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Whalers fifth in B.C. curling provincials

Ballenas girls narrowly miss finals at secondary school championships in Smithers
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The Ballenas Secondary girls curling team placed fifth in this month’s provincial curling championships in Smithers. From left: Michaela Morrill, Teya Vega, Amanda Litton, Lauren Onushko, Jada Zimmerman and coach Brian Onushko. Photo submitted by Brian Onushko

Before playing in last weekend’s U18 B.C. Curling Championships, teammates Michaela Morrill and Lauren Onushko tuned up with their Ballenas Secondary School teammates in the provincial secondary school championships in Smithers March 2-3.

The Whalers girls team, skipped by Jada Zimmerman, placed fifth, narrowly missing a spot in the playoff semifinals after posting a 3-4 record in round-robin play. A narrow, 6-5 loss to Kelowna on final skip’s stones knocked them from medal contention in their final match of the tourney.

The team struggled with a flu bug during the weekend.

“The calibre of competition was excellent this year,” coach Brian Onushko said. “The team’s goal was to finish in the top three.”

Zimmerman was joined by Onushko at third, Amanda Litton as second, Teya Vega as lead and Morrill in the fifth spot. Zimmerman and Onushko will graduate this year.

Ballenas rolled to wins of 9-3 over Prince Charles, 13-3 over Sir Winston Churchill and 6-4 over Earl Marriott. The Whalers had another one-stone loss to Fraser Lake, 7-6, and dropped decisions of 9-3 to Mount Elizabeth and 9-6 to Riverside.

— NEWS Staff