Team Englot Rocks

Wheels Fall Off Again: Englot Needs Six In A Row

2009-10-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

In her fourth game at the 2009 Manitoba Lotteries Women's Curling Classic, Michelle Englot got off to a fine start and led, 4-2, after three ends against Thunder Bay's Krista McCarville.

But McCarville scored 3 in the fourth for a 5-4 lead, and Englot never scored again, giving up four stolen points in the next three ends en route to a 9-4 defeat.

Englot now drops to the C event, where she needs to win three games in a row on Sunday to qualify for Monday's playoffs.

The turnabout in this game was eerily reminiscent of Friday evening's game against Holly Scott, in which Englot started strong, gave up a big end early, and never managed to score another point.

Friends and fans of the Englot team will be hoping for a repeat of a different sort. Last year in Winnipeg, the Englot four also found themselves in the C event with three games to play. But they won them all, then won three more in the playoffs to capture the title.

Once again, six wins in a row are required, beginning Sunday afternoon against Winnipeg's Linda Stewart.

The winner of the Stewart-Englot match will play either Marie-France Larouche or Janet Harvey, and the winner of that one will face either Cheryl Bernard, Cathy King, Karen Porritt or Lisa Blixhavn -- all this for one of the eight qualifying spots.

It should be interesting. I'll keep you posted.

Englot Rolls Again

2009-10-24T13:13:00.000-07:00

Chelsea Carey and her Winnipeg foursome couldn't stop Michelle Englot and her team from Regina in the B event of the Manitoba Lotteries Women's Curling Classic.

Englot, who suffered a bad loss on Friday night, came back Saturday afternoon with a strong game featuring rock-solid defense and two multi-point steals.

The game lasted six ends, and the final score was 7-1, which is a winning margin of six points. Could the sixes be lined up for the Regina four again this year?

We shall see. Next up: Thunder Bay's Krista McCarville. And the winner of the Englot-McCarville match will continue against either Amber Holland or Jennifer Jones.

Things are getting interesting in Winnipeg. Personally, I hope Englot keeps rollin' those sixes. But we shall see.

To The 'B': Englot's Wheels Fall Off

2009-10-23T13:02:00.000-07:00

Michelle Englot and her Regina team started well enough against Winnipeg's Holly Scott in their second game of the Manitoba Lotteries Women's Curling Classic on Friday evening. Englot opened with last rock, blanked the first end and scored a deuce in the second. But then the wheels fell off.

Scott scored four points in the third, and Englot never scored again, giving up five stolen points in three ends before pulling off the gloves on the wrong end of a 9-2 final score. Oops!

Fortunately it was only one game, and the defending champions have a chance to get rolling again tomorrow in the B event against another Winnipeg team, skipped by Chelsea Carey.

Enlgot Off To A Good Start In Winnipeg

2009-10-23T12:50:00.000-07:00

Michelle Englot and her team from Regina have opened their title defense at the Manitoba Lotteries Women's Curling Classic in Winnipeg with a solid 5-2 win over Winipeg's Jill Thurston.

Englot, with third Deanna Doig, second Roberta Materi and lead Cindy Simmons, won the championship last year in spectacular fashion, putting together a 6-game winning streak that culminated in a 6-end, 6-0 victory over Kelly Scott.

There were no sixes on the board for them this time, but a couple of stolen ends did the trick. Team Englot stole a single in the fourth end to go up 3-1, and stole another single in the seventh to stretch their lead to 5-2. That was the final score of the game, and the Englot foursome will resume play later in the day with an A-event match against another Winnipeg team, skipped by Holly Scott.

Jennifer Jones Wins In Calgary

2009-10-12T23:58:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Jones and her Canadian Champions from Winnipeg have won the 2009 Trail Appliances Curling Classic, with a 7-4 victory over the World Champions from China, skipped by Bingyu Wang. Jones got off to a 3-0 lead in the first end and never trailed, matching every point Wang scored from then on.

Jones had scored a 6-4 victory over Kerri Flett in the semi-final after knocking out Eve Belisle of Quebec in the quarterfinals with a 4-2 score.

Congratulations to Jennifer Jones and her teammates: Cathy Overton-Clapham, Jill Officer and Dawn Askin. They play extremely well extremely often, which is, of course, the only way to win multiple national championships.

And anyone who wants to wear the maple leaf in the Olympics is going to have to put their 'A' game and more up against this team -- probably more than once.

Not that all this wasn't obvious a long time ago ...

Home For Thanksgiving: Three And Out In Calgary

2009-10-10T13:49:00.000-07:00

Three games were quite enough for Michelle Englot and her Regina team, who are finished in Calgary after a 7-4 loss in their C event match against Sherry Anderson.

Anderson got off to an early 3-0 lead, and although Englot fought back and got close, close is not enough -- especially at the level at which these ladies play the game.

So it's home for Thanksgiving and a weekend off before their next event, which will be in Winnipeg, starting October 23rd.

Late Early For Englot In Calgary

2009-10-09T23:44:00.000-07:00

It got late very early in Calgary for Michelle Englot at the 2009 Trail Appliances Curling Classic.

Moe Meguro and her Japanese foursome scored a four-ender in the seventh, breaking open a 4-4 tie, cashing in an 8-4 win, and sending Englot and her Regina team directly to the C event, where they will face another Saskatchewan team -- and another tough one! -- skipped by Sherry Anderson.

Englot Starts With A Loss In Calgary

2009-10-09T13:35:00.000-07:00

Michelle Englot and her Regina team have begun the 2009 Trail Appliances Curling Classic in Calgary with a loss against Andrea Kelly of New Brunswick.

Kelly stole two points in the fifth end, more than nullifying the single point Englot had stolen in the third, after which Kelly held on to the thinnest of advantages for a 5-4, extra-end victory.

Englot now faces Japan's Moe Meguro in the B event.

Amber Holland Wins The Schmirler

2009-09-28T18:49:00.000-07:00

Amber Holland and her team from Kronau, Saskatchewan, won three games on Monday in Regina to capture the 2009 Schmirler Curling Classic, with its $12,000 first prize.

Holland opened the day with a 5-3 win against Janet Harvey, then followed with another 5-3 win, over Chantelle Eberle, to reach the final.

She completed the sweep with a 6-3 victory against Kelly Scott of Kelowna, who had defeated Heather Rankin and Tracy Streiffel earlier in the day.

Strieffel had knocked out Erika Brown and her American team to reach the semifinals; Eberle had reached her semifinal with an extra-end quarterfinal victory against Kristy Jenion.

Congratulations to Amber Holland and her teammates: third Kim Schneider, second Tammy Schneider and lead Heather Seeley. More congratulations to Kelly Scott and her team; we'll see both of these fine teams again at the Pre-Trials, if not before.

And I'll be back on Thanksgiving weekend with news from Calgary.

Harvey Beats Englot In A Close One

2009-09-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

Michelle Englot finally had a close game on Sunday morning at the 2009 Schmirler Curling Classic, where her first four matches were short and one-sided. Englot got off to a good start against Janet Harvey, and held a 4-2 lead after 5 ends.

But Harvey scored four in the sixth to take a 6-4 lead with only two ends to play. And Englot cashed a deuce in the seventh to tie the score at 6-6, but Harvey had last rock coming home and emerged with a 7-6 victory.

With the win, Harvey finishes tied with Chantelle Eberle atop group E with 4-1 records, and both teams will advance to Monday's playoffs.

Englot winds up fourth in the group at 2-3, two games short of the playoffs but only one game behind the World Champions, and will return to the ice on October 9th in Calgary for the Trail Appliances Curling Classic.

World Champs Too Much For Englot Foursome

2009-09-26T21:28:00.000-07:00

Chinese skip Bingyu Wang and her world championship team got off to a poor start against Regina's Michelle Englot on Saturday evening, falling behind 3-0 after the first end. But the Chinese team came roaring back, scoring 7 points in the remainder of the game while holding the Regina team to just a single, for a 7-4 win.

By cashing a couple of deuces and then stealing couple of ends (including another deuce), Wang blew a giant hole in Englot's playoff chances; Englot, now at 2-2, must win her final game against Janet Harvey, and get some help, to qualify for the playoffs.

We'll see whether they can do it.

Englot Beats Galusha, Now 2-1

2009-09-26T18:19:00.000-07:00

Michelle Englot and her team from Regina made quick work of Yellowknife's Kerry Galusha in Saturday morning's play at the 2009 Schmirler Curling Classic, pushing their record to 2-1 and remaining in contention in what's emerging as a very tough group.

Galusha started well, stealing a single point to open the game. But then the wheels fell off Galusha, as Englot scored three in the second end, stole three in the third and stole two more in the fourth.

Galusha had seen enough at that point; make the final: 8 to 1.

Englot is still in the hunt for a playoff spot but has a long, tough row to hoe: her next opponents are the World Champions from China, skipped by Bingyu Wang, to be followed by the always-tough Janet Harvey of Winnipeg.

Link Sets Englot Back To 1-1

2009-09-25T21:12:00.000-07:00

Kim Link and her team from Edmonton scored a quick victory over Michelle Englot and her Regina foursome in Friday night's action at the 2009 Schmirler Curling Classic.

Link stole three in the second end and scored four more in the fifth for an 8-2 victory. Englot and Link are both 1-1, Englot having beaten Chantelle Eberle earlier in the day, Link having lost against Janet Harvey.

Englot plays Kerry Galusha of Yellowknife in her next game, Saturday morning.

