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Nugget Column #28 – Tuesday April 14th, 2015
For the North Bay Granite Club, Thursday was the last day of action in the 2014 – 2015 curling season and the last thrown rocks were handled by a team that has never won a curling title before.
It was the championship final of the Rookie League Thursday between the defending Team Chris Bowman and the new joining Team St. Pierre. Pegged by their peers as the most improved team all season; Carmen Weber, Nicole St. Pierre, and Adele St. Pierre proved themselves to also be the best.
In Friday morning Salt and Pepper league action it was the Claude Peloquin foursome who rose above all others. Peloquin with Dave Cerisano, John Stuckless and Gene Desjardins were relentless as ever adding to a collection of titles including this season’s Masters’ Bonspiel.
The Casey’s Saturday morning Industrial League concluded with a season-closing event on March 28th where Team Shriners SC went undefeated to capture the “A” event.
The “B” event was picked up by Team Kal Tire while the “C” event went to Team 4LeafFans; the “D” event to Team Blue Sky Insurance; and the “E” event to Team Rahn Plastics. The regular season champions were Team RPG Solutions.
The Scott Patterson memorial Cash League on finished with Jeff Brown, Gavan Jamieson, Steve Decary and Bobby Ray coming through the semi-final game over Team John Bowman and using their momentum to defeat Team Mark Brown in the final. Jeff and Gavan now hold the most amount of Cash League championships having won four together.
Despite not getting the result he was looking for on Tuesday nights; Mark Brown with Serge Palin, Chris Chartrand and Pierre Grignon was presented the Wednesday night Open League Club Championship sponsored by Mel Cox of Ferris Auto Electric.
In absence of the club’s famed Jamaica Bonspeil that failed to run this year due to a lack of participation, a number of locals took off to Copper Cliff for their Post Season Bonspiel.
Granite Club member Connor Lawes and Team Horgan won the “A” event while Mark Brown’s team snatched the “B” event and Jann Costante, playing with Team Jeff McCrady, conquered the “C” event.
It was a bitter sweet end to the Grand Slam of Curling circuit as Northern Ontario fans celebrated Team Brad Jacobs first-ever Grand Slam victory at the Players’ Championship in Toronto.
Despite a well played game by both teams, Mike McEwen appeared to have nailed down his third Grand Slam title of the season and what would have been the missing piece of a career Grand Slam until a routine shot was over-swept giving Jacobs a steal of one and the title in the last end.
A new board of directors presided over by Gavan Jamieson was elected for the 2015-2016 season. A keen group including Gus Laforge, Mark Brown, Jeff King, Kathy Venhola, Gladys Banks-Bryer, Pat Graham, Dave McKee, Chris Chartrand, and Natasha Gribbon will get to work immediately to ensure continued offering of curling and tennis in our community.
Bobby Ray General Manager North Bay Granite Club