Team Fitzgerald repeat as Nova Scotia champions

Team Fitzgerald, with Laughie Rutt at 3rd, Trendal Hubley-Bolivar 2nd and lead Debbie Earle, defeated Team Brown 3-0 in a best of 5 series to represent Nova Scotia at the 2011 National Championships in Edmonton AB in March.

A good crowd was on hand to see Team Fitzgerald take an easy 9-2 victory in the first game with Fitzgerald stealing in the early ends and building up a big lead.

The second game came down to skip rocks with the score tied. Fitzgerald had the hammer and did a good job of keeping a path to the four foot open on the right despite a Brown rock buried, biting the four foot. Fitzgerald outdrew it and Brown could not duplicate the shot or remove it on his last stone, leaving Fitzgerald with a 5-4 win.

The third game was also close. tied 2-2 at the break. Brown took one with hammer in the 5th but gave up a deuce in the 6th. In the 7th Fitzgerald opted for a guard rather than an open tap to lie three. It was the decisive stone, as Brown's attempted draw rubbed it, coming up short and allowing Fitzgerald to steal two.

In the eighth end Brown, needing to score 3, had a shot buried dead on the button early behind two guards and a rock in the twelve foot in front of the t-line but well to the left. Fitzgerald then added to the rock pile in front by blocking more and more of the scoring area. Brown also contributed to the pile with a wrecked draw attempt to sit three.

On 3rd's last rock Fitzgerald asked for the take out of the Brown's second shot rock in the twelve foot, and Rutt's takeout rolled full four foot behind cover and ended Brown's chances, Fitzgerald winning 6-3.

Line score for each game ca be found HERE.

It is the fourth consecutive year that Fitzgerald will skip a rink at Nationals.