Englot Starts Well In 2009 Schmirler

2009-09-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

Michelle Englot and her team from Regina got off to a good start in the big hometown spiel of the year, the Schmirler Curling Classic presented by Bank of America.

Englot and teammates Deanna Doig, Roberta Materi and Cindy Simmons broke open a 1-1 fourth-end tie with a score of four, then stole two singles for a 7-1 victory against Chantelle Eberle and her/ team, also from Regina, in Friday morning's opening draw.

Englot now enjoys a share of first place in the E pool, and will play four more games against the other teams in the pool, with Kim Link of Edmonton next on Friday evening.

Englot Set For Three Spiels In Warmup For Pre-Trials

2009-09-21T00:06:00.000-07:00

Michelle Englot and her team will play in three cash spiels before the Pre-Trials event, and with any luck we will be able to follow their progress here.

They'll start in Regina on Friday, September 25th, with a match against Chantelle Eberle in the 2009 Schmirler Curling Classic.

Beginning on October 9th, they will be in Calgary for the 2009 Trail Appliances Curling Classic, and two weeks later they will take the ice in Winnipeg as defending champions in the 2009 Manitoba Lotteries Women's Curling Classic.

I'll do my best to keep you posted.

Englot Qualifies For Olympic Pre-Trials

2009-04-19T23:37:00.000-07:00

The results of the Canadian Curling Association's Olympic Qualification Process are finally in, and for fans and friends of the Englot team, the news is very good!

Team Englot -- and 11 other teams -- have qualified for the pre-trials event to be held in Prince George in November, at which they will have an opportunity to qualify for the Olympic Trials, which will be held in Edmonton in December.

Four teams -- skipped by Jennifer Jones, Shannon Kleibrink, Cheryl Bernard and Stefanie Lawton -- have already qualified for the Trials and will bypass the pre-trials event.

They will be joined in Edmonton by the top four finishers from the pre-trials field, which will include: Kelly Scott, Sherry Middaugh, Marie-France Larouche, Heather Rankin, Rachel Homan, Crystal Webster, Cathy King, Krista McCarville, Amber Holland, Sherry Anderson, Eve Bélisle and -- hooray! -- Michelle Englot.

Congratulations once again to Michelle and her teammates: third Deanna Doig, second Roberta Materi, and lead Cindy Simmons.

To them, to their families and friends, and to everyone else whose summer holiday just got a little bit sunnier: Cheers!

We'll see you all again in the fall...

3 In 8th Is Golden: Jones Wins Players Championsip

2009-04-18T23:18:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Jones scored a big three in the eighth end of the Players Championship final, erasing a 6-5 lead and emerging with an 8-6 win against Shannon Kleibrink.

Eight was a good total in this event: Jones reached the tournament final with an 8-4 win over Cheryl Bernard in the semifinal round, while Kleibrink earned her final berth with an 8-3 win over Kelly Scott.

Three was not so good. In the quarterfinals, Scott beat Krista McCarville, 6-3; Bernard beat Heather Rankin, 4-3; Kleibrink beat Rachel Homan, 5-3; and Jones beat Sherry Middaugh, 9-2.

Congratulations to the winners: skip Jennifer Jones, third Cathy Overton-Clapham, second Jill Officer and lead Dawn Askin. And congratulations to all the other teams who reached the quarterfinals (or better) in this very strong event.

We will see many of these teams again soon. (And the results may very well be different!) But first, does anyone need to be told to enjoy their summer?

Rankin Comeback Eliminates Englot

2009-04-17T23:06:00.000-07:00

Heather Rankin scored a deuce in the seventh end to take a 6-5 lead, then stole a single in the eighth for a 7-5 win over Michelle Englot and one of the remaining qualifying spots at the Players Championship.

Englot and her teammates finish at 2-3 with the loss, and will watch the upcoming playoffs, hoping they have already done enough to earn a spot in the Olympic pre-trials.

It's been a tough year for the Englot team, with some fine performances ruined by one or two a really bad ends, but in some ways it's been a more productive campaign than 2007-8 (when they were provincial champions). I don't have to pretend to be neutral; I applaud their accomplishments and I hope they've done enough to stay in the hunt.

We'll know more soon enough.

Englot Drops A Close One

2009-04-17T22:59:00.000-07:00

Regina's Michelle Englot battled back from a 4-1 deficit and took a late, slim lead against Kelowna's Kelly Scott on Friday afternoon at the Players Championship. But the lead was too slim, and the time was too late, and when Scott scored a deuce in the eighth end, it was good enough for an 8-7 victory.

Scott qualifies for the playoffs here with the win, while Englot drops to the "C" event for another chance to qualify -- and that game, which starts later this afternoon, will be against Heather Rankin.

Englot Edges Holland To Remain In "B" Event

2009-04-16T22:57:00.000-07:00

Regina's Michelle Englot stole single points in the fifth and sixth ends, then took a single in the eighth for a tense 5-4 victory over Amber Holland and her team from Kronau, Saskatchewan.

Englot remains in the "B" event of the Players Championship with the win, and will play again on Friday afternoon against Kelly Scott. I will keep you posted.

Bernard Too Tough For Englot At Players

2009-04-15T22:49:00.000-07:00

Cheryl Bernard scored early and often against Michelle Englot on Wednesday night, winning a quick 10-2 decision and sending Englot to the "B" event of the Players Championship.

The Englot foursome are now 1-1 and their next game will be Thursday afternoon, against another Saskatchewan team, skipped by Amber Holland.

Englot Starts Players Championship With A Win

2009-04-14T22:42:00.000-07:00

Michelle Englot and her Regina team got off to a slow start against Medicine Hat's Crystal Webster, and trailed, 7-4 after five ends of the scheduled eight.

But Webster never scored again. Englot scored two in the sixth, stole two in the seventh, and stole three more in the eighth end for an 11-7 victory.

Next for Englot is a familiar foe: Cheryl Bernard, who also had a 7-4 lead but managed to hang onto it in defeating Barb Spencer.

It's a triple-knockout and Englot is still in the "A" event. I'll tell you more when I know more.

Kleibrink Takes Canada Cup

2009-03-22T22:31:00.000-07:00

Shannon Kleibrink, down 4-3 playing the ninth end against Marie-France Larouche, scored a deuce to take the lead, then stole a single in the tenth to cement a 6-4 comeback and win the Canada Cup on Sunday morning.

It's another highlight in a fine season for the Alberta team, which has been nearly unbeatable for long stretches of this long season.

Congratulations to Shannon Kleibrink and her team: third Amy Nixon, second Bronwen Webster and lead Chelsey Bell.

Congratulations also to Larouche and her team of third Annie Lemay, second Joelle Sabourin and lead Veronique Brassard.

I'm sure we'll see both of these teams again before long.

Larouche Reaches Canada Cup Final

2009-03-21T22:26:00.000-07:00

Marie France Larouche and her team from Quebec scored a 7-6, extra-end victory over Cheryl Bernard and her Alberta squad to reach the final of the Canada Cup in Yorkton.

Bernard, who started without last rock, trailed four times, and tied the game each time, but could never take the lead.

Larouche will meet another Alberta team, skipped by Shannon Kleibrink, in tomorrow morning's final.

Bernard Starts Too Fast For Englot

2009-03-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

Cheryl Bernard stole a deuce in the first end and four more in the second, then hung on for an 8-5 win over Michelle Englot in the Page 2-vs-2 game of the Canada Cup in Yorkton.

Meanwhile, Shannon Kleibrink scored a 6-4 decision over Marie-France Larouche in the 1-vs-1 game to reach the event final. Bernard will face Larouche in the semifinal.

Congratulations to Michelle Englot and her teammates, third Deanna Doig, second Roberta Materi and lead Cindy Simmons, on reaching the final four at such an event.

And congratulations to Larouche, Bernard, Kleibrink and their teams, who have done even better.

Enlgot Wins Tie-Breaker!

2009-03-20T23:50:00.000-07:00

Michelle Englot and her Regina team have captured the last remaining playoff spot in the Canada Cup with a 7-6, extra-end victory over Mary Anne Arsenault and her team from Halifax.

The game was a thriller, with the momentum -- and the lead -- shifting back and forth, and back again!

Englot started without last rock but limited Arsenault to a single in the first end, then blanked the second and scored three in the third, establishing a sliver of control.

But that didn't last long, as Arsenault cashed a deuce in the fourth and stole a single in the fifth to take a 4-3 lead at the half-way point.

That lead didn't last long either, as Englot tied it with a single in the sixth, and stole singles in ends seven and eight.

Up 6-4 and finally without last rock playing the ninth, Englot gave Arsenault another single point, to hold the lead and the hammer coming home. And now it was Arsenault's turn to steal a single, tying the game at 6-6 and forcing an extra end.

But the parade of steals was over (although the parade of singles was not), and Englot scored the final point, won the game and advanced to the playoffs.

It's been a bit of a grind for the Englot team, who had to sit all day and then play two games after supper. But they're still in with a shout, and they have another one before breakfast, this time against Cheryl Bernard.

Nothing ever gets easier.

Lawton Knocks Englot Into Tie-Breaker

2009-03-20T21:30:00.000-07:00

Stefanie Lawton broke open a close game with consecutive steals in the 7th and 8th ends and handed Michelle Englot a tough 11-4 loss in Friday night's final round-robin draw at the Canada Cup in Yorkton.

