Tracy Horgan rink sweeps through provincial playdowns

The Tracy Horgan rink will head to their second Scotties Tournament of Hearts Championships well versed in the art of winning close games.

The Idylwylde Golf & Country Club quartet, that also includes Jennifer Horgan (vice), Jenna Enge (second), Amanda Gates (lead) and Courtney Chenier (fifth), emerged from the Northern Ontario provincial playdowns in Thunder Bay with an unblemished 5-0 mark.

The fact than not a single one of their wins was by more than a two-point margin leaves the veteran crew set for the rigours of both a pre-qualifying playdown, as well as (hopefully) the national championships, being hosted in Moose Jaw, Sask., from Feb. 14-22.

With the victory in the inaugural Northern Ontario title game, Horgan and company will battle it out with the Northwest Territories (Kerry Galusha), Yukon (Sarah Koltun) and Nunavut (champion to be determined) for the right to enter as the 12th team in the field at nationals.

To get there, the local rink had to fight every step of the way. The mold was cast in Game 1 as Horgan overcame a 5-2 deficit after seven ends against Jessica Williams (Fort William Curling Club), taking two in the eighth and stealing three in the ninth for a 7-5 triumph.

More in command on Friday afternoon, Horgan maintained the hammer heading to the final end in a 3-3 tie with Laura Payne (North Bay Granite Club), counting two for the 5-3 win.

A local rivalry provided fans in Thunder Bay with constant drama later that evening as the Horgan rink edged fellow Sudburian Kendra Lilly, curling with a rink in Fort William, 4-3 with a steal of one in the 10th.

The eventual champions assured themselves a perfect round-robin record with an 8-7 nail-biter against Liane Fossum (Fort William) in the Saturday morning draw, scoring twice in the 10th end to overcome a 7-6 deficit.

With no tie-breakers needed, it was on to the matchup of ultra successful Sudbury skips as Horgan and Lilly traded two-point ends in the first two ends of the final, before settling in for a classic see-saw battle.

After three blanked ends, Horgan was forced to take one in the sixth, backing Lilly into a corner in doing the same in the ninth end. With last rock advantage, the Idylwylde reps booked their tickets to a second appearance at Scotties (at least the pre-qualifying stage), counting one in the final end.