Gunnlaugson First “Top Five” Team to be Eliminated
With back-to-back losses, third-seeded Jason Gunnlaugson and his Granite team have been eliminated from the chase for the 2018 Viterra Manitoba Men’s Curling Championship. After losing earlier Thursday to Daniel Birchard (Pembina), Gunnlaugson returned to the ice on the 4pm draw against Graham Freeman (Virden).
Freeman led 5-1 at the mid-game break but Gunnlaugson fought back to trail 7-6 coming home. Freeman had the hammer and made one of the best shots of the championship – facing two, Freeman’s last shot angle tap-back moved the second shot rock from in front of the four foot circle then rolled to the button to move the shot rock for an 8-6 victory.
Manitoba junior champion JT Ryan (Assiniboine Memorial) advanced on the “B” Side of the draw with an 11-5 win over Ryan Thomson (Morden).
Steve Irwin (Brandon) scored two coming home for a 4-3 win over Randy Neufled (LaSalle); Tanner Lott (Winnipeg Beach) was a 7-1 victor over Merv Satterthwaite (St. Vital); and Tyler Drews (Fort Rouge) scored three on an extra end for a 9-6 win against clubmate Andrew Wickman.
Like Gunnlaugson, for Thomson, Satterthwaite, Neufeld, and Wickman it was a second loss and they are eliminated from the double knock qualifying round of the championship.