It was a strong finish for the Lawton foursome, who started the event poorly but seem incapable of playing badly for more than about three games in a row. Even with the win, they finished out of the playoffs, tied for third place in Group B with a 2-3 record.

The loss dropped Englot into a tie with Mary Anne Arsenault for second place in Group A. Both teams finished the round-robin with 3-2 records, one game behind the group winner, Shannon Kleibrink. Kelly Scott finished fourth with a 2-3 record, and Sherry Middaugh rounded out the group at 0-5.

Kleibrink advances to the Page 1-vs-1 playoff game against Group B winner Marie France Larouche, who like Kleibrink finished at 4-1.

Second place in Group B went to Cheryl Bernard, who finished her round-robin at 3-2. And the other teams in Group B, skipped by Amber Holland, Cathy King and Stefanie Lawton, all shared third place at 2-3.

So it'll be Arsenault and Englot in a late-Friday-night tie-breaker, with the winner advancing to an early-Saturday-morning match with Bernard in the Page 2-vs-2 game.

The winner of the 1-1 game will get a spot in the final, and the loser of that game will play the winner of the 2-2 game in the semifinal. And I will return soonest, with news from the tie-breaker.

Englot Cruises Past Middaugh To Grab The 'A' Pool Lead

2009-03-19T22:23:00.000-07:00

Michelle Englot stole a pair of three-enders against Sherry Middaugh on Thursday night, and left the ice early with a 9-3 win and a 3-1 record. The victory moves Englot to the top of the table in the 'A' pool, followed by Mary Anne Aresnault, Shannon Kleibrink, and Kelly Scott, who are all 2-1. Middaugh rounds out the pool at 0-4.

Englot plays again Friday evening against Stefanie Lawton, who is still winless in this event but will be a most formidable opponent. A win for the Englot squad will guarantee them at least a tie-breaker.

Englot Topples Arsenault To Share Top Spot

2009-03-19T22:14:00.000-07:00

Michelle Englot got off to a fast start against Mary Anne Arsenault on Thursday afternoon, and weathered a strong comeback before scoring a deuce in the tenth end for a 7-5 victory. Englot's record improves to 2-1, tying Arsenault for a share of first place in the 'A' pool. Shannon Kleibrink, who beat Amber Holland in the afternoon, and Kelly Scott, who knocked off Cathy King in the morning, also share top billing, for the moment. All four teams lead winless Sherry Middaugh by two full games, with two games remaining for each team.

Englot resumes on Thursday evening against Middaugh.

In the 'B' pool, Marie-France Larouche remains unbeaten at 3-0, followed by Holland at 2-1. Cheryl Bernard and Cathy King are both 1-2, while Stefanie Lawton is still winless at 0-3. Englot finishes the preliminary round on Friday night against Lawton.

Kleibrink Too Much For Englot (This Time!)

2009-03-18T22:06:00.000-07:00

Shannon Kleibrink avenged an early-season shutout loss with a six-end triumph over Michelle Englot in the fourth draw of the Canada Cup on Wednesday evening. Kleibrink scored two deuces and a three-ender to lead, 7-3 at the break, then stole two more to make the final score 9-3. Both teams are now 1-1, tied with Kelly Scott for second place in the 'A' pool. Mary Anne Arsenault leads the table with a 2-0 record, while Sherry Middaugh is 0-2.

Amber Holland and Marie-France Larouche lead the 'B' pool with 2-0 records; Cathy King is 1-1, and Cheryl Bernard and Stefanie Lawton are both 0-2.

Englot resumes tomorrow with games against Arsenault and Middaugh, before meeting Lawton in the final draw on Friday. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the playoffs.

Englot Off To A Great Start At Canada Cup

2009-03-18T12:06:00.001-07:00

Michelle Englot, held to a game-tying single in the 10th end, stole the extra end to defeat Kelly Scott in opening-draw action at the Canada Cup in Yorkton this morning.

Englot now leads the 'A' pool with a 1-0 record; Scott and Sherry Middaugh are both 0-1, and the other teams in the pool -- skipped by Shannon Kleibrink and Mary Anne Arsenault -- are just getting started.

Each team will play five games: four in the pool and one cross-over. Englot resumes this evening against Kleibrink, plays Arsenault and Middaugh tomorrow, and finishes the preliminary round on Friday against defending champion Stefanie Lawton.

Lawton got off to a rough start this morning, losing 10-4 against Cathy King. King stole four ends worth six points as Lawton found the hammer toxic. Sometimes it goes that way. But only for a while, and the Lawton foursome will certainly be tough on Friday.

Amber Holland beat Cheryl Bernard, 8-5, in another 'B' pool match this morning, the same score by which Marie-France Larouche beat Middaugh in the morning's crossover game.

The top two teams from each pool will advance to a true Page Playoff, with the pool winners meeting for a spot in the final, while the pool runners-up meet for a spot in the semifinal. And those games will be on TSN later this weekend.

Englot To Play In Canada Cup

2009-03-02T12:00:00.001-08:00

Team Canada's victory in the Scotties Tournament of Hearts sends them to the World Championship in Korea, which -- unfortunately -- conflicts with the Canada Cup, for which Jennifer Jones and her team had already qualified.

Fortunately, the team next in line for a berth in the Canada Cup just happens to be available. So when play begins on March 18th, Michelle Englot will be there, along with the rest of her team: Deanna Doig, Roberta Materi and Cindy Simmons.

Yorkton, Saskatchewan. March 18-22, 2009. Be there if you can.

Michelle starts at 12:30 Wednesday afternoon (local time) against Kelly Scott.

And I'll keep you posted.

Lawton Wins Provincial Championship

2009-02-21T19:11:00.000-08:00

Rene Mietinnen defeated Jolene McIvor, 6-5, in the Page 3-4 game to reach the semifinal against Amber Holland, who lost, 7-3, in the Page 1-2 game against Stephanie Lawton, who remained undefeated in reaching the final.

In the semifinal, Mietinnen got off to a quick start and hung on for a 7-6 win against Amber Holland.

Lawton got off to a good start in the final and led, 5-2, at the break. Mietinnen tied the game with 3 in the 6th but Lawton blanked the 7th and scored three of her own in the 8th on the way to a 9-6 victory.

Congratulations to Stephanie Lawton third Marliese Kasner, second Sherri Singler and lead Lana Vey. And best of luck to them in Victoria.

McIvor, Mietinnen Grab Final Playoff Spots

2009-01-31T19:57:00.000-08:00

Jolene McIvor stole three points in the 8th end to break up a close game and went on to defeat Michelle Englot in a 'C' event qualifier Saturday afternoon. The final score was 8-7, with Englot stealing two in the 10th as McIvor made an open hit against three for the win.

Rene Mietinnen defeated Sherry Anderson in the other 'C' qualifier. That game also ended up at 8-7 can, but it took an extra end to get there.

So McIvor will face Mietinnen in the Page 3-4 game. And the winner of that game will face the loser of the Lawton-Holland 1-2 game, in the semifinal.

It's a difficult ending for the Englot and Anderson teams, but there are so many good women's teams in Saskatchewan, and there's a difficult ending in store for all but one of them.

Congratulations to those teams still in the hunt; here's hoping the best of them will emerge with the championship.

Holland Defeats Englot In 'B' Final

2009-01-31T18:48:00.000-08:00

Amber Holland stole three points in the 8th end of the 'B' final to break up a close game and hung on for an 8-5 victory. Holland advances to the Page 1-2 game against 'A' event winner Stephanie Lawton; Englot drops into one of two 'C' event qualifiers, Saturday afternoon against Jolene McIvor. The other 'C' qualifier pits Rene Mietinnen against Sherry Anderson; winners advance to the Page 3-4 game.

Englot Wins Again To Reach 'B' Final

2009-01-30T11:14:00.000-08:00

Michelle Englot never trailed in her 'B' semifinal against Rene Miettinen on Friday evening, but she and her team from Regina still needed an extra end to win the game.

Englot led 3-0, 4-3, and 6-4, but Miettinen scrambled back to tie the score each time, stealing a single in the 10th to force an extra end.

But Englot scored two in the eleventh for an 8-6 victory and will face Amber Holland in final of the 'B' event Saturday morning.

Englot Rally Continues

2009-01-29T23:43:00.000-08:00

Michelle Englot and her team from Regina continued to rebound after their opening loss with their second consecutive victory in the provincial championship in Swift Current. Thursday night they were in a tight game against Ros Stewart until the seventh end, when Englot made two terrific shots to count three points and take a two-point lead. Steals in the 8th and 9th ends cemented the win. The final score was 8-3.

Englot remains in the 'B' event and will face Rene Miettinen again, in a 'B' semifinal on Friday evening.

Sherry Anderson and Amber Holland, who both lost 'A' semifinals, will meed in Thursday evening's other 'B' event game. The winner of Anderson-Holland will face the winner of Meittinen-Englot in the 'B' final.

The 'A' event is complete, and Stefanie Lawton has won it, taking the 'A' final by a 10-2 score against Miettinen. Lawton now awaits the winner of the 'B' event in the "page playoff 1-2" game.

Englot Rallies For Convincing Win

2009-01-29T20:37:00.000-08:00

Michelle Englot rebounded from her opening-game loss in Swift Current with a convincing 9-1 win over Sherrilee Orsted to remain in the 'B' event.

Enlgot gave up a steal in the first end, but nothing more. She cashed in a deuce in the second end, stole three straight singles, and then stole four more in the sixth end to put the game away.

Englot will play Ros Stewart on Thursday evening. And I will keep you posted.

