The Kwalikum Kondors and Ballenas Whalers rocked it at the B.C. High School Curling Provincials, held recently at the Royal City Curling Club in New Westminster.
The Kondors rink competed in the boys event. Skipped by Jackson Nowak, the team consisted of Isaac Brightland (third), Cam Hunter (second), Eli Bodnaruk (lead) and coach Carol Barson.
Barson said the Kondors quartet played hard against the best high school teams from eight zones in the province.
“They were notably the youngest team in the event, with the biggest spirit,” said Barson.
Excitement mounted on day one, as the Kondors finished with three wins. “They were a crowd favourite, as they played animated games with strategic calls, great shots and extra ends,” said Barson.
The Kondors finished sixth overall, with three wins and four losses, which Barson said was an amazing outcome for their first visit to provincials.
The Ballenas girls rink consisting of skip Amanda Litton, Michaela Morrill, Libby Elliott and Malea Louie were slow out of the gate, said coach Rocky Morrill. They lost to the three top teams from last year’s provincials.
“It is unfortunate as it would have been nice to have had easier opponents to get settled,” said Rocky Morrill. “Our team has three grade 11’s and one grade 9. This was Amanda’s first time as skip in the provincials.”
The Whalers competed hard to finish fifth, said Morrill, who added that the entire eight teams that entered have stepped up from last year and none of them were easy to beat.
“The girls lost very close games to the two teams that finished first and second,” he said. “All the girls are looking at trying to return next year and compete again to represent Ballenas Secondary.”
The Kondors team would like to express their sincere gratitude to all of the following groups that donated funds of support: Qualicum Bay Lions Club, Rotary Club of Qualicum Beach, District 69 Benevolent Society, Kiwanis Club Qualicum, Qualicum Legion, TD Bank Qualicum, and the generous members of the Qualicum and District Curling Club.
— NEWS Staff