When the Parksville Curling Club hosts the B.C. U18 Curling Championships in March 12-22, it will have its top young curlers vying for provincial glory against the best in the province.
The club’s U18 boys team, skipped by Michael Morrill earned their spot in the provincials when they won Event B at the playdown held at the Comox Valley Curling Club Feb. 7 to Feb. 9.
With teammates third Cole Pletz, second Isaac Brightland and lead Rowan Brightland, they beat 7-4 the combined Comox-Campbell River rink of skip Greg Curtis, who eventually went on to win Event C, to secure one of the three qualifying berths.
Team Morrill dropped to the Event B final when they lost 7-4 to the Event A winners Team Chris Parkinson, whose curlers Christian Klein-Beekman and Connor Litton are also members of the Parksville Curling Club.
In the U18 girls playdowns, Team Rebecca Douglas led her combined Parksville/Gibsons/Duncan/Comox crew to first place finish in Event A, beating Team Gracelyn Richards 7-4 in the final to secure one of the two berths for the provincial bonspiel.
Douglas and teammate lead Zoe Torgerson also curl at the Parksville club.
The other members of Douglas foursome are third Chanelle Meeres and Dalaena Reinjtjes.
The final set of teams that will be competing have already been determined.
The boys division teams are:
Team Tao, Richmond/Vancouver/Port Moody — Skip Johnson Tao, Third, Toby Mills, Second Connor Kent, Lead Michael Nunn. Coach: Vic Shimizu
Team Antunes, Summerland/Penticton/Oliver/Kelowna — Skip Tyler Antunes, Third Zachary Kuechle, Second Jacob Martin, Lead Eric Waller, Fifth Rhett St John. Coach: Glen Brennan
Team Reed, Golden Ears Winter Club — Skip Thomas Reed, Third Kazune Eugene Fei, Second Adam Fenton, Lead Matthew Fenton. Coach: Fuji Miki/Brad Fenton
Team Ballard, Langley — Skip Preston Ballard, Third Neil Imada, Second Erick Dominiguez, Lead Ryder Tymich, Fifth Miles Reed. Coach: Cindy Wenzek
Team Deane, Tunnel Town/Nanaimo/Royal City/Vernon — Skip Connor Deane, Third Benjamin Morin, Second Joshua Miki, Lead Mack Ellis. Coach: Greg Deane
Team Parkinson, Comox/Qualicum/Parksville — Skip Chris Parkinson, Third Jackson Nowak, Second Connor Litton, Lead Christian Klein-Beekman. Coach: Bob Franklin
Team Morrill, Parksville — Skip Michael Morrill, Third Cole Pletz, Second Isaac Brightland, Lead Rowan Brightland.
Coach: Rocky Morrill
Team Curtis, Comox/Campbell River — Skip Greg Curtis, Third Reuben Tiede, Second Jesse Tiede, Lead Henry Holland. Coach: Mark Taylor
The girls teams are:
Team Buchy, Kimberley/Kelowna/Delta Thistle — Skip Kaila Buchy, Third Katelyn McGillivray, Second Elizabeth Bowles, Lead Sasha Wilson. Coach: Tom Buchy
Team Taylor, Tunnel Town/Royal City — Skip Jensen Taylor, Third Meredith Cole, Second Keira McCoy, Lead Chelsea Taylor. Coach: Christopher Summers
Team Bowles, Delta Thistle — Skip Emily Bowles, Third Ashley Mallett, Second Gabby Brissette, Lead Grace McCusker. Coach: Marla Mallett
Team Wong, Marpole/Langley/Chilliwack/Vancouver — Skip Sarah Wong, Third Tanis Short, Second Naomi Britz, Lead Amanda Wong. Coach: Ken Britz
Team Calhoun, Kamloops — Skip Maeve Calhoun, Third Neave Calhoun, Second Kate Hancock, Lead Kaitlyn Garrett.
Coach: Lori Olsen
Team Hafeli, Kamloops — Skip Holly Hafeli, Third Jorja Kopytko, Second Hannah O’Neil, Lead Natalie Hafeli. Coach: Monica Makar
Team Douglas, Gibsons/Duncan/Comox/Parksville — Skip Rebecca Douglas, Third Chanelle Meeres, Second Daleana Reintjes, Lead Zoe Torgerson. Coach: Dave Douglas
Team Richards, Comox Valley/Port Moody — Skip Gracelyn Richards, Third Keelie Duncan, Second Bryn Woloshyn, Lead Kate Eisner, Fifth Cailyn Collins. Coach: Adam Duncan