Lucas Punkari
Bryan Bonot and Ken McKinnon were unable to capture provincial curling glory over the weekend, but the way their two runs ended couldn’t have been more different.
Both teams were eliminated from further contention at the Northern Ontario Masters playdowns in Kakabeka Falls on Sunday as McKinnon’s rink failed to make the playoff round while the Bonot foursome was ousted in an afternoon tie-breaker.
After finding himself tied with two other teams at 4-2, Bonot, who represented the Stratton Curling Club along with third Terry Lee, second Jack Gustafson, and lead Ted Stewart, fell 5-2 to Dennis Clifford (Fort William Curling Club) in the first tie-breaker to end his chance at making the final.
Bonot was forced into the tie-breaker after losing 8-3 to round-robin winner Doug Anderson (Port Arthur Curling Club).
Anderson was facing clubmate Ron Kowalchuk in the men’s final this morning.
Meanwhile, McKinnon, representing the Fort Frances Curling Club along with third Jim Jackson, second Glen Jackson, and lead Stan Cottam, suffered four-straight losses after opening the round-robin off with a 2-0 record.
In their final round-robin game Saturday afternoon, McKinnon gave up a steal of one in the eighth to fall 7-6 to Bonot, which ended any chances for the Fort Frances team to make the playoffs.
The women’s Masters title was crowned yesterday as Marion Clark nipped her Port Arthur clubmate, Sharon Rogerson, 6-5.
Clark will be joining the men’s winner at the Canadian Nationals in Winnipeg on March 30-April 5.
