guard.  

Cindy clears shot rock and the girls sit 2, to start the back end.  The opposition skip throws the wrong color rock, ha. Marissa takes out 1 blue but rolls farther than she wanted. The girls get 1. 1-0 after 1. 

2nd: Donna starts in the 4 foot. Blue 1 goes through. So does blue 2. Girls sitting 2, unguarded. Katie fixes that with a nice draw into the top 12. 

End to end sweeping by Donna and Cindy help the girls sit 3. 

Blue takes out a few stones but Marissa can sit 3 with a hit and stay on her first but is wide. 

Blue 7 is long giving the girls a chance to cut blue to 1 (or maybe steal). Blue can get three: but they only get 1. 1-1 after 2. 

3rd: Donna tries for a double on her second but is wide. Blue sits 2. Katie has a great freeze for her first. 

Cindy draws to the button, it's hard to tell what the house is like from behind the home hack but I think the girls have a few near the button. Cindy with another great draw and great sweeping. 

Coach thinks the cold makes the girls play better.  It looks like Msrissa makes a great freeze after the last blue takeout. Probably a tricky shot, so they discus options.  Narrowly missing 4 (awe), they take 1. 2-1 after 3. 

4th: The start looks good for the girls: 2 buried by on Katie's first and sitting 3 after her second. The opposing skip lacks some focus stoping rocks before they come to rest. 

Cindy almost hogs a rock but power sweeping gets it over. A good center guard for her second. You can tell the girls are having more fun this evening. Good. 

Girls sit 3 waiting for the hammer. I can't take the waiting...thieves for 2. Woo! 4-1 after 4. 

5th: The fans are in the (warm room) stands now. An uneventful first half of 5. Not much in the house. Katie is throwing a hit for her second, and connects. 

Cindy's first over curls but opens up the center. Peel coming from Cindy: blue granite flys. One blue leaves, one hangs around. 

This end has turned on the girls somehow. Blue has got a lot around the edges. Blarg, blue gets 6. 4-7. 

6th:  The blue team is giving the girls chances to get back in. The girls can't seem to capitalize though. One lone red guard is the only thing that seems to stay in play. 

Marisa has a good tap and sits one buried. 

1 for sure, just needs paint for 2. Great draw. They get 2. 6-7 after 6. 

7th: It's time to be thieves again. A center guard goes up then a nice come around on Donna's second. 

The girls keep cloging up the center with 1 red on the button. Those guards are paying off. Blue is using up rocks trying to chop through the forest of granite out front. 

And now Cindy hogs a rock. Hot 80 tolls for you, Cindy. Blue finally had a raise attempt but it angles off. Red is still shot. 

Great first shot for skips 1st stone. Girls sit one buried. The steal is looking good. Good 2nd shot by Messier. They sit 2, waiting for hammer. Waiting. Waiting.  Steal of 1. 7-7 coming home. 

8th: One more roguish end is all we need. Either way it's been a great recovery after giving up 6. 

Blue puts 1 top button. Good skip sweeping helps Katie clear shot rock. Katie puts a guard back, then the next blue stone picks opening the door. 

A great tap by Cindy and they sit one buried. The blue takeout wrecks leaving a red biter. Cindy has another clutch shot replacing the guard. 

Blue gets a timely double. Boo. Marissa responds with a nose hit to leave 2 biters.  Blue 7 inbound...it's lite! Marissa can draw around and make it real tough. 

Blue needs full 8 to win. 

It's heavy!!! Girls win! WWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

On again tomorrow at 11am (7pt). 

Phew. 

We are going home to drink some "Baby Duck" sparkling wine. 

Yes, it's a real thing.