Playdowns Start Badly For Englot In Swift Current

2009-01-28T23:31:00.000-08:00

Michelle Englot and her team from Regina earned a bye to the provincial championship this year, which is a 12-team triple-knockout, and were seeded into the second round of the 'A' event.

But their first game spelled the end of the smooth sailing, as Rene Miettinen scored a deuce in the first end and stole another in the second on the way to an 8-end, 11-5 victory.

Miettinen had beaten Tracey Streifel in their first-round game, while Englot waited. Perhaps the wait was too long.

Englot will have to fight her way back from the 'B' event, beginning Thursday afternoon with a game against Sherrilee Orsted.

Lawton, Englot Advance To Provincials

2009-01-03T22:03:00.000-08:00

From SaskCurl.com:

(Dec 24) The Saskatchewan Curling Association announced Tuesday that Stefanie Lawton of Saskatoon and Michelle Englot of Regina have earned automatic berths into the Scotties Women's Provincial Championship. The two teams earned the highest points on the Canadian Team Rankings System to advance. Lawton had 34 points while Englot had 30. Lawton and Englot will compete in the Provincial Championship in Swift Current, January 28th to February 1, 2009 under a new 12 team format.

I'll keep you posted.

Larouche Wins Canada Cup Qualifier

2008-12-15T18:37:00.001-08:00

Marie-France Larouche and her team from Quebec have capped a great weekend in Ottawa with a 6-4 victory over Amber Holland in the final of the John Shea Insurance Canada Cup Qualifier.

Larouche stole a deuce in the first end and scored two more in the fourth to take a 4-1 lead which she never relinquished.

Congratulations to Marie-France Larouche, Nancy Bélanger, Annie Lemay and
Joëlle Sabourin.

Congrats also to the defeated finalists: Amber Holland, Kim Schneider, Tammy Schneider and Heather Seeley.

Best holiday wishes to all my curling friends, and to both my readers too.

I'll be back in January with news from provincial playdowns.

Larouche And Holland Win Semifinals In Ottawa

2008-12-15T18:24:00.000-08:00

Marie-France Larouche of Quebec and Amber Holland of Saskatchewan won their semifinals Monday afternoon and will meet in the final of the John Shea Insurance Canada Cup Qualifier in Ottawa.

Larouche scored two or more points every time she had the hammer, and limited Mary Anne Arsenault to singles every time Arsenault had last rock, en route to a convincing 9-4 victory.

It was the fifth straight win for the Larouche foursome, who are now 7-1 in the five-day event.

Holland had a tougher time against Sherry Middaugh, but wound up with a 7-5 win and a trip to the final.

It was the sixth win in a row for Team Holland, who are now 8-2.

The final goes this evening.

Winners Steal; Stealers Win

2008-12-15T18:10:00.000-08:00

All the winners stole points in quarterfinal action Monday morning at the John Shea Insurance Canada Cup Qualifier in Ottawa. And all the teams that stole points won their games.

Mary Anne Arsenault stole four ends worth six points on the way to an 8-1 victory over Sherry Anderson.

Marie-France Larouche stole three ends worth four points and eliminated Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg by an 8-5 score.

Arsenault and Larouche will meet in one semifinal Monday afternoon.

Amber Holland only stole two points against Shannon Kleibrink, but she also scored heavily with last rock in winning 9-3.

Meanwhile, Sherry Middaugh stole a single against Cathy King, and scored three deuces ... yet the game was decided by a three-ender in the 9th. Make the final: Middaugh 10, King 7.

So it'll be Middaugh and Holland in the second semifinal, with the winner to face either Arsenault or Larouche.

We'll keep a close eye on the semifinals, where preventing steals will probably be a key to success.

Field Trimmed From 13 To 8 For Quarterfinals

2008-12-14T21:10:00.000-08:00

The first round of playoffs -- the Round of 13 -- is finished at the John Shea Insurance Canada Cup Qualifier in Ottawa, and the winners are:

Marie-France Larouche, 9-4 over Barb Spencer; Sherry Anderson, in an extra end over Chantelle Eberle; Amber Holland, in an extra end over Renee Sonnenberg; Sherry Middaugh, 12-3 over Kristy Jenion; and Cathy King, 11-6 over Jolene McIvor.

Middaugh and King meet on Monday morning in one quarterfinal, while the other three Round of 13 winners face 'A' qualifiers: Holland plays Shannon Kleibrink; Anderson plays Mary Anne Arsenault; and Larouche plays Jennifer Jones.

Round of 13 Set To Go

2008-12-14T21:00:00.000-08:00

The 'C' qualifiers are finished and the Round of 13 is ready to go. Amber Holland, Barb Spencer, Sherry Middaugh, and Renee Sonnenberg will join the six 'B' qualifiers in the first round of playoffs this evening, while the three 'A' qualifiers wait for the quarterfinals to begin.

Holland won a 6-3 final against Cheryl Bernard and will face Renee Sonnenberg in the next round. Sonnenberg defeated Chantal Osborne of Quebec, 10-4, in their qualifying game.

Spencer took a 9-6 decision against Heather Strong of Newfoundland, and will play Marie-France Larouche.

Sherry Middaugh beat Cindy Ricci, 7-4, in the other 'C' qualifier and she will play Kristy Jenion of Winnipeg.

Chantelle Eberle faces Sherry Anderson in a matchup of 'B' qualifiers, while the other two 'B' qualifiers, Jolene McIvor and Cathy King, meet in the other match of the draw.

The five winners will play quarterfinals on Monday morning, as will the three 'A' qualifiers, Mary Anne Arsenault, Jennifer Jones and Shannon Kleibrink.

Spencer Steals One Clean Away

2008-12-14T11:34:00.000-08:00

Barb Spencer of Winnipeg scored on four consecutive ends Sunday morning -- a total of five points, four of them stolen -- and held on for a 5-4 victory against Michelle Englot and her team from Regina. The loss dropped Team Englot's record to 3-3 and knocked them out of the event. Unfortunately, you can't win 'em all.

Spencer remains alive in the 'C' event, and can reach the round of ... um ... thirteen ... with a win against Heather Strong on Sunday afternoon.

The 'B' event is now finished, and six once-beaten teams have claimed their spots in the next round. They are: Jolene McIvor, Marie-France Larouche, Sherry Anderson, Kristy Jenion, Cathy King and Chantelle Eberle.

Four qualifiers will emerge from the 'C' event, and they will join these six teams in the first round of playoff games Sunday night.

The winners of these five games will join the three 'A' event qualifiers -- Mary Anne Arsenault, Jennifer Jones and Shannon Kleibrink -- in Monday morning's quarterfinals.

Englot Wins, Stays In ...

2008-12-13T23:15:00.000-08:00

Michelle Englot and her team from Regina got off to a good start against Manitoba's Kerri Flett, scoring three in the second end and stealing two more in the third to establish a 5-2 lead. Flett came back to score a deuce in the fourth but never got any closer, and Englot emerged on the sunny side of a 9-6 final.

Englot remains in contention, in the 'C' event, and will face Winnipeg's Barb Spencer Sunday morning.

Englot Loses A Close One

2008-12-13T11:09:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning's game between Michelle Englot and Chantelle Eberle was just too much! Eberle started out with a single and a steal, and led by 3-1 after four ends. Englot scrambled back to tie it at 4-4 after seven, and led 6-5 after nine. But Eberle had last rock in the tenth, and she took advantage, scoring a deuce for a 7-6 win.

Englot, 2-2, now falls to the 'C' event and must win all her remaining games, beginning with Manitoba's Kerri Flett on Saturday night.

The 'A' event is finished, and three teams -- Mary Anne Arsenault, Jennifer Jones and Shannon Kleibrink -- have qualified for the quarterfinals. I'll try to keep you posted.

Englot Wins, Stays In The 'B'

2008-12-12T23:03:00.000-08:00

Michelle Englot and her team from Regina jumped out to an early lead and knocked off Carrie Lindner of Toronto, 7-5, to run their record to 2-1 and remain in the 'B' event heading into Saturday's games.

Next up for Englot is another Regina team, skipped by Chantelle Eberle. That game will be played on Saturday morning, and I will be back with more news.

Five-Spot Too Much For Englot

2008-12-12T10:58:00.000-08:00

On Friday morning, Regina's Jolene McIvor cracked open a tight game with a five-spot in the eighth end, sending Michelle Englot to the 'B' event of the John Shea Insurance Canada Cup Qualifier in Ottawa.

Englot, now 1-1, will face on Carrie Lindner of Toronto on Friday evening.

Englot Starts Well In Ottawa

2008-12-11T23:27:00.000-08:00

Team Englot are in Ottawa this weekend for the biggest event on their World Curling Tour schedule, where they're one of forty-four teams playing for a spot in the Canada Cup.

They started well Thursday night, beating Tracy Horgan of Sudbury, 8-5. The game was close until Englot stole deuces in both the sixth and seventh ends to take an 8-3 lead. They're playing 10 end games here (rather than 8 as in the previous events), but Horgan was too far behind to catch up.

So the Englot foursome remain in the 'A' event, where they will meet Regina's Jolene McIvor on Friday morning.

They'll play again Friday evening, against an opponent to be determined. And I will try to keep you posted.

Jones Wins In Abbotsford

2008-11-17T17:47:00.001-08:00

Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg has defeated Stefanie Lawton of Saskatoon to win the Wayden Transportation Ladies Classic in Abbotsford, B.C.

