D’arcy Delorey, vice for the Northwest Territories, found inspiration in a championship banner at the Hay River Curling Club in his early curling days. That same motivation led him to the Montana’s Brier, where he made his debut Sunday in a 12-2 loss to Ontario’s Sam Mooibroek. Despite the defeat, Delorey and his team embraced the moment, signing autographs and celebrating with family.
The struggles continued as skip Aaron Bartling’s squad suffered a heavy 20-2 loss to Alberta’s Brad Jacobs, who moved to 2-0 in Pool B. Saskatchewan’s Rylan Kleiter secured a 7-4 win over Prince Edward Island’s Tyler Smith, while Mike McEwen held off Nova Scotia’s Owen Purcell 8-6. McEwen, battling illness, later improved to 3-0 in Pool B with an 8-4 victory over Mooibroek.
Quebec’s Jean-Michel Menard edged Yukon’s Thomas Scoffin 7-5, while Canada’s Brad Gushue secured a 6-5 win over Northern Ontario’s John Epping. Manitoba’s Matt Dunstone defeated B.C.’s Cameron de Jong 7-4, and Manitoba’s Reid Carruthers edged Alberta’s Kevin Koe 5-4 in an extra end.
With round-robin play continuing through Thursday, teams are vying for playoff spots. Delorey, whose roots run deep at Hay River Curling Club, reflected on his journey from a “rink rat” to the national stage. Despite nerves, he found comfort in the game, while Bartling, the team’s only Brier veteran, relished the experience.
Source: Swifteradio.com
