Peacock Mixed Off To Provincials
It may not have been a perfect record but the team is off to provincials this coming weekend in Hanley
Photos and Story by Robert Thomas
It may not have been a clean undefeated sweep to the high school curling provincials but the Peacock Open Mixed team are off to the big show.
Up by five points the Peacock Collegiate foursome simply ran Hazlet out of rocks and secured a 9 - 4 handshake victory in the eighth and final end of play.
For the team comprised of Skip Dayne Heisler, Third Kayle Hogeboom, Second Callista McQueen and lead Trevor Coxe the B Qualifier win is bittersweet as they just failed in that bid last year.
Skip Dayne Heisler watches a shot as lead Trevor Coxe (left) and Second Callista McQueen sweep - MJ Independent photo
Despite having the lead throughout a majority of the draw the Peacock team played an aggressive and risky game - especially when they had the hammer.
In the key seventh end of play with a lead and lying a potential two points skip Dayne Heisler called for third Kayle Hogeboom to do a hit and roll off of Hazlet's rock at that time third shot rock.
It was a shot Hogeboom did not like and argued with Heisler to throw a guard and prevent Hazlet from stealing on the end.
The aggressive move eventually was chosen and Hogeboom made the shot.
Peacock would score four on the end taking an enviable 9 -4 lead heading home.
A measurement had to be taken in the first end to find second shot stone. The measurement was in Peacock's favour leaving the team with a 2 - 0 lead - MJ Independent photo
The matchup had its drama from the outset.
In the first end Peacock easily had shot rock but there was disagreement on the second shot rock forcing an official to walk out and take a measurement.
After the measurement Peacock's rock was just millimeters closer to the button giving them a 2 - 0 lead.
Peacock skip Dayne Heisler (standing) and third Kaylee Hogeboom (right) watch in seventh end as lead Trevor Coxe sweeps the team's third stone into the house - Mj independent photo
After opening up with the measurement decided 2 - 0 lead Peacock would see Hazlet score a single in the second end making the score Peacock 2 and Hazlet 1.
Peacock would allow Hazlet to pull off back to back steals in the third and fourth ends.
After four ends of play the score was Hazlet 3 and Peacock 2.
Peacock third Kaylee Hogeboom watches her stone head down ice for a takeout and roll. Although successful it was not he shot Hogeboom wanted to attempt but was overruled by skip Dayne Heisler - MJ Independent photo
But in the fifth end skip Heisler's aggressive and riskier play paid off.
A miss by Hazlet set up Peacock for a big three point end.
Peacock had a 5 - 3 lead over Hazlet after five ends.
With the hammer in the sixth end Hazlet was unable to capitalize and only scored a single point.
The score was Peacock 5 and Hazlet 4 after six ends.
In the seventh end Peacock had the hammer and they came down with it majorly smashing into Hazlet's chances of stealing a victory.
In an aggressive shot skip Dayne Heisler and third Kaylee Hogeboom did not agree on the strategy paid off with a four point end.
The score was Peacock 9 and Hazlet 4 heading home in the eighth and final end of play.
In the eighth end the Peacock team would simply run Hazlet out of rocks and it all ended in a 9 - 4 handshake victory for Peacock.
Peacock was busy sweeping during the seventh end of play - MJ Independent photo
Peacock skip Dayne Heisler was elated in the team's victory and B Qualifier to the provincial high school open mixed championship in Hanley March 10th and 11th.
It was one of two goals the team had set for themselves in this their second year of play together at Peacock.
“It was fun. It was a little sad not to win gold but winning silver is nice and going on to provincials is good,” Heisler told MJ Independent right after the victory.
About their single 10 - 8 loss to Maple Creek in Saturday morning's 9 am Third Draw Peacock lost the regional gold medal and had to curl against Hazlet at noon for the B berth to Provincials.
Hazlet had earned the B Qualifier showdown with Peacock after defeating Loreburn 11 - 1 in the Third Draw.
“We weren't feeling the ice. It just wasn't good. Afterwards (in the game) we came back but it was still fun,” Heisler said about the loss.
Asked about the key moment when he and third Hogeboom had disagreed on a shot that had the potential of swinging the game either way Heisler said it was normal.
“Usually we argue for most of the shots but we wanted to put the pressure on by getting more rocks in (the house) and stuff like that..we wanted as much of a lead as we could so we wouldn't have to worry about later,” he said.
Peacock third Kaylee Hogeboom holds the broom ad the end is down to skip stones - MJ Independent photo
Heisler said the two steals by Hazlet were a concern but the team plays an aggressive style.
“We want to score big when we have hammer. Because if we can score more than two then hopefully we force them to one or two (points) then we'll win.”
Asked about the rink's success this year Heisler said his teammates had reminded him to state “it wa a team effort.”
“My team wanted me to state it was a team effort. Definitely it was.”
The Peacock foursome had accomplished their two goals this year - winning the city open mixed championship and advancing to Provincials.
Last year the team came close to those goals.
A big factor though was the improvement in the team especially in the front end with both lead Trevor Coxe and second Callista McQueen developing and improving immensely year over year.
“Last year the team was pretty good. But sometimes our second and our lead would miss some shots that they would make now. They have definitely improved a lot since last year,” he said.
Off to provincials - (from left to right) COACH BARB OWENS, SKIP DAYNE HEISLER, THIRD KAYLE HOGEBOOM, SECOND CALLISTA MCQUEEN AND LEAD TREVOR COXE - MJ Independent photo
“I haven't heard much about Provincials. We didn’t get to go last year but it will definitely be an experience.”
“We are definitely looking forward to it. Because it will be fun,” the Grade Ten Heisler said.
Heisler said he was uncertain about the team’s chances.
“I don't think we are going to get the win but just playing there was our goal this year. Our goal was to win city's we’ve done that afterwards our goal was to go to Provincials we've done that. Now we are just going to try to aim for as much as we can,” he said.
Peacock finished up at the Regional qualifiers with a 3 - 1 record.
Their results were:
Draw One
Hazlet 7 MJ Peacock 9
Draw Two
Loreburn 3 MJ Peacock 9
Draw Three
MJ Peacock 8 Maple Creek 10
Draw Four - B Qualifier
Hazlet 4 MJ Peacock 9