Jones led, 3-2, after four ends, and cashed a deuce in the fifth for a 5-2 lead. Lawton was forced to gamble in the sixth, and got nothing: instead, Jones stole four more points and the gloves came off. Make the final: 9-2 for Jennifer Jones.

Congratulations to Jennifer Jones, third Cathy Overton-Clapham, second Jill Officer, and lead Dawn Askin. They're a great team, current Canadian and World Champions, and will certainly be a force in the Manitoba playdowns.

Congratulations also to the nee-Miller sisters: skip Stefanie Lawton and third Marliese Kasner; and to their teammates, second Sherri Singler and lead Lana Vey. They're another excellent team, currently Canada Cup champions, and they will be a force in Saskatchewan.

But not the only one!

Team Englot will be back on the World Curling Tour at the John Shea Insurance Canada Cup Qualifier in Ottawa, beginning December 11th. And I'll be back then, if not before.

Lawton, Jones Win Semifinals

2008-11-17T17:40:00.000-08:00

Stefanie Lawton of Saskatoon and Jennifer Jones of Winnipeg won the semifinals of the Wayden Transportation Ladies Classic on Monday afternoon in Abbotsford, B.C., and will meet in Monday evening's final.

Lawton scored a single in the eighth end to break a 5-5 tie and hand the previously unbeaten Cheryl Bernard of Calgary her first loss of the event. Jones broke open a close game with a stolen point in the seventh, and stole two more in the eighth for a 6-2 victory over the previously unbeaten Rachel Homan of Ottawa.

So it's Lawton and Jones in the final, and I'll tell you more when I know more.

Bernard Edges Englot In Quarterfinals

2008-11-17T11:18:00.001-08:00

Michelle Englot and her team from Regina lost an extra-end quarterfinal to Cheryl Bernard at the Wayden Transportation Ladies Classic in Abbotsford, B.C., Monday morning.

The game turned on a steal of 2 in the third end, which put Bernard ahead by a 4-1 score. Englot held Bernard to singles the rest of the way, and scored a couple of deuces herself, tying the game at 6-6 after eight ends. But Bernard had the hammer in the extra end ... not to mention an excellent team.

Bernard's Calgary foursome are now 5-0 in this event and will face either Stefanie Lawton or Kelly Scott in a semifinal.

The other semifinal will feature Rachel Homan (also 5-0) against either Jennifer Jones or Georgina Wheatcroft.

Congratulations to Cheryl Bernard and her team, and to Michelle Englot and her team as well. More later ...

Englot Qualifies Again!

2008-11-16T21:47:00.000-08:00

Michelle Englot and her Regina team qualified for quarterfinals in their third straight World Curling Tour event, with a 7-4 win over Kristen Recksiedler of Maple Ridge, B.C. in the C event of the Wayden Transportation Ladies Classic, in Abbotsford.

Englot broke a 4-4 tie with three points in the seventh, and then ran Recksiedler out of rocks for the win.

The B event qualifiers have been played since my last post. Stefanie Lawton of Saskatoon took one of the quarterfinal spots with a 9-4 win against Winnipeg's Jennifer Jones. And Georginia Wheatcroft gave up a steal of 2 in the eighth, allowing Crystal Webster to tie the game, before Wheatcroft scored a single in the extra end for a 6-5 win and a playoff spot of her own.

The other C event qualifying games are also final.

Jennifer Jones scored a 6-3 win against Jody Maskiewich, of New Westminster; Kelly Scott scored 4 in the fifth and beat Amber Holland, 7-3; and Crystal Webster, after losing A and B qualifiers, finally grabbed a quarterfinal spot with a 9-2 victory over Julie Reddick of Brantford, Ontario.

Congratulations to all the qualifiers: Homan, Bernard, Lawton, Wheatcroft, Jones, Scott, Webster, and Englot.

One of those teams will win three games tomorrow and take home the big bucks.

Best of luck to Michelle Englot, Deanna Doig, Roberta Materi and Cindy Simmons.

Englot Wins Another; Needs One More To Qualify

2008-11-16T21:37:00.000-08:00

Michelle Englot and her team from Regina scored a win over Karen Powell and her team from Grande Prairie in a C event match on Sunday afternoon. The game was tight until the sixth, when Englot stole a single to take a two-point lead. Englot then forced Powell to take one in the seventh, and scored two in the eighth, to make the final: 7-4.

Powell is eliminated with the loss; Englot moves on to a C event qualifier with the win. And I will return when I have more news.

Wheatcroft Too Much For Englot

2008-11-16T21:16:00.000-08:00

Michelle Englot had her hands full with Georgina Wheatcroft's B.C. team in their B event match early Sunday. Wheatcroft stole a single in the first end, and held Englot to a single in the second. Then, after an exchange of singles made the score 2-2, Wheatcroft scored a deuce in the fifth, and stole two more in the sixth and another in the seventh for a 7-2 win.

Wheatcroft remains in the B event with a good chance to qualify; Englot drops to the C event and must win two games in a row to reach the quarterfinals.

The A event qualifiers were played Saturday night after my last post. Cheryl Bernard scored 3 in the first and 5 more in the third against Shannon Kleibrink, to grab one of the quarterfinal spots with a 10-2 score. Meanwhile, Rachel Homan and her team from Ottawa scored 4 in the first end and never trailed against Grande Prairie's Crystal Webster, winding up with an 8-5 victory and a quarterfinal spot of their own.

I've been following women's curling since Georgina Wheatcroft was Georgina Hawkes and she's always been one of my favourites. Whenever I've heard players talk about "George", they've always had good things to say. You could say "she's one of the really great people in the game, and a fine player, too" and nobody would disagree with you. I would cheer for George against almost anybody.

And so ... best wishes to Michelle and her team, as always, and almost-best wishes to Georgina and her team. I'd love to see them both in the playoffs, and I'm glad they didn't meet in the C. At least not yet, anyway.

Next up for Michelle: Karen Powell of Grande Prairie. Next for Georgina: a B event qualifier against Crystal Webster. There's a lot more curling to come. And I'll be back.

Englot Wins Again

2008-11-15T19:59:00.000-08:00

Michelle Englot and her team from Regina won their second game of the day Saturday evening, defeating Jessica Mair of Edmonton, 4-3.

The victory gives Englot a 3-1 record and keeps her team in the B event of the Wayden Transportation Ladies Classic, where they will meet either Georginia Wheatcroft or Tracey Jones on Sunday morning.

Englot and her team have now won 18 of their last 24 games on the World Curling Tour, a 75% success rate which will bring them great rewards if they can keep it up.

Later this evening, in the A event qualifiers, Rachel Homan of Ottawa will face Crystal Webster of Medicine Hat, while Shannon Kleibrink does battle with Cheryl Bernard. And I will keep you posted.

Enlgot Beats Foster To Remain In B Event

2008-11-15T13:23:00.001-08:00

Michelle Englot broke a 3-3 tie with a three-ender in the seventh, and held on for a 6-3 victory against Calgary's Diane Foster in her third game of the Wayden Transportation Ladies Classic, in Abbotsford, B.C.

Englot remains in the B event with a record of 2-1. She and her team will play again this evening, against Jessica Mair of Edmonton.

Bernard Bumps Englot Into B Event

2008-11-14T23:18:00.000-08:00

Michelle Englot and her team ran up against a buzzsaw Friday night in Abbotsford, and wound up in the B event because of it. Cheryl Bernard of Calgary scored deuces every time she had the hammer, and held Englot to singles twice, en route to a 6-4 victory.

Bernard remains in the A event and will face Colleen Madonia in her next game. Englot drops to the B and will meet another Calgary team, skipped by Diane Foster, early Saturday.

Englot Starts With A Win In Abbotsford

2008-11-14T19:27:00.000-08:00

The Wayden Transportation Ladies Classic, a triple-knockout Grand Slam event in Abbotsford, B.C., began today and runs through Monday.

Team Englot met Kristen Recksiedler of Richmond, B.C., in their first game, and started off on the wrong foot, giving up a steal of 1 in the first end.

But that was the last point Recksiedler got. Englot scored a deuce in the second, stole a deuce in the third, stole three more in the fourth, and Recksiedler had seen enough. Make the final: 7-1.

Englot remains in the A event for an evening match against Cheryl Bernard of Calgary. And I will try to keep you posted.

Lawton Beats Englot In Colonial Square Final

2008-11-10T17:53:00.000-08:00

Stefanie Lawton of Saskatoon has defeated Regina's Michelle Englot, 6-4, to win the final of the Colonial Square Ladies Classic in Saskatoon. Team Lawton finished the event with eight wins in nine games, including seven straight, and captured the trophy for the second time in a row and the third time in the last four years.

Congratulations to the winners: skip Stefanie Lawton, third Marliese Kasner, second Sherri Singler, and lead Lana Vey. Congratulations also to Michelle Englot and her team of third Deanna Doig, second Roberta Materi, and lead Cindy Simmons.

Team Englot reached the final with victories over Cathy Trowell and Chantelle Eberle. The quarterfinal game against Trowell was a good one, with Team Englot scoring a deuce in the 8th end for a 5-4 win.

Englot had an easier time in the semifinal against Eberle, scoring two deuces with the hammer and one without, on the way to a 7-2 final.

Team Lawton won their semifinal against Kelly Scott, who had knocked off Jennifer Jones in the quarterfinals. They also defeated Jolene McIvor in the quarterfinals. The other quarterfinalist was Amber Holland, who lost to Eberle.

