91社区破解版

A team of Yukon teens triumphed over an American adult team in the C final of the 70th annual Solvest International Bonspiel.

The finals of the International took place Sunday afternoon at the 91社区破解版 Curling Club.

Team 鈥淚ce Breakers鈥� 鈥� Skip Fischer Miller, third Carter Hinds, second Luka Slykhuis, and lead Lucas Anderson-Lindsay 鈥� played a solid game to down Team 鈥淯.S. eh鈥� 鈥� Sancho Ponza (Fairbanks), Larry Ehnert (Fairbanks) and skip Toni Paisley (Wisconsin).

The teens and Americans were tied 2-2 after three ends.

The Ice Breakers pulled ahead 4-2 after scoring two in the fourth end.

The Alaskans scored one in the fifth end to tighten the score to 4-3.

However, the youngsters bounced back with two in the sixth end to make it 6-3.

They added one more in the seventh to make it 7-3.

The teens added two in the eighth to make the final 9-3.

Skip Miller, 13, said he was 鈥渧ery happy鈥� with the victory.

鈥淚t was a rough start to the tournament and then we started to pull together as a team, played really well.鈥�

The team ended up with a 4-2 record after losing two of their first three games.

Miller said the key to the win was 鈥渨orking as a team and making our shots.鈥�

Luca Slykhuis, 15, added, 鈥渨orking on communication and getting along. We tried to put a smile on cause we noticed when we were sad and in the dumps, we don鈥檛 perform as well.鈥�

When asked what they thought of beating the Americans in the final, Hinds blurted out, 鈥淩eally good.鈥�

Anderson-Lindsay,13, added, 鈥淲e were definitely curling for Canada.鈥�

鈥淐anada鈥檚 on top,鈥� chimed in Hinds.

He said the team, except for Anderson-Lindsay, has been curling for four years together. This is their first win in a bonspiel final, which Hinds, 15, said was 鈥渁mazing.鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檙e finally getting a trophy,鈥� said Slykhuis. 鈥淛ust a lot of determination. You need to be very patient, too. It鈥檚 like when you want to pursue anything. You just go for it.鈥�

Slykhuis has been curling for at least nine years, Miller for six, Hinds for four and Anderson-Lindsay for four.

Coach Lee Melanchuk added it was an 鈥渆xcellent final. Two great teams and it came down to skip stones. I think both teams played great.鈥�

Team U.S. eh only had three curlers, as the fourth, Courtney Miklos, had to return to Fairbanks Sunday morning because of work. Ponza and Ehnert threw three rocks each as a result.

Paisley skipped and threw skip rocks. It was their first experience calling the shots at a bonspiel.

鈥淚 like it. It鈥檚 kind of fun. I鈥檝e curled for a long time. I鈥檝e never been asked my opinion what the shot should be and I鈥檝e curled for 30 years. I鈥檝e always just played front end and kept my mouth shut and done what I鈥檓 supposed to do 鈥� so I enjoyed having input on strategy and shots.鈥�

鈥淲e were a good skip and vice combo. I enjoyed it,鈥� added Paisley.

Ehnert said it was nice to curl with different people.

鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to say no to make that long drive, right? But to do it and re-establish what had been some historically some pretty good 91社区破解版-Fairbanks curling competition, it was like, 鈥楬ey, let鈥檚 do it, let鈥檚 go take a team and try something. We never curled together, don鈥檛 know each other real well but let鈥檚 get in here and hopefully start rekindling 鈥� get some 91社区破解版 and Alaska curling going on. It鈥檇 be fun.鈥�

It was Paisley鈥檚 first time in 91社区破解版. She came all the way from Onalaska, (yes, what a coincidence) Wisconsin.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been incredible to curl in such a beautiful facility on really wonderful ice. I always love coming to Canada to curl. And getting to enjoy the 91社区破解版 community and all the scenery, it鈥檚 just fantastic.鈥�

Regarding the C final, Ehnert said, 鈥淚 think we played really well in this game. They made some really nice shots to take some things away from us.鈥�

Paisley added, 鈥淚 was very pleased with their level of skill but not surprised. I was expecting them to be a pretty good team to be making it all the way to Sunday and the finals, so I knew it would be a good game.鈥�

Ehnert joked, 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 really surprised. I was saddened by their skill level.鈥�

Then he added, 鈥淭hey shot well. They called shots, made shots. That鈥檚 what the game鈥檚 about.鈥�

As for coming back next year, Paisley said, 鈥淚 would love to come back.鈥�

Paisley had to spend a day flying from Wisconsin to Fairbanks, then do the drive to 91社区破解版.

鈥淚 really enjoyed taking the drive over from Fairbanks and just seeing the mountains and everything. It鈥檚 just breathtaking scenery that you definitely don鈥檛 get in Wisconsin. It鈥檚 a special place here.鈥