Her team may not have won all the prizes, but Parksville novice Zoe Torgerson certainly cleaned up in the annual junior curling bonspiel at Qualicum & District Curling Club.
When an opposing team made up from a mix of Port Alberni, Nanaimo and Qualicum Beach players found themselves short-handed when one player was late to arrive, Torgerson stepped in to help the opponents sweep when it was their turn to shoot.
“We said at the beginning that the theme today was Good Sportsmanship,” organizer Sean Herbert said at the awards ceremony. “That’s probably one of the best examples of sportsmanship I’ve seen, ever.”
The bonspiel drew 16 teams, ranging from Juan de Fuca to Campbell River to Port Alberni. Ten teams competed in the ‘Experienced’ division while six battled in the Novice division.
The Brandon scoring format allowed each team three games, which were run on a time clock rather than a set number of ends.
“That way, it’s up to the kids,” Herbert said. “If they want to play quickly, they get more ends. It does keep us on schedule.”
Comox skip Chris Parkinson, centre, follows his shot as brothers Isaiah and Reuben Tiede sweep Saturday in the annual Qualicum & District Curling Club Junior Bonspiel. — Image credit: J.R. Rardon/PQB NEWS
Juan de Fuca won the experienced division. Qualicum Beach I was the top local team, placing fourth with two wins and one loss.
“It’s always a challenge, no matter what level you’re playing at,” said 13-year-old Cam Hunter, a five-year veteran of the Qualicum junior program.
Qualicum Team 2 followed in sixth place, Parksville was seventh, a mixed Parksville-Qualicum team placed eighth and Qualicum 3 was ninth.
The Parksville novice team of skip Ryan Davies, Torgerson and siblings Mikayla and Cody Butterworth took second in just the second career bonspiel for Cody Butterworth.
“This was better than last time,” he said, holding up the medal hanging around his neck. “Last time we got bronze; this time it’s silver.”