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Team Casey Scheidegger books Trials spot with 6-4 victory over Team Corryn Brown

Sep 25, 2021 | 5:30 PM

OTTAWA — Team Casey Scheidegger defeated Team Corryn Brown 6-4 on Saturday afternoon to earn a berth at the Tim Hortons Curling Trials later this fall in Saskatoon.

Scheidegger improved to 3-1 at the 2021 Trials Direct Entry women’s curling competition while Brown fell to 1-2. Scheidegger is the first of three women’s teams from this week’s event to advance directly to the Nov. 20-28 Trials.

The skip played a hit around a corner guard in the 10th end to run Brown out of rocks. Scheidegger’s team of vice-skip Cary-Anne McTaggart, Jessie Haughian and lead Kristie Moore exchanged hugs and high-fives after securing the victory.

“We tried not to think about it, but we did do a little scenario check this morning, hence the celebration,” Scheidegger said. “We’re very excited after guaranteeing our spot.”

Team Kelsey Rocque scored two in the 10th end for a 6-5 win over Team Suzanne Birt in the other Draw 4 women’s game. Rocque moved into a second-place tie with Team Laura Walker at 2-1 while Birt remained winless at 0-3.

Another draw was scheduled for Saturday night at the RA Centre. Competition continues through Sunday.

The two women’s teams that don’t make the cut this week will still have a chance to qualify via the Oct. 26-31 Home Hardware Curling Pre-Trials in Liverpool, N.S. A Pre-Trials Direct Entry competition is also running this week in Ottawa.

Team Kerri Einarson, Team Rachel Homan, Team Jennifer Jones and Team Tracy Fleury have already qualified for the Trials.

In the Trials Direct Entry men’s event, Team Mike McEwen topped Team Colton Flasch 9-4 while Team Matt Dunstone beat Team Jason Gunnlaugson 6-5 in an extra end.

Entering the night draw, McEwen and Dunstone led the standings at 3-1. Team Glenn Howard was 2-2 ahead of Gunnlaugson and Flasch at 1-3.

Two of the five teams in the men’s competition will earn spots at the Trials while the other rinks will fall into the Pre-Trials draw.

Team Brad Gushue, Team John Epping, Team Kevin Koe, Team Brad Jacobs and Team Brendan Bottcher have already qualified for the Saskatoon playdowns.

The Trials winners will represent Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 25, 2021.

The Canadian Press