Chatham Curlers Headed To Provincials

A group of Chatham Granite Club curlers have qualified for the OCA Bantam Curling Provincials. Chatham curlers Cameron Curtis and Michael Crofts, along with Tecumseh’s Matt Scully, and Graham Dolsen, who was born in Chatham but raised in Tecumseh, advanced to Provincials after winning the Regional ‘B’ final at Ridgetown Curling Club.

Scully and Dolsen have curled with Chatham products including Tye Juniper and Oliver Campbell over the past two seasons, however with those players graduating from the Bantam ranks, the duo hooked up with Curtis, who plays in the Men’s flight at Chatham Granite Club, and Crofts, who skips the UCC Lancers high school team.

In their first bonspiel of the year in December, the team swept the competition in Sarnia, winning it all.

At the Bantam Zones, held at the Granite Club, the team won the ‘A’ side, winning both games forcing their opponents to concede after 6 ends.

At Regions in Ridgetown, after winning their first game, the team struggled a bit and lost their second game to Seaforth (the eventual A side winner). That put them on the B side, where they couldn’t afford another loss. After 2 strong wins they got to the B final against a team from Welland, and this game turned out to be a real back and forth contest.

Stumbling in the 4th end, the Chatham Granite Club team were 2 down at the halfway point, but they came back in the 8th end, tying it up using 2 perfect corner guards from Curtis, and a beautiful draw for the first counter from Crofts. Chatham Granite would go on to win in extra ends, securing their spot in Provincials.

The OCA Bantam Provincials take place at Oshawa Curling Club on February 5–8.

The Chatham Granite Club team is looking for support in the form of sponsors for their upcoming trip. Anyone interested can contact the Chatham Granite Club for more information.