Wiersema Rink wins 50th Annual RR Men’s Bonspiel

By Ken Johnston
Editor

It was a photo finish at the 50th Annual Rainy River Men’s Curling Bonspiel Sunday.
It came down to an extra end between the Tim Nordin rink of Rainy River and Ed Wiersema’s team from Fort Frances. To cap it off it even came down the very last shot of the 9th end to decide the bonspiel’s winner.
Wiersema’s team stole two in the first end as Nordin tried to raise one of his rocks for a point. But Nordin fired right back throwing perfect draw weight in the 2nd end to score two and tie the game.
It was then back and forth the entire game. Wiersema scored one in the third and Nordin one in the 4th.
The same happened in the 5th and 6th, 7th and 8th. It was tied 5-5 after 8 ends.
In the 9th end Nordin had four rocks in play around the four foot at the top of the house. Wiersema’s skip, Ron Bridgeman had to make his last shot to win or else Nordin was going home champion. Bridgeman was right on the money raising one of his rocks to score one and win 6-5.
Rounding out Bridgeman’s foursome was Rick Sekulich-third, Dave Evans-second and Ed Wiersema-lead.
In the “B” event the Rainy River High School boys curling team took on Ralph Armstrong of Rainy River. The RRHS team had one player, Kyle Miller, opt out of the bonspiel sick so Ian Johnson filled in for him. They scored one in the first and two in the 2nd to lead 3-0.
However, Armstrong picked up one with a beautiful raise in the third. But after that it was all RRHS as they scored two in the 4th, one in the 5th and two in the 6th. Armstrong then resigned losing 8-1.
Rounding out the RRHS team was Matt McQuaker-skip, Jared McQuaker-third, Matt Johnson-second and Ian Johnson lead. The RRHS team was on the road yesterday and today to Kenora for NORWOSSA playdowns.
In the “C” event it was another close game as Bryan Bonot took on Adam Bolen, both of Stratton. These two teams went back and forth all game as well. Bonot scored one in the 1st end and Bolen did the same in the 2nd.
Bonot scored one in the 3rd and one in the 4th to lead 3-1. But Bolen picked up one in the 5th.
Bonot then changed things up a bit scoring not one but two to lead 5-2 after the 6th.
But Bolen was determined picking up two in the 7th to be only down by one (5-4) coming home.
Bolen had his work cut out for him. He worked at getting rocks in play and Bonot’s team worked at taking them out. After Bolen’s last shot he was laying two on the button and all Bonot had to do was hit them to take them out. However, he was outside the broom with the hammer and just grazed off them and left Bolen lying two to win the event!