Ryan, Irwin Advance to Viterra Page Playoff Round
JT Ryan and his Manitoba Junior Champion Assiniboine Memorial team and the Brandon team skipped by Steve Irwin have won their Viterra Championship playoff round games.
The two teams advanced to the Saturday 6pm Championship Page Playoff with wins on the afternoon draw.
Ryan scored a three on the fifth end for a 5-2 mid-game lead over Daniel Birchard (Pembina). Birchard fought back to tie 5-5 after seven ends but was unable to score again as Ryan scored a deuce then then stole three when Birchard missed on a desperation runback facing three on the ninth. The final score was 10-5 for Ryan in nine ends.
Irwin, who defeated Travis Bale (Fort Rouge) 8-5, previously skipped a team to the province’s final four in 2014. Trailing Bale 5-1 after four ends, the Brandon team took control of the game. After blanking the 5th and 6th ends, Team Irwin scored seven points over the next three ends (including five stolen points) to lead Bale 8-5 coming home. A pair of double peels was the key to running the Winnipeg team out of rocks coming home.
Irwin and Ryan, coincidentally both left handers, will face off in the Page 3-4 game on Saturday evening in Winkler. Mike McEwen (Fort Rouge) and Reid Carruthers (West St Paul) will meet in the Page 1-2 game.