It's a great result in a strong field for the Englot team, who are playing well and rolling along -- mostly.

It's an even greater result for the Lawton team, of course, who are also playing well and rolling.

Fans of women's curling in Saskatchewan will be watching these two teams closely; remembering last year's provincial final, perhaps; and -- who knows -- possibly looking forward to another one.

Next up for Team Englot: Abbotsford BC, for the Wayden Transportation Ladies Classic, November 14-17. It's another Grand Slam event, with $60,000 in prize money and a very strong field. Englot starts Friday afternoon against Kristen Recksiedler; possible A event opponents include Cheryl Bernard, Heather Rankin, and Kelly Scott.

Englot Qualifies In Saskatoon!

2008-11-09T23:38:00.000-08:00

Team Englot have been in Saskatoon this weekend for the Colonial Square Ladies Classic. I have been unusually busy and unable to blog about each game separately, but half a loaf is better than none...

The format is familiar: 32 teams play a triple-knockout for 8 qualifying spots in single-knockout playoffs. The strategy is familiar as well: win as many games as possible.

So they started with a loss, 8-6, against Kaileigh Strath of Winnipeg, on Friday afternoon, and moved immediately to the B event.

But they rebounded with a 4-2 victory over Tiffany McKeeman of Lloydminster, Alberta, to finish Friday in fairly good shape at 1-1.

They continued to rebound on Saturday, beating Regina's own Jan Betker, 6-3, and then Kerri Flett of Selkirk, Manitoba, 7-3, to remain in the B event at 3-1.

On Sunday afternoon, the roll continued as Englot beat Calgary's Heather Rankin, 7-3, to reach the B event qualifier.

But then they hit another bump. Saskatoon's Stefanie Lawton cracked open a five-ender in the sixth to get out of trouble and emerged with an 8-6 victory.

The win put Lawton in the quarterfinals, along with Winnipeg's Jennifer Jones and Regina's Chantelle Eberle (who both went through the A event undefeated), as well as Cathy Trowell, also of Regina, who qualified through the B with a 6-3 victory over Chelsea Carey of Winnipeg.

And so Team Englot was in the C event. But only for one game.

And on Sunday evening, they beat Karen Porritt of Winnipeg, 9-6 to finish with a 5-2 record and gain a berth in the playoffs.

