Stratton native Trevor Bonot and his team from the Fort William Curling Club took a roller coaster ride to get there, but at the end of the week reached their destination of a berth in the Canadian Men’s National Curling Championship also known as the Montana’s Brier.
Bonot led his team, consisting of lead Kurtis Byrd, second Jordan Potts, third Mike McCarville through the competition in Little Current, ON, on Manitoulin Island. The team took the long way to the finals after falling out of the ‘A’ bracket With a loss to last year’s champions, Team Tanner Horgan. The loss sent them to the ‘B’ bracket where the Bonot crew bounced back to beat the Port Arthur Curling Centre’s team Zach Warkentin, and make it into the finals to face Horgan’s rink a second time.
In the title game team Bonot got off to a hot start with a steal in the second after a blanked first end by Horgan.
“This was our fourth game against [Team Horgan] in two years and we were quite surprised when we stole three against them in the second,” Bonot said. “To go up by a significant margin like that early is really hard to hold on to, especially with the way the game is positioned now with the five rock rule, so we knew we were in for a grind.”
By the fifth end break Bonot was up 4-3 then they gave up two single point steals in the sixth and seventh ends. The up and down was something the skip believes his team was prepared for.
“We were playing a very good team and the defending champions so we had to be smart and know that we had confidence in ourselves and in our game,” Bonot said. “When we started seeing that lead slip away we were able to rely on our coach to bring us back down, calm us down a bit and then just focus on what needed to get done.”
Bonot says the eighth end was a positive turn around from the two consecutive steals. They scored two so went into the ninth end up 6-5 without the hammer.
“We had a really good eighth end and got a deuce back, and then in nine we played really well we had a chance to force them (into a single point) but it didn’t happen,” Bonot said. “Then in the tenth end we were shot rock all end and they never got a chance to move it until the very last rock and once it did move they just didn’t move it far enough. We lucked out, but we made them make a hard shot and they couldn’t do it.”
Bonot was pleased with how the team played all week.
“I think the fact that there was no huge, standout moment that really changed our week is kind of a calling card of what our team has become…” Bonot said. “I think the biggest part that stands out to me is how we just kept our cool the whole time. We had up and down moments but nothing ever really rattled us.”
It took a measurement, to ensure the win in the 10th end, according to the Northern Ontario Curling Association Facebook page. With the win, Bonot has his first opportunity to play in the Brier, something he says he’s always hoped to do.
With the win the team became the first to receive the Al Hackner Trophy which is new this year. The team was fortunate to receive the trophy from the man himself who is also their team’s coach.
Team Christa McCarville, which won the right to represent the region at the Scotties was awarded the new Heather Houston trophy. Bonot’s sister, Jackie McCormick of Stratton had a team in the ladies event and went winless at the event.
“When you’re a little kid who curls, playing in the Brier, or the Scotties is a dream come true,” he said. “I’ve had some great success in the mixed and mixed doubles, but this is something different for sure.”
On Monday, Bonot said he and the team were taking a break to recoup from the weekend and get started on the logistics of travel to Regina, Saskatchewan. The Brier will run March 1-10 at the Brandt Centre, a 6,000 seat arena which is home to the WHL’s Regina Pats.
Bonot was very thankful to those who have helped him along his curling journey, especially those who encouraged him at the Stratton Curling Club.
“Growing up in Stratton, the support has always been amazing, the whole town knew that I loved curling,” Bonot said. “Even from a young age they let me curl in the women’s league as a spare all the time so I could get more ice time. The support from Stratton and northwestern Ontario. We’ve had incredible sponsors that have supported us along the way. Family members have always been there to help out when things needed to be done… everyone just seems to come on board and try to make our lives easier so we can really have success on the ice.”
Bonot says he’s played at a high level before but he’s looking forward to playing in such a large arena.
“I’ve played in arenas multiple times and on some pretty big stages, Canadian championships in mixed and the world championships,” he said. “But never in arenas of this magnitude and with this many people. I think that’s really special and I know now that we have a lot of family and friends who are going to be coming to watch us and support and cheer and I’m really looking forward to them cheering for us when we make a good shot.”
