Jackson rink down to last life at northwesterns

Lorne Jackson will have to take the scenic route if he wants to get back to the Northern Ontario playdowns.
The Fort Frances rink had their backs to the wall at press time today, needing to beat Ken Blackwood (Terrace Bay) in the noon (EST) draw to stay alive at the northwesterns in Thunder Bay.
A loss and the team is bounced from further contention before even reaching the double-knockout portion of the 16-rink competition, which gets underway tomorrow afternoon.
Jackson and his team of third Don DeBenedet, second Derek Jackson, and lead Wayne Beacham were beaten 7-2 by Jeff Zechner (Nipigon) in their first game yesterday afternoon.
They were clubbed 10-4 by Murray Affleck (Kenora) last night.
Jackson now needs to win threestraight to make it to the final eight—starting with his match against Blackwood.
A victory would put him into an 8 p.m. match-up against the winner of the Ken Anderson (Red Lake)—Reece Allison (Dryden) game.
If he wins that one, Jackson then have to win one of the ‘C’-side qualifying finals tomorrow at 9 a.m. to make it into the doubleknockout.
In Jackson’s opener yesterday, Zechner blanked the first end, then sandwiched singles in the second and fourth ends around a Jackson single in the third to take a 2-1 lead.
After Jackson blanked the fifth end, Zechner stole singles in the sixth and seventh to lead 4-1.
Jackson only managed one in the eighth before Zechner put the hammer down in the ninth, posting a three-spot that put the game out of reach.
Affleck put his foot down early in the nightcap against Jackson, grabbing three in the first and stealing one in the second for an early 4-0 lead.
Jackson blanked the third to keep the hammer, but only could score one in the fourth. That opened the door for Affleck, who pounced on his chance by scoring another three in the fifth to take a commanding 7-1 lead.
A pair in the sixth and a steal of one in the seventh brought Jackson to within striking range, but Affleck ended the affair with his third three-point end of the night in the eighth.
Bruce Melville, who won the Zone 7 qualifier here representing the Atikokan Curling Club though the team is based out of Thunder Bay, lost his opener 10-6 to Frank Stocco (Longlac) yesterday.
He did rebound, though, to double Anderson 8-4 yesterday evening, then beat Denis Mallette (Thunder Bay) 7-5 this morning, scoring three in the 10th to close things out.
Melville next is scheduled to play at 8 p.m. today with a berth into the double-knockout round on the line.