They'll start with a quarterfinal game against Cathy Trowell on Monday afternoon. And I will say more when I know more.

~~~

So far, so good! Best wishes to Michelle and her teammates.

We Have A Winner!!

2008-10-27T18:36:00.001-07:00

Lucky six? Michelle Englot and her team won the Casinos of Winnipeg Classic this evening, knocking off Kelly Scott and her BC team by a score of 6-0, in a game that lasted six ends. It was Englot's sixth win in a row.

Nobody minds winning a big event, especially when it comes with $16,000 and 36 Grand Slam points, but this shutout victory must be especially gratifying for the Englot foursome, who broke a seven-game losing streak on Friday night with a win over Holly Scott in the B event.

They resumed play Saturday morning with a 7-0 four-end decision over Shannon Kleibrink, lost a tough close one to Barb Spencer on Saturday evening, and then won their next six, defeating Amber Holland, Kristy Jenion, and Stefanie Lawton on Sunday, and Anette Norberg, Cathy King and Kelly Scott on Monday.

It's great work if you can get it, and it's great to see Michelle and her team rolling after such a rough start...

So, hearty congratulations to Michelle Englot and her teammates: third Deanna Doig, second Roberta Materi and lead Cindy Simmons. Congratulations also to Kelly Scott, third Jeanna Schraeder, second Sasha Carter and lead Renee Simons, who did well to reach the final and left with 27 Grand Slam points of their own.

Next up for Englot: the Colonial Square Ladies Curling Classic, November 7-10, in Saskatoon.

Englot Reaches The Final

2008-10-27T18:23:00.000-07:00

Michelle Englot and her team from Regina won again this afternoon in a semifinal of the Casinos of Winnipeg Classic, scoring two in the extra end to edge Cathy King's Alberta team, 7-5, and extending their winning streak to five games.

They will play the former Canadian and World Champions, skipped by Kelly Scott of British Columbia, this evening in the final.

This weekend has been full of good news for Team Englot, who got off to a rough start this season. But they are still one of the best teams in the world, and it's great to see the results they can get when they play well.

Congratulations to Michelle Englot, Deanna Doig, Roberta Materi and Cindy Simmons, and best of luck in the final.

Not to be biased or anything. ;-)

Englot Wins Quarterfinal!

2008-10-27T11:56:00.000-07:00

Team Englot, rolling now, extended their winning streak to four games Monday morning with a quarterfinal victory over two-time World Champion Anette Norberg of Sweden, to stay in contention at the Casinos of Winnipeg Classic. Englot scored four in the seventh end to break a 4-4 tie, and won by a final score of 8-4.

Edmonton's Cathy King knocked off the previously unbeaten hometown team of Jennifer Jones, the current Canadian and World Champions, in another quarterfinal, and will face Englot in one semifinal.

Former Canadian and World Champion Kelly Scott will face Kaitlyn Lawes in the other semifinal. Lawes eliminated Winnipeg's Barb Spencer in an all-Winnipeg quarterfinal match. And Scott knocked off the only other (previously) unbeaten team, skipped by Cheryl Bernard, in the other quarterfinal.

So it's Scott against Lawes in one semifinal and Englot against King in the other.

I'll tell you more when I know more.

18 Grand Slam Points: Englot Qualifies In Winnipeg

2008-10-26T23:36:00.000-07:00

Team Englot earned a spot in Monday's quarterfinals and 18 Grand Slam points with a 7-6 extra-end victory over Stefanie Lawton on Sunday evening.

It was the team's third win in a row and their fifth in seven games (so far) in the Casinos of Winnipeg Classic, and it sets up a Monday morning match against one of the very best teams in the game, the many-time World and European Champions from Sweden skipped by Anette Norberg.

Englot supporters are pleased to see things going so well, and hoping the winning streak will continue. From here on in, the opposition is certainly world-class.

Barb Spencer, Kelly Scott and Cathy King were victorious (by identical 6-4 scores!) in the other C qualifiers, and will join Englot and Norberg in the quarterfinals along with Cheryl Bernard and Jennifer Jones, who qualified through the A event on Saturday, and Kaitlyn Lawes, who took the second B qualifier late Sunday afternoon with an 8-3 win over Lisa Blixhavn.

On Monday morning, Kelly Scott will play Cheryl Bernard in one quarterfinal, while Barb Spencer plays Kaitlyn Lawes in another. The winners of those two games will meet in one semifinal.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Jones will play Cathy King, and the winner of that game will play in the other semifinal, against either Englot or Norberg.

You see how simple it all is? $16,000 and 18 more Grand Slam points await the winner, and only three more victories are required.

Congratulations to Michelle and her team, and Good Curling in the playoffs!

Quick Start Keeps Englot In Contention

2008-10-26T23:29:00.000-07:00

Team Englot got off to a quick start against Winnipeg's Kristy Jenion on Sunday afternoon, stealing three points in the first four ends to take a 4-1 lead, and went on to a 7-4 win. The Englot squad, now 4-2, remain in the C event, where they will face Saskatchewan rival Stefanie Lawton on Sunday evening, with a spot in the quarterfinals at stake.

Lawton reached the C qualifier by losing a B qualifier, 6-5, to Sweden's Anette Norberg. Norberg joins Jennifer Jones and Cheryl Bernard in the quarterfinals, and the other five quarterfinal spots remain open ... for the moment.

Big End To The Rescue

2008-10-26T23:20:00.000-07:00

Team Englot scored 5 in the sixth end Sunday morning to break a 3-3 tie and went on to a 9-3 victory against Amber Holland, to remain in contention in the C event of the Casinos of Winnipeg Classic.

Four teams remain in the B event. Lisa Blixhavn defeated Barb Spencer, 6-3, and will face Kaitlyn Lawes in one qualifying game. Lawes bested Sherry Anderson, 4-3.

The other qualifier features Sweden's Anette Norberg against Stefanie Lawton of Saskatoon. Lawton beat Jan Betker of Regina, 7-5, while Norberg won a 5-3 victory against Winnipeg's Kim Link.

Blixhavn or Lawes and Norberg or Lawton will join Cheryl Bernard and Jennifer Jones in the quarterfinals. And I will be back.

Bernard And Jones Qualify; Englot Drops A Close One

2008-10-25T23:13:00.000-07:00

Team Englot suffered a second defeat in the Casinos of Winnipeg Classic when Barb Spencer scored a single in the 8th end for a 4-3 victory.

Englot drops to the C event for a Sunday morning match against Amber Holland.

Meanwhile, Cheryl Bernard and Jennifer Jones qualified for the quarterfinals with the fourth straight win for each team. Bernard beat Winnipeg's Kaitlyn Lawes, 7-2, while Jones defeated Stefanie Lawton of Saskatoon, 6-2.

Englot Wins A Blowout

2008-10-25T23:07:00.000-07:00

Team Englot made short work of Shannon Kleibrink's Alberta foursome this morning, stealing two consecutive three-enders on the way to a 7-0 victory. The game lasted only four ends and must have done wonders for the Regina team's spirits. They remain in the B event and will play Winnipeg's Barb Spencer this evening. I will try to keep you posted.

Englot Wins!

2008-10-24T23:01:00.000-07:00

Team Englot broke a seven-game losing streak with a deuce in the 8th end for a 5-4 win against Winnipeg's Holly Scott on Friday evening to remain in the B event and possibly even establish some momentum.

They'll play again Saturday morning against Shannon Kleibrink, whose team has been very sharp lately. It will be a good test for the Englot foursome, who may have suddenly regained their form. Who knows? We can hope. And we'll find out more tomorrow.

Englot Loses A Squeaker

2008-10-24T22:56:00.000-07:00

Team Englot began play in the Casinos of Winnipeg Classic with a 7-6 extra-end loss to Ontario's Colleen Madonia and dropped to the B event where they will face Winnipeg's Holly Scott in the next round.

Kleibrink Wins a Thanksgiving Festival of Blowouts

2008-10-14T08:09:00.001-07:00

One-sided games were the rule in the playoffs at the Trail Appliances Curling Classic, and Shannon Kleibrink won the last of them, defeating Cheryl Bernard, 8-2, in a game that went five whole ends.

Kleibrink had beaten Sherry Middaugh, 8-2, in a four-end semifinal; Bernard reached the final with a five-end 9-1 win over Stefanie Lawton.

Lawton had set the tone for the day in the quarterfinals, with a 7-0 four-end victory over Sherry Anderson. Middaugh followed suit, beating Kristie Moore, 9-4; and Kleibrink did too, beating Heather Rankin, 8-4. Bernard's 5-4 quarterfinal win against Barb Spencer was the only close game of the day.

Congratulations to Shannon Kleibrink and her team, and to Cheryl Bernard and hers.

Englot supporters will hope for better things in Winnipeg.

Kleibrink, Lawton, Spencer, Moore win C qualifiers

2008-10-12T22:22:00.000-07:00

Shannon Kleibrink, Stefanie Lawton, Barb Spencer and Kristie Moore have reached the quarterfinals with victories in the C event finals at the Trail Appliances Curling Classic in Calgary.

Kleibrink stole six points in the first four ends to eliminate Kaileigh Strath of Winnipeg. The final score was 8-2.

Lawton had a tougher time against Japan's Moe Meguro but scored three in the seventh end and went on to win, 7-3.

Spencer scored a deuce with the hammer in the 8th to edge Amber Holland, 6-5.

And Moore blanked the seventh and scored a single in the eighth for a 4-3 victory against the Russian team skipped by Liudmilla Privivkova.

It was an especially disappointing finish for the Russians, who started with three straight wins, including two against eventual qualifiers (Spencer and Rankin). But Privivkova's squad then dropped three of their next four, which is never a good idea.

Quarterfinals start Monday morning with Bernard against Spencer, Anderson against Lawton, Middaugh against Moore and Rankin against Kleibrink. I'll have a report for you at some point. In the meantime, good curling!

Rankin, Anderson Reach the Quarterfinals

2008-10-12T22:14:00.000-07:00

Heather Rankin and Sherry Anderson have won the qualifying spots from the B event, joining Cheryl Bernard and Sherry Middaugh in the quarterfinals.

Rankin stole 5 in the 7th end to crack open a close game against Stefanie Lawton, and won 9-3.

Anderson scored deuces in the first and third ends, and stole two more in the sixth, en route to a 7-4 win.

Kleibrink and Lawton join the other teams with two losses in the C event, from which four more teams will qualify for Monday's playoffs.

Home For Thanksgiving

2008-10-11T20:37:00.001-07:00

It hasn't exactly been the best of curling weekends for Team Englot. Steals of two and three gave Moe Meguro a 5-0 lead after three ends, and the Japanese team hung on for a 7-3 victory, to make Englot's tenure in the C event a short one.

It could be worse for the Englot foursome. It's Thanksgiving weekend and now the players will have a chance to spend some time with their families.

They'll be back on the World Curling Tour in two weeks, at the Casinos of Winnipeg Women's Curling Classic, which begins October 24th.

In other action, Cheryl Bernard and Sherry Middaugh have qualified for the quarterfinals after winning four straight in the A event. And five other teams have been dismissed, including Georgina Wheatcroft, Renee Sonnenberg, and China's Bingyu Wang, who has been undefeated in qualifying in the previous two events.

That's all for now, but I'll be back.

Try, Try Again!

2008-10-10T20:13:00.001-07:00

Michelle Englot got off to a slow start against Barb Spencer on Friday evening, giving up a steal of one in the first end, taking a single in the second and giving up a deuce in the third.

Down 3-1 after three, the team started their comeback with a deuce of their own in the fourth to tie it at 3-3 ... but then Spencer scored three in the fifth, held Englot to a single in the sixth, and scored two more in the seventh on the way to an 8-4 win.

It's been a tough day for Team Englot, who now drop into the C event, where they will face Japan's Moe Meguro tomorrow evening.

Heather Rankin, Kelly Scott, Cheryl Bernard and Liudmilla Privivkova remain unbeaten at 2-0 in the top half of the A draw, and eight teams in the bottom half are 1-0 and playing at the moment.

With their 0-2 record, Michelle and her team now need to win four in a row to reach the quarterfinals, and seven in a row to win the championship.

Even though they've started poorly, I wouldn't put it past them!

If At First You Don't Succeed ...

2008-10-10T12:13:00.000-07:00

Team Englot started on the wrong foot this morning against Alison Goring, falling behind 5-0 after two ends in a game that ended 8-2.

So now it's off to the B event, where Englot's next opponent will be Winnipeg's Barb Spencer, who lost a 5-4 decision to Russia's Liudmilla Privivkova.

This morning's other games were won by: Amber Holland, Cheryl Bernard, Kristie Moore, Kelly Scott, Heather Rankin and Shannon Kleibrink ... and I'll be back when I know more.

Triple Knockout In Calgary

2008-10-10T07:38:00.001-07:00

Team Englot returns to the World Curling Tour for a weekend in Calgary, where the Trail Appliances Curling Classic is about to begin. It's a triple-knockout preliminary, with 8 of 32 teams qualifying for single-knockout quarterfinals.

