Nova Scotia has new champions

Team Brown - Nova Scotia Champions coached by Bill Fletcher

Richard Brown, Terry Cousineau, Steve Parfitt and Paige Fougere

Richard Brown, Nova Scotia wheelchair curling's other skip, finally broke through to win his first provincial championship over the 5 time champions Team Rutt at the Lakeshore CC this weekend.

Brown, who skipped the winless NS Host team at the 2009 Nationals, faced opponents missing the services of skip Mike Fitzgerald who had relocated to New Brunswick, but as the best of five series began, his team of Terry Cousineau, Steve Parfitt and Paige Fougere could have been forgiven for thinking little had changed. Laughie Rutt, stepping up to skip but throwing 3rd stones in favour of Trendal Hubley-Bolivar, led his title defenders to a 10-2 opening night victory.

Game 1
Rutt * 1 0 1 1 3 1 3 x 10
Brown  0 2 0 0 0 0 0 x  2

Team Brown regrouped Saturday to steal the first 4 points of Game 2, and then hang on as Rutt, down 7-4 after 7, fell just a point short of forcing an extra end.

Game 2
Rutt * 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 - 6
Brown  3 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 - 7

It was deja vu in Game 3, as Brown again stole 3 in the 1st and added another in the 2nd before surrendering a 4 spot in the 7th to fall behind 7-6. Brown took one with hammer to force an extra and then stole 2 to lead the series 2-1.

Game 3
Rutt * 0 0 1 2 0 0 4 0 0 - 7
Brown  3 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 2 - 9

Sunday saw Team Rutt return to the form they showed in the opener as they posted 8 unanswered points to level the series at 2-2, after again giving up an opening end steal.

Game 4
Rutt * 0 2 4 1 1 x x x - 8
Brown  1 0 0 0 0 x x x - 1

The series decider returned to the pattern of Saturday as Team Brown, despite never earning the hammer, stole 2 in the 1st, added a single in the 2nd and stole 2 more in the 5th, finishing 8-3 winners and Nova Scotia Champions.

Game 5
Rutt * 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 x - 3
Brown  2 1 0 2 2 0 1 x - 8

Team Fitzgerald win Nova Scotia playdown

Mike Fitzgerald (skip) Laughie Rutt, Trendall Hubley-Bolivar, Debbie Earle
(photo Ian Readey)

Team Fitzgerald beat Team Brown 3-1 in a best of 5 series at the Lakeshore CC today to become Team Nova Scotia.

The series was tied at one overnight, but Fitzgerald stole one for a 5-4 win in an extra end in Draw 3 and, up one without the hammer in the 6th and final end of Draw 4, stole 2  to win 7-4.

Mike Fitzgerald, Laughie Rutt and Trendall Hubley-Bolivar, who all played in the 2009 Nationals, will be joined by rookie Debbie Earle at the Nationals in Kelowna March 15-21.

Brown and Fitzgerald tied after first day of NS playdown

Mike Fitzgerald (foreground) and Richard Brown

(photo Ian Readey)

Two three man teams are playing a best of five series to decide who claims Debbie Earle and represents Nova Scotia at the Nationals in Kelowna. [see 1/7/2010 post below]. In draw 1 it was Fitzgerald 8-2, with reuslts reversed in the evening as Brown won 7-3. There will be two draws Sunday (17th) and a decider Friday January 22 if necessary.

CLICK HERE for Ian Readey's photos of the day's play.