While the rest of us were enjoying reading week and Family Day weekends with our loved ones, the Warriors curling teams were taking on the rest of the OUA at the 2018 OUA Championship hosted by Algoma in the Soo.
The men's team put together quite an accomplished weekend going 6-1 in pool play and 2-1 in the medal round, eventually coming away with the
bronze medal and a berth at the U SPORTS Championship. Skip
John Willsey (Orillia/) was named an OUA first-team all-star for his incredible weekend.
Waterloo's roster is made up of
John Willsey (Orillia/) (skip),
Rob Currie (Toronto/) (vice),
Zander Elmes (Drumbo/) (second),
Cameron Blair (Woodbridge/) (lead), and alternates
Jed Currie (Kitchener/) and
James Harris (Maple/).
In Waterloo's final round robin match the black and gold earned an impressive 4-3 win over Brock sending them to the OUA quarter-finals against the 3-time defending champions, Laurier.
In the Battle of Waterloo, the Warriors scored two in the final end with the hammer to even the game at 4's before stealing one in the extra end to take the 5-4 win.
The victory set up a rematch with the Badgers in