Final trophies handed out
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As I said in my last From the Hack, where has the time gone?
I can’t believe the season is over, the ice is melting, lockers have been cleaned out, and some of you are readying your golf clubs, bikes and tennis racquets.
I’m watching what will be the second last curling event on TV – the Ford Men’s Worlds out of Victoria. Currently Canada is playing team Scotland, with Canada sporting a 2-0 record coming into this game. So a better start than the women, but it’s still early and I certainly don’t want to jinx them.
The Junior Rockers Buddy Spiel was held on March 24th as the wind-up to their season and it included curling, a scavenger hunt, guessing games and a whole lot of fun. The winning team this year was skipped by Lindee DeClercq with Mario Carvello, Adele Mitchell and Jenna Weiller also on the team.
Taking the win in the Curling Scavenger Hunt (Ken has them finding things on trophies, posters, etc. in the club) was the team of Kevin Arnel with Mulachi, Sierra Cipolta and Carly. Draw to the button winners were Tyler Gubesch and Lindee DeClercq. Guessing the best for the JellyBeans was Johnathan Tran and for the JuJubes was Adele Mitchell.
Many thanks to Ken Patterson and his assistant Randy DeClercq for taking care of the Juniors all season.
All Tillsonburg Curling Club leagues have completed their finals and champions have been declared. In the Monday night Mixed, eight teams competed over four games and for the first time since 2008 the Scotiabank Mixed Championship trophy was awarded by Dave Abrams to the winning team of Dave and Shirley Ireland, Terry Mattan and Betty Patterson. All the curlers expressed their thanks to the sponsor Dave Abrams of Scotiabank for renewing their support of this trophy event after a number of years and to the Mixed League Conveners Wendy and Bill Young, Tracy and Larry Beattie, Vicki and Marc Babcock who have revived the league this year.
It’s been a very successful season and there is a lot of interest in this league, so Wendy has advised that those wanting to curl in it next season should sign in early as the first 32 curlers will fill the draw.
Tuesday Night Ladies capped a successful season with the final games of the ServiceMaster Ladies Evening Club Championship. Six teams participated in a round-robin format over four weeks with the teams of Dorell Clark and Linda Newman curling the final night for the trophy. Both teams were missing some key players, but still had a great game that saw Dorell and her team of Tracy McCabe, Lorna Law and Devona Allin emerge with the win.
The ServiceMaster Trophy was presented on behalf of Lynn Van Puymbroeck (who was somewhere sunny and warm) by the Games Committee. Thanks to their sponsorship all curlers received prizes.
In the Ladies Afternoon League seven teams curled in the Bert Mooney Club Championship. The Ladies make the final day of curling extra special by starting earlier and adding a potluck lunch to the day. After four weeks of curling the finals produced two four-game winners with the Wendy Young team of Ruth McSpadden, Tracy Beattie and Barb McCorkell taking the trophy by two points over Betty Tull and her team of Shirley Ireland, Helen Cull and Marion Pratt.
A big thank you goes out to the family of Bert Mooney for their longstanding sponsorship of this Trophy which is much appreciated by the curlers. Thanks also to the Games Committee of Ruby Withington, Diana May and Heather Benton for all their hard work setting up the teams and draws all season.
The last event for the curling season was the final night of the Thursday Men’s League with the men curling in the McMullen’s Machine Shop Trophy Finals and then enjoying a steak dinner. This Championship draw saw Dave Ireland and his team of Richard Cox, Winston Cull and Craig Ireland post a win over Ken Patterson to take the trophy and claim bragging rights as this year’s champions. Les Peter, Harry Dykxhoorn, Chris Buchner and Gerald Sandham finished second with a win over Denis Carter.
Thanks to Randy DeClercq and McMullen’s Machine for their sponsorship of this draw and to Brian Stephenson and Paul Belcher for convening the league.
The Recreational League had a great turnout of curlers for the Championship and Trophy games and closing Wing and Pizza Night. In the Tillsonburg Travel Championship Trophy event team, Hotrocks defeated team Mighty Stone Crushers to take the trophy awarded by sponsor Lisa Hirt.
In the Copper Mug Trophy event team Odds and Ends met their match in team T-liners in a game that ended tied and ‘skips’ having to throw a rock to the button to break it. Diane Burgess was the hero as she made the draw to the four-foot to post the win for her T-Liner team. Sponsor Doris Weiler of the Mug was on hand to award her trophy.
New team Burning Down the House scored the victory over team Rockbusters to take the Domino’s Pizza Trophy event. Sponsor Will Pritchard was on hand to award the trophy to his own team!
In the consolation final team Rolling Stones finished their season with a winning draw to the button over team Sheet Disturbers.
All curlers received a prize combining sponsor and 50/50 money to see that everyone walked away with something. Thanks to conveners Daryl and Lorna, Marianne ‘Murph’ Murphy and Terry Mattan for all their hard work putting together a great season!
FUNDRAISING AUCTION
Whew! That’s a lot of winners! All of you can be winners this weekend by attending our fundraising auction Saturday, April 6th and buying tickets or placing a winning bid on one of the 80 items up for auction.
Doors open at 6 p.m. for viewing of items draw table tickets and possibly a silent auction plus food is being served with all proceeds going to club renovations. Our celebrity auctioneer is Ewart McLaughlin and we have an amazing variety of donated items from bales of straw and garden mulch to five-course dinners, fishing trips and fine artwork, Detroit Red Wings hockey tickets, Sportsnet Players Championship curling packages, and lots of golfing deals! Support your club and make a night of it!
I have one final report on the Senior Men’s Section of the club and I enjoyed it so much just as it was submitted to me that I have to share it as it was written by George McCune. I think I might just lose this job! Enjoy! See all of you Saturday.
“The Tillsonburg Senior Men’s Group completed a wonderful winter of curling on Wednesday, March 27 enjoyed by a great turnout of both past and present players. The occasion was celebrated with a special lunch, an excellent dessert provided by Henry Puhr, and a fun draw for cash. Some were called to the bar.
A highlight by the drawmaster was that sheet four contain only those experienced curlers who must write driver’s tests! This provided some 12 members who went for the jugular over some 10 ends. Names of the proud winners (by one rock) are not important at this time, but there were threats of a need for a “best-of-three venue.” The President is giving this reasonable request fair consideration especially since he was on the losing team.
Next curling season, usually beginning late October, we have permission to continue renting the ice every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. New or experienced curlers are made welcome, and we play all positions on a rotational basis. Free advice is difficult to avoid! Should you be interested in investigating kindly contact George at 519-688-2197. Men only, please.”