Saskatchewan’s Kleiter and McEwen post victories in early Brier draw
The early draw at the Montana’s Brier saw both Saskatchewan teams coming out on top, with Rylan Kleiter defeating Prince Edward Island’s Tyler Smith 7-4 and Mike McEwen holding off Nova Scotia’s Owen Purcell with a score of 8-6.
Kleiter earned his spot in the tournament by winning the provincial playdowns, while McEwen pre-qualified for the 18-team event based on ranking points. Despite battling a sore throat and chest congestion in the days leading up to the competition, McEwen managed to secure a victory.
“Better to deal with these issues now rather than later on in the playoffs,” said McEwen, who was feeling slightly better on Sunday. “So if there’s a silver lining, that’s it I guess.”
In other early games, Quebec’s Jean-Michel Menard defeated Yukon’s Thomas Scoffin 7-5, Canada’s Brad Gushue edged out Northern Ontario’s John Epping 6-5, and New Brunswick’s James Grattan triumphed over Nunavut’s Shane Latimer 8-3.
Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone secured a 7-4 victory over B.C.’s Cameron de Jong, while Reid Carruthers from Manitoba topped Alberta’s Kevin Koe 5-4 in an extra end, using the hammer to make a hit for the win.
“We’re not playing amazing but I’d say we’re playing pretty darn solid,” Carruthers commented.
Gushue, Dunstone, and Carruthers led Pool A with a 3-0 record, followed by Epping at 2-1. In Pool B, McEwen and Mooibroek were at the top heading into the Sunday night draw, with Alberta’s Brad Jacobs close behind at 1-0.
Round-robin play will continue through Thursday, with the Page playoffs scheduled for next weekend.
**Northern Exposure**
D’arcy Delorey, vice for the Northwest Territories team, reminisced about the inspiration he drew from a territorial championship banner at the Hay River Curling Club in the early days of his curling journey. The banner belonged to Shirley King, who led her team to victory in 1989, earning a spot in the national women’s championship.
“I remember looking at it and thinking, ‘Man, that’s cool,'” Delorey recalled. “Somebody from our club could actually get to the national level. And now hopefully we’ll have one hanging there. It would be something for our junior program kids to look at and think, ‘Yeah, that’s possible.'”
At 47 years old, Delorey made his Montana’s Brier debut on Sunday in a match against Ontario’s Sam Mooibroek, resulting in a 12-2 loss. Despite the defeat, the team remained in good spirits, signing autographs and embracing friends and family who had come to support them at Prospera Place.
“It’s nice to finally be here at 47 years old,” Delorey expressed. “To have your first Brier, you’re never too young I guess.”
Delorey’s team upset Yellowknife’s Jamie Koe last month, securing a win on home ice with late back-to-back steals. The Hay River club holds a special place in Delorey’s heart, as both his parents have been actively involved in its operations.
“I was always at the club growing up even before I really started curling,” he shared. “I started as a rink rat, as a junior, and just continued on.”
Having competed at the college level and participated in multiple national curling club championships, Delorey found the atmosphere at the Brier to be electrifying. The quick ice, sharp rocks, and vibrant energy of the event added to the excitement.
Aaron Bartling, the team’s skip and the only member with Brier experience, served as an alternate for P.E.I.’s Eddie MacKenzie in 2021. His return to the Brier this year was met with overwhelming excitement.
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