Sweeping curling action continues this weekend with the men’s masters (60-plus) northern playdowns in St. Albert.
Draw times are 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. today and Sunday with 15 rinks competing in the triple-knockout format for provincial qualification.
Friday’s A final featured the semifinal winners between Gary Greening of St. Albert versus Dave Zesko of Spruce Grove and Orv MacDonald of Cold Lake versus Dave Olsen of the Thistle. Scores were unavailable at press time.
The B final is today at 2 p.m. and the C final is 2 p.m. Sunday.
Visit www.northernalbertacurling.com for line scores.
Greening’s rink of third Dale Briske, second Rick Dallyn, lead Doug de Bruijn and alternate Grant Cook posted wins Thursday of 6-1 in seven ends against Keith Morgan of the Avonair and 8-1 in four ends against Don Sutton of the Saville Centre en route to the A semifinals.
Briske is a three-time President’s Cup championship skip in the St. Albert Curling Club men's playoffs and the winner of the 2017 Edmonton and area Tournament of Champions with Dallyn and Cook. De Bruijn also curled on Briske’s club championship team seven years ago.
Rinks skipped by Neil McKay and Al Edwards also have strong St. Albert connections and both teams dropped down into the B bracket after Thursday’s losses.
McKay, third Don Johnson, second Richard Davis and lead Ferd Caron won Wednesday’s opening draw 7-5 by scoring three in the eighth end against John Cabaj of Sherwood Park and fell 5-4 to MacDonald.
Edwards, third Neil Flemming, second Brian Kupsch, lead John Wainwright and alternate Len Sterling brushed past Dale Fellows of Spruce Grove 10-3 with a steal of four in seven on Wednesday before stumbling 7-1 in five ends to Zesko.
Lionel Chartrand of the Crestwood, Vernon Hafso of Viking, Lyle Lorenz of Lacombe, Rick McKague of the Crestwood and James Urlacher of Cold Lake are also curling at northerns.
Provincials are Feb. 21 to 25 in Stettler and nationals are April 1 to 8 in Surrey and White Rock, B.C.
Last year's Alberta champion was Fred Armstrong of Red Deer.
Olsen and his lead, Mike Allen, won the 2014 provincials with Les Rogers as the skip for the Thistle rink.
