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by ARNOLD BURGHER 'Russ Howard, Kent Carstairs, (the forgotten man), are all winners. shot in the ninth end, but they gave the eventual Canadian Champion one hell of a run for his money in Kitchener on Sunday. Russ Howard and his rink, are the second best curling foursome in Canada and only a hair away from being the best. Howard and the boys lost only three of the 13 games they curled against Canada's best, while Alberta's Ed Lukowich, who deserves full credit for his Cr N4 104-125 rents & Ad & 4 bss All in The curling at this year's Brier in Kit- chener couldn't have been any keener for rinks from Ontario, B.C. and Alberta. This last hard fought victory, finished the week long event at 10-2. No one really ties to finish second, but Howard, in his second trip to the Brier, stated before the event commenced, that his aim was to make the playoffs. more. Penetang, Midland, Elmvale and all of Tim Ontario, should be more than pleased with Belcourt, Glen Howard, and Larry Merkley Howard's accomplishments. The Blue Jays ; weren't bood when they came second to Oh yes, they lost the Brier on one crucial Kansas City. The Howard foursome is a good bet to be around for a long time. They'll be back next year, and should be the odds on favorites. Glen Howard was named as vice skip on the all-star team, with Russ being named skip of the second team, along with Kent Carstairs as the back oh and wrist is action from the Ontario-B.C. match-up Penetanguishene. Saturday featuring favourites Russ Howard and his rink from He did that and "Young Tim Belcourt performed like a PLATTSVILLE CURLING CLUB / Ue bremes-- "home-town'"' Howard's efforts in this year's Brier are likely to have residual effects for local curling clubs. Many people were glued to T.V. sets in the local bars and clubs to follow Howard's progress. Upwards to a hundred people were glued to the T.V. set at the Midland Legion Saturday afternoon. Several of these people two. Midland Stoneleigh Centennials, Georgian Bay Junior C Cham- gions will host Brad- 'ord, Wednesday night, at Centennial Arena for the opening game in a best of seven playoff series. Last year Bradford handily won the opening game of the series, but Midland came storming back to win the next four games and eliminate Bradford from further competition. Game twois slated for next Sunday in Bradford beginning at 7 p.m., with the third one back in Midland on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. The fourth game will be played in Bradford Sunday, March 23 at 7 a Huron Park Ieney ist a ta oom al Junior Boys Basketball Tournament saw action last Wednesday in Midland Secondary -Photo by Michele Gouett Comeback kids nearly beat odds by ED PEARSON The awesome foursome from Penetanguishene, the Ontario Howard rink of Russ and Glenn, ably abetted by Kent Carstairs and Tim Belcourt, were the gallant losers to the Alberta Luckowich rink on the last rock of the last end of the last day of a week of high drama at the Labatt's Men's Canadian Curling championships at Kitchener on Sunday. All week they had been the come-back kids, clawing the way back into contention with gut- wrenching victories over the other eleven Provincial teams, sometimes when they were down lower than a snakes belly. On Saturday they had scrambled into the final by the virtue of a great character building steal in an extra end to defeat British Columbia 6-5. B.C. seemed to have them on the ropes after a disasterous third end when they led 3-1. The Howard boys retained their composure with Russ showing the patience of Job. They pecked away at the B.C. lead until they drew level in the tenth. An opportunity presented itself in the extra end when B.C. inadvertently left a guard littering the front of the house. Tim Belcourt drew a shot around the guard and went to ground just behind the button. B.C. were obliged to squander their shots, trying to dislodge the pesky Ontario rock, until finally the B.C: vice was able to spill the shot. Down to skip rocks, McPhee drew around the everpresent guard and was a little heavy to draw to the back of the house. Russ went to school on his shot, and graduated with a perfect draw behind cover near the top of the four foot. That left McPhee with a chance to outdraw Russ on the other side of the guard. He was a smidgin heavy and Ontario was into the final by inches. The final is history and drama of the highest order. It would be superflous to give a blow by blow of the final action. Iam sure that there is not one reader who was not glued to CBC-TV agonizing with Russ Howard and his henchmen as they lost to Alberta by the narrowest of Margins 4 to 3. As the low score indicates, it was a guard and take-out battle. The Howard rink are