Curling up a storm

The season for the Morrisburg Curling Club is underway again, with several new curlers out. Normally we have a swing and sweep to start the season, nine holes of golf and six ends of curling. This year, with the uncertain weather and other factors, the numbers registering were down, and the executive had to cancel the event. Hopefully, we can get one in next fall.

There’s still room for additional curlers in most leagues. Just check with the coordinators. Several leagues have two draws, including Friday night, with 10 teams. Our Thursday morning mixed group has nine teams now, so a change may have to be made in their future, since there’s only room for six teams on the ice for each draw.

We welcome a number of new folks this year, and while some of our members have had health problems over the summer, most are back for another season.

Thanks to a huge number of volunteers in the executive and the Club’s general population over the summer, the clubhouse has been cleaned, painted, and refurbished, and new lights, using only one third of the electricity of the old ones are in place over the ice. Some of the work done is more subtle: dishes, etc., in the kitchen have been washed, glasses and other items in the bar have been readied, and we have some new carpeting at the entry. 

Also, schedules and bonspiel information are now downstairs, and the decorating committee has additional plans: something attractive for the walls, and perhaps some new carpet for the floors. Can’t wait to see what they’ve come up with!

Some of our curlers have been out to bonspiels already. 

The ladies were in Ottawa at the R.A. Centre last week. Alice Thompson, Betty Locke, Cheryl Thompson and Sharon Van Allen defeated a team from City View in their first match, but dropped a squeaker in their second to another City View team. Their total on the day, though, was good enough to get them to the prize table. On Friday they were off again, this time to Kemptville. The ladies played just one game, there, defeating an all-star team made up of curlers from Carleton Heights and Carleton Place. Congratulations to Alice Thompson, Susan McIntosh, Cheryl Thompson and Betty Locke.

On Sunday, Susan McIntosh held the season’s first of her popular two-person bonspiels. She had a full slate of 24 teams, and thanks toes to all who helped organize the day and look after the details, such as ice maintenance and serving lunch. Special thanks, as usual, to Dave McIntosh, who cooked up his famous chili for lunch all who helped and brought in food items and Donna McGillvary, who added her chili to the menu. 

As usual, the profits after prizes were awarded are returned to the club. Susan and her committee plan a bonspiel at the club every month, so watch the bulletin board in the lounge for information.

For those interested in results of the competition, here we are: in the ‘A’ final, Mahlon and Sam Locke defeated Ted Herriman and Gerry Thompson; in the ‘B’ final, Wally and Joanne Baker won out over Keith Robinson and Fred (Boomer) Langlotz; and in the ‘C’ final, Bill and Sonja Laurin triumphed over Gretta McGann and Sue McIntosh. The day featured good competition and fellowship. –A fine start to the competitive season.

That’s it for now. 

Good curling to all!

[…]

The South Dundas Peewee B House #1 Lions won the UCMHL East Division Championship here Monday night, March 18 with a 3-1 win over Brockville.

The Lions opened the series on Morrisburg ice, Sunday, (March 17), with a 6-1 victory to claim the first two points of the four point series.

Monday night in Brockville, they went up 1-0 in the first period with an unassisted goal by Devon Dumoulin, after he broke up a two on one, skated the length of the ice, and deposited the puck in the five hole.

A scoreless second period featured very tight checking and kept the fans on the edges of their seats.

Then early into the third period, Brockville’s Ryan Duke tied it 1-1 from a scramble in front of the Lions net.

The Lions, however, responded quickly and just over a minute later Lucas Bennis again gave them a 2-1 lead with help from Jonah Bennis and Dumoulin.

Following the goal, the now frustrated Brockville team took a five minute roughing major which put the Lions on their power play. It was an opportunity they made the best of when Jonah Bennis, with a nice move on the Brockville goalie deposited the insurance marker with help from Noah Keeler and Sheridan Caines.

Brockville fought hard, and they pulled their goalie for the last minute of play, but Lions goaltender Wes Alexander stood tall and prevented them from getting back into the game.

The Lions are now preparing for the UCMHL championship final against the House #2 Lions starting this Friday night.

[…]

The South Dundas Lions held on to their share of first place in the Upper Canada Minor Hockey League’s Novice B House division here Saturday, with a 5-2 victory over the South Grenville Ranger 2s.

Five games into the season, the Lions are tied with North Dundas 1s for the East Division’s top spot with six points. 

The two have identical three win-two loss records as they head into this week’s action.

This week the two North Dundas teams will square off, and the Lions are on the road this Saturday, November 8 to play the west division Athens Aeros.

Saturday in Cardinal, the Lions went up 2-0 in the first period, and increased it to 3-0 in the second.

The Rangers regrouped and came out strong for a pair of early third period counters, but it wasn’t enough to catch up. The Lions collected another two for the 5-2 win.

Nick Connors started off a three-goal performance (and five-point game) with an unassisted counter early in the first period. 

Less than a minute later Ben Radley made it 2-0, with help from Connors.

Connors scored goal number two, unassisted, at the midway mark of the third period to give the Lions a 3-0 advantage.

Connor Poulin and Daniel Murphy made the Lions sit up and take notice early in the third period when they closed the gap to 3-2.

But that was it for the Rangers, and the Lions answered back with goals from Caleb Machan (from Connors) and Connors, assisted by Mason Hummel.

Aiden Hutt was in goal for the Lions win.

[…]