Team Englot's first game will be this morning against Ontario's Alison Goring. If they win that game, and three more in a row, they will get one of two qualifying spots from the A event.

Two teams with one loss each will qualify from the B event, and four teams with two losses each will qualify from the C event.

I might not be able to blog much this weekend but I will post updates when possible. In the meantime, you can follow the team's progress here.

A New Team Photo

2008-09-29T21:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of the new team. You can click on the image to enlarge it.

From left to right: skip Michelle Englot, third Deanna Doig, second Roberta Materi and lead Cindy Simmons.

Team Saturn of Regina. Long may they rock.

Kleibrink Wins The Schmirler

2008-09-29T18:03:00.000-07:00

Shannon Kleibrink has defeated Krista McCarville, 7-6, to win the CUETS Scmirler Curling Classic in Regina.

Kleibrink, down 3-2 without last rock after 5 ends, stole 3 in the 6th and another in the 7th to take a 6-3 lead. McCarville scored 3 in the 8th to force an extra end, but Kleibrink scored the last point of the day and took home the big bucks!

The final was a rematch of the Pool A game in which McCarville handed Kleibrink her only loss of the event, but she who wins last wins best. Kleibrink's record for the event was 7-1; McCarville finished at 7-3.

Congratulations to Shannon Kleibrink and her teammates, Amy Nixon, Bronwen Webster and Chelsey Bell. Congrats also to Krista McCarville and her team of Tara George, Kari MacLean-Kraft and Lorraine Lang.

The Kleibrink team will be in Vernon for the Twin Anchors Houseboat Cashspiel next weekend, and the following week we'll see them again, in Calgary, at the Trail Appliances Curling Classic.

Until next time ... good curling!

McCarville Reaches The Final, Will Face Kleibrink

2008-09-29T14:11:00.000-07:00

Krista McCarville has reached the final of the CUETS Scmirler Curling Classic with a 10-3 semifinal victory over Cindy Street.

Shannon Kleibrink led Bingyu Wang, 6-0, after 3 ends of the other semi, and hung on to win despite a deuce and two steals by the Chinese team.

So it's Kleibrink and McCarville in the final. Soon.

Semifinals Set At Schmirler Classic

2008-09-29T11:58:00.000-07:00

At the CUETS Scmirler Curling Classic, the quarterfinal games are all finished, and the semifinal matchups are set.

Krista McCarville of Thunder Bay handed Cheryl Bernard of Calgary her first loss of the event, and she'll face Cindy Street, who won a Pool D rematch against Heather Rankin, in one semifinal.

The other semifinal features Shannon Kleibrink, who stole 4 in the 8th to beat Sherry Middaugh, against China's Bingyu Wang, who eliminated Saskatoon's Stephanie McVicar to remain undefeated -- that's right: the only unbeaten team left in the field comes from China!

So it's McCarville vs. Street, and Kleibrink vs. Wang.

And I'll say more when I know more.

Big Ends Lift Street Over Englot

2008-09-28T22:37:00.000-07:00

In their fifth game of the round-robin, Team Englot stole three singles through the first four ends against Cindy Street and held a 3-0 lead at the halfway point. But Street scored 3 in the 5th and 4 more in the 7th for a 7-4 victory.

Street's win left her record at 4-1, which proved good enough to win the pool when Heather Rankin defeated Stefanie Lawton in their final round-robin game. Rankin and Lawton finished tied for second in the pool with 3-2 records; Englot wound up at 2-3.

Street will be joined in Monday's quarterfinal round by the other group winners: Shannon Kleibrink and Sherry Middaugh, who also finished at 4-1, and Cheryl Bernard and Bingyu Wang, who won their pools with perfect 5-0 records.

Rankin, Lawton and eight other teams with 3-2 records advanced to the tie-breaker round, from which three additional quarterfinalists -- Rankin, Krista McCarville and Stephanie McVicar -- have also advanced.

Steal of 3 in 7 Proves Costly, Englot Now 2-2

2008-09-28T00:34:00.000-07:00

Stefanie Lawton stole 3 points in the 7th end to break a 3-3 tie and hand Team Englot a second straight loss Saturday night. Team Englot now stands at 2-2 and will be hard-pressed to qualify for the playoffs, apparently. But strange things have been happening in this spiel and I'm not making any more predictions.

I've been posting information from the official website of the World Curling Tour, where several hours ago Stefanie Lawton's record was listed as 3-0 and she was scheduled to play Michelle Englot on Sunday afternoon. Now it says Lawton beat Englot on Saturday night but it lists her record as 3-1, and it now says she lost her first game, against Cindy Street. I don't know what happened but I assure you I'm not making this up.

Pool D standings at the moment, according to the official site, show Lawton and Street at 3-1, Englot and Heather Rankin at 2-2, and Chelsea Carey and Aileen Sormunen at 1-3. Rankin plays Lawton on Sunday while Street plays Englot, and a four-way tie at 3-2 is possible. That would lead to multiple tie-breakers, which are always fun -- for somebody!

I'll try to keep you up to date.

Too Late For Me

2008-09-27T21:25:00.000-07:00

The next game in Pool D is too late for me tonight; hopefully I will be able to post something about it tomorrow morning. In the meantime, here's a look at the standings in all five pools.

There's a 3-way tie with one game remaining in Pool A. Shannon Kleibrink and Stephanie McVicar are both 3-1 and will face each other on Sunday; the winner is assured of at least a share of first place in the pool. Krista McCarville of Thunder Bay is also 3-1 and can grab a share of top spot with a win against Rene Miettinen (currently 2-2). Jan Betker (1-3) and Maureen Bonar (0-4) will meet in the other game of the final Pool A draw.

All the other teams have played 3 games each and it's too soon to speculate on their results ... or is it?

In Pool B, there's a three-way tie among Sherry Middaugh, Jolene McIvor and Janet Harvey (all 2-1). Mirjam Ott, Cathy Trowell and Mandy Selzer are all 1-2.

China's Bingyu Wang leads Pool C with a perfect 3-0 record; Penny Roy and Karen Porritt are both still in the hunt at 2-1. Sherry Anderson and Andrea Kelly are probably out of it at 1-2, and Leslie Rogers is definitely out at 0-3.

In Pool D, which we are following most intently, Stefanie Lawton leads at 3-0, and Michelle Englot is second at 2-1. All the others -- Heather Rankin, Cindy Street, Chelsea Carey and Aileen Sormunen, are 1-2.

Cheryl Bernard sits atop of Pool E at 3-0; Chantelle Eberle and Kerry Galusha are 2-1. Binia Feltscher and Kerri Flett are 1-2, and Amber Holland is 0-3.

The top team in each pool and the three teams with the next best records will advance to the quarterfinals, which begin Monday morning. And I'll be back with more tomorrow.

Third Time Not So Lucky

2008-09-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

It was over after four ends: Rankin 7, Englot 0. Michelle had the hammer for the whole game. Not the sort of thing we like to see.

But there's still a long way to go, and Team Englot at 2-1 stand second in Pool D, trailing only Stefanie Lawton, against whom they play tomorrow in a rematch of last year's provincial final.

But first, a game against Cindy Street, later tonight. And we'll be hoping for a big rebound.

Second Game Proves A Tougher Test

2008-09-26T22:09:00.000-07:00

In their second game of the round-robin at the CUETS Schmirler Curling Classic, Chelsea Carey of Winnipeg got off to an early 4-1 lead and Team Saturn have been chasing them ever since.

As I write this, Michelle is down two with last rock playing the eighth end of an eight-end game. It's not the ideal position, but it's not impossible to win from there. (Check with Mark Dacey and/or Pat Ryan, both of whom overcame 2-point deficits in the last end of a Brier Final). I'll have more....

UPDATE: A three-spot in the eighth did the trick, and Team Saturn snuck away with a 7-6 victory. Michelle and her team are now 2-0, tied for first place in Pool D with Stefanie Lawton. They'll play Heather Rankin (now 0-2) and Cindy Street (1-1) on Saturday, and Lawton Sunday. The playoffs are Monday, and we'll have more right here.

Team Englot Starts Off On The Right Foot

2008-09-26T21:50:00.000-07:00

Michelle Englot and her team started their season in fine style, scoring a deuce in the first end and stealing three more in the second on the way to an 8-3 win in their first game of the 2008 CUETS Schmirler Curling Classic in Regina.

The victory, over Aileen Sormunen and her team from Duluth, Minnesota, gave Team Saturn a temporary share of first place in Pool D, which is full of good teams, including those skipped by Heather Rankin and Stefanie Lawton.

There's a long way to go but that's a great start. We can follow the team's progress here, I'll have more later, and there's a chance Michelle may be able to join us online during the weekend. We'll see.

But in the meantime, congratulations to the team on a good start.

Meet The Team

2008-08-15T06:15:00.000-07:00

Lead: Cindy Simmons

Cindy Simmons [on the right in this photo] was born April 11, 1974, in Regina. She started curling at the age of 8, and learned the game from her parents, Anita and Gary Ford.

Cindy lives in Moose Jaw, with her husband, Pat Simmons (the skip of the men's provincial champions), daughter Makena (3) and son Max (1). She works at the Royal Bank there, as a Financial Planner.

Second: Roberta Materi

Roberta Materi [on the left in the photo above] was also born in Regina. She came to curling as a teenager, learning the basics from her high school coaches. Roberta lives in White City, SK, with her husband and their three children, and she works as a Human Resources Manager for SaskTel.

Roberta is the longest-serving member of the Englot team, having played (with Lorie Kehler and Joan Stricker) on the 2001 Provincial Champions and in the Olympic Trials later that year.

Third: Deanna Doig

Deanna Doig was born March 13, 1972, in Bethune, SK, She started curling there when she was 10, and learned the game from members of the local curling club.

Deanna lives in Emerald Park, SK, with her husband, Shawn Doig, and two children, Aiden (4 1/2) and Anna (3). She works for TransCanada, where she manages Field Operations for the Qu'Appelle area.

Deanna is new to the team this year [and we're still waiting for a photo] but she's no stranger to elite curling. She's been a member of the National Training Center in Calgary for the past decade, and was chosen to represent Canada at an international event in Karuizawa, Japan, in 2003. She has spent the past past four seasons with Heather Rankin's very successful team, appearing in two Canada Cups, three Players Championships and two Alberta provincial championships.

Skip: Michelle Englot

Michelle Englot was born in Montmartre, SK, on January 22, 1964. She started curling there at the age of 12, learning the basics from her grade 6 teacher, Mr. Jim Schnell, before playing on a team with her dad, her mom, and her older brother.

Michelle reached her first national championship in 1983, when she was a junior. Since then, she's played in seven other nationals (once in mixed and six times in women's play), finishing as high as third (twice).

Michelle lives in Regina, where she works for SaskTel as Manager of Corporate Communications. She has two sons [and we have a photo!]; Bret (19) is attending Northwood University in Cedar Hill, TX, on a golf/academic scholarship, and Derek (18) will be starting in Business Administration at the University of Regina next month.

Schedule of Events for 2008-2009

2008-06-05T07:39:00.000-07:00

2008

Sept. 26-29: Regina, SK
CUETS Schmirler Charity Curling Classic

Oct. 10-13: Calgary, AB
Trail Appliances Curling Classic

Oct. 24-27: Winnipeg, MB
Casinos of Winnipeg Women's Curling Classic

Nov. 7-10: Saskatoon, SK
Colonial Square Ladies Curling Classic

Nov. 14-17: Abbotsford, BC
Wayden Transportation Women's Grand Slam

Dec. 11-15: Ottawa, ON
John Shea Insurance Canada Cup Qualifier

2009

January: Regina, SK
Provincial Playdowns begin

And then, perhaps...

Feb 21-Mar 1: Victoria, BC
Scotties Tournament of Hearts

Mar 18-22: Yorkton, SK
Canada Cup

Mar 21-29: Gangneung, Korea
Women's Worlds

April: Victoria, BC
Player’s Championship

Saturn of Regina to Sponsor Team Englot

2008-06-04T07:13:00.000-07:00

Saturn of Regina will be the exclusive sponsor of Team Englot for the 2008-9 curling season, according to an agreement reached last week.

Congratulations to skip Michelle Englot and her teammates, (new) third Deanna Doig, second Roberta Materi, and lead Cindy Simmons.

And congratulations to Saturn of Regina as well.

May this be the beginning of a long and beautiful friendship.

Team Englot Online!

2008-06-03T11:36:00.000-07:00

Hooray! Michelle Englot and her team now have a website. It's in its early stages and still none too pretty, but I'm pleased to be working on it. It's an exciting new project for me, and I'm sure it'll be a lot of fun.

Michelle is looking forward to a new season with a really good team, and she has some unfinished business to attend to, so we're excited about 2008-9 already.

We'll try to fix up the place and keep you up-to-date as the season approaches, and then ... hopefully we'll be able to keep up with the action.

So please excuse the mess while we get set up properly, and don't forget to join us again in the fall.