Defending champion Heather Strong of Re/Max Centre and clubmate Michelle Jewer are atop the standings with two wins after the first day of play in the Scotties provincial ladies' curling championship which opened Wednesday at the Bally Haly Curling Club in St. John's.
Strong and rinkmates Cathy Cunningham, Peg Goss and Laura Strong took a 7-6 win over Shelley Nichols (Re/Max) with a deuce in the 10th end after doubling Susan Hannan (Re/Max) 6-3 earlier in the day.
The Striong-Nichols match Wednesday saw six lead changes. Strong has won eight provincial crowns, including the last four in a row. She defeated Nichols - her former rinkmate - in last year's provincial final.
Jewer and her rink of third Kellie Turpin, second Jill Waite and lead Leslie Ann Walsh picked up a 10-9 extra end win over Stacie Devereaux (Bally Haly) before beating Cindy Miller (Bally Haly) 8-2 in five ends.
Barb Pinsent of Re/Max and Nichols are both 1-1, followed by Hannan and Miller at 0-1 and Devereaux at 0-2.
In other games Wednesday, Nichols defeated Pinsent 8-3 while Pinsent rebounded with a 7-4 win over Devereaux.
Play continues today, with draws at noon and 5 p.m. Tie-breakers (if needed) and the semifinal will be played Saturday with the final slated for 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. Sunday depending if the top team needs to be beaten twice.
The winner will represent Newfoundland and Labrador at the Canadian Scotties championship Feb. 21- March 1 in Victoria, B.C.
After 2 draws
Team W L
Heather Strong 2 0
Michelle Jewer 2 0
Barb Pinsent 1 1
Shelley Nichols 1 1
Susan Hannan 0 1
Cindy Miller 0 1
Stacie Devereaux 0 2
Games today
Draw 3
Nichols vs Devereaux
Hannan s Miller
Pinsent vs Strong
Draw 4
Jewer vs Pinsent
Devereaux vs Miller
Nichols vs Hannan
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