B.C.’s Team McCrady came close to making the podium at the 2015 under-18 Optimist International curling championships.
The young rink, which consists of skip Matthew McCrady, third Zac Curtis, Liam Purgavie and lead Jacob Umbach, lost the bronze-medal game against Quebec 4-3 after giving up a steal of one in an extra end.
Team McCrady, which curls out of Royal City Curling Club in New Westminster, made a strong start to the championships with victories against Alberta, Washington and New York, securing them a spot in the semifinals.
A loss to Ontario in the semifinal deprived B.C. of a shot at gold and put them into a bronze-medal match-up against Quebec.
Team B.C. were trailing 2-0 after four ends but rallied in the second half of the game with a single and two steals to give them a 3-2 lead going into the eighth.
Quebec then scored one to level the game at 3-3 and force an extra end.
Holding the hammer, McCrady gave up a crucial steal, allowing Quebec to clinch the bronze.
Team McCrady was hampered by flu throughout the event and even had to use a spare to cover for Purgavie for three games, fortunately Andrew Taylor (who skipped Newfoundland at the Canada Winter Games and was at the event cheering on his sister) was willing to join the team.
In the girls’ event, B.C. was represented by Lower Mainland’s Team Drexel who finished 10th.
Skip Heather Drexel, and her team of third Sarah Loken, second Bailey Burke, lead Catera Park and fifth Kylie Karoway, won games against Japan and Northwest Territories on their way to securing spot in the top 10.
Both Team McCrady and Team Drexel won the right to represent the province by winning the 2015 Tim Hortons B.C. juvenile championships in Lake Cowichan at the beginning of March.
To view all the results from the u-18 Optimist International, visit the Curling Zone website http://www.curlingzone.com/eventdb.php?s