skilled exponents of the gentle art of tender take-out, you are not likely to suffer a whiplash watching any one of them execute a take-out. Their draw and tactical game was of the same high standard. The crucial end was the ninth. Both teams had been playing a waiting game, blanking and scoring only when forced into it by the other rink. Russ had the hammer and was one shot down. They had manufactured a situation where they had one rock sitting at eight o'clock on the outer rings, they had eliminated all Alberta rocks from the house. Lukowich put his last rock into the four foot. Russ, with the hammer, had to take out that rock and stay to score two for a 4 to 3 lead. Tension in the place was unbearable. Russ went into his classic slide, Glenn at vice was a coiled spring, the sweepers, Kent and Tim, nursed the rock with loving care from hog to house. Russ got his hit, the western rock squirted out, but alas and alack, the treacherous shot rock crawled' from the house. Russ had to be content with the single score. The last end was an anti-climax. Alberta routinely sailed to their win on the backs of their take-out. Russ Howard and the boys have been a class act throughout. Glenn was named to the first all-star team and Russ and Kent were nominated to the second. The tabulating was done by the National media and they should know what they are doing, their only error was overlooking the splendid play of Tim Belcourt. After the final end, I wandered around the rink looking for local curling characters, misery loves company. The whole of the Huronia curling community has been going nuts this week. The Penetang Peanut gallery were well in evidence, enriched by some of the fancy Midland macadamia's. When I bumped into Bill Howard the colour was just coming back into his knuckles, Barb was looking younger than a mother of a Brier skip has any right to look. Al MacClinton looked naked without his bagpipes. Ted Ross, a teacher at Parkview Public should get an A for attendance, he has been there all week, Larry Merkley, the fifth man for the rink, was being consoled by his wife Annette. Wendy Howard and the other wives were smiling bravely through the tears. Roger Moreau was kicking his lucky cap around the floor. Conn Maurice, Mr. Grocer in Midland who handled tickets for the club, told me he had been besieged by people all week trying to buy tickets. So that's it for this year. The Howard rink really put Penetanguishene on the map. Well it was on the map already, but now people will know how to pronounce it. Regent Howardis No. 2 but No. lin our hearts veteran in his first Brier and curled in the high eighties in the crucial final match. didn't know the difference between an inturn and outturn. Might be a good time for local clubs to have membership drives. The mood Sunday at the Midland Curling Club changed from apprehension to con- fidence as the match progressed, and then to gloom in the fateful ninth end. Silence filled the air as great disappointment could be felt. There may have even been a damp eye or stoneleigh Centennials on playoff trail! p.m. If necessary, game five will be at Centennial Arena, with game six back in Bradford, both at 8:30 p.m. The final contest is scheduled for Midland on Sunday, March 30 at 8 p.m. Advance ticket sales prices will be $5 for gold seats available at Stoneleigh Motors or at Centennial Arena prior to the game. At the gate, the prices will be $4 for adults with senior citizens and students: receiving their regular discount. For all games in Bradford, a fan bus will be available. For further information, contact Al Puddicombe at Stoneleigh Motors. Parkview and Monsignor Castex tops in Tourney School triple gyi featuring teams from Parkview, Huron Park, Port McNicoll, Mon- signor Castex, Regent and St. Joseph's. In the 'A' Pool final, Parkview outhooped Monsignor Castex 28-10. St. Joseph's opened the floodgates in the 'B' Pool final with a 45-13 victory. Huron Park nipped Port MeNicoll 28-20 for top honours in pool 'C'. Parkview experie- nced no trouble in getting to the finals Parkview experie- need no trouble in getting to the finals as they walked over Port MeNicoll 60-5, and 60-9, before coming up against a stubborn Monsignor Castex squad in their final round robin match. Parkview won _ that game 32-25. It was the girl's turn on Thursday, as Mon- signor Castex dumped Huron Park, 27-8 in their opening encounter. They then sailed past St. Joseph's by a 54-7 score, before disposing of Parkview 31-13. Meanwhile, Port MeNicoll tripped Park- view 37-20, Huron Park 35-12, and rolled over Regent 40-21, setting up the final with Monsignor Castex. The outcome of that match was a 34-33 overtime victory for the girl's from Monsignor Castex. Tuesday, March 11, 1986, Page 11