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Sudbury rink will play for national gold on Sunday

Tanner Horgan was pulling no punches when he calmly suggested, two weeks ago, that his team could post a 5-1 record in preliminary pool play, and put themselves in a position to challenge for a top three playoff berth at the upcoming 2016 Canadian Ju
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Copper Cliff Curling Club rink — (from left) Tanner Horgan, skip, Jacob Horgan, third, Nick Bissonnette, second, Maxime Blais, lead, and coach Gerry Horgan — are on track for a semi-final berth at the Canadian Junior Curling Championships, being held this week in Stratford, Ont. Supplied photo
Tanner Horgan was pulling no punches when he calmly suggested, two weeks ago, that his team could post a 5-1 record in preliminary pool play, and put themselves in a position to challenge for a top three playoff berth at the upcoming 2016 Canadian Junior Curling Championships.

But even the confident young curler agreed that he was pleasantly surprised as his Copper Cliff Curling Club rink of vice Jacob Horgan, second Nick Bissonnette, and lead Maxime Blais earned a bye directly to the Sunday final.

"Not a chance," said Horgan when reached earlier this afternoon. "Especially since there is that one "super team" in Dunstone."

That would be Matt Dunstone, skip of the Manitoba rink, Canadian Junior champion in 2013, World Junior Olympic silver medallist the same year, and three years the elder of Horgan.

But when the two went toe to toe, Thursday evening, in the matchup that everyone in Stratford was waiting to see, it was the Northern Ontario foursome who prevailed, beating Manitoba 7-5 in an extra end.

That result left both teams sitting at 8-1, with a 5-4 triumph by Team Horgan over Quebec on Friday morning ensuring a first place overall for the local crew (thanks to the head to head tie-breaker), and chance to compete in the national spotlight come Sunday afternoon.

"I thought we out-drew them," said Horgan, reflecting on the back and forth affair in the third meeting of the year with the Dunstone crew. "There were a couple of ends where it could have gone either way, and we sunk a key come-around," said Horgan.

The encounter marked the second time this season that the two adversaries had required extra ends to settle matters, though Horgan noted that there was a significant difference this time around, far beyond the fact that his team came out on top.

"This last game against them was at a much higher level than the game we played in the Super Spiel," said the grade 12 Lockerby Composite student. "Both teams played a lot better. And we're getting a little braver now, making of lot more rolls, just little stuff like that."

With both sections of round robin play now completed, it will be Manitoba meeting British Columbia in the semi-final Saturday night, with the winner advancing to face the Horgan quartet on Sunday.

Manitoba edged B.C. 5-4 in the final draw Friday morning, while the B.C. rink skipped byTyler Tardi handed the Sudbury lads their only loss at the championships to date.

All of which sets up two outstanding curling games on the horizon. "We're going to take it easy on Saturday and watch some good curling," said Horgan. "We know Manitoba is good, we know B.C. is good."

"We'll watch the game, hang out with some friends that we've made along the way. That will keep us relaxed more than anything."

Well, that and the fact that the entire Horgan is rink are still eligible to return for three more nationals before aging out.

By comparison, the 1995-born Dunstone is done with junior play this year.

"Yes, it would be amazing to win, but we have three more cracks at it," said Horgan, suggesting that his team will simply take to the ice on Sunday, enjoying the opportunity to put themselves to the test, yet again, facing top-end competition.

The Copper Cliff Curling Club will be hosting a 2016 Canadian Juniors viewing party for all those who wish to come and watch the game with fellow Sudbury and area curling fans. The gold medal game begins at 3 p.m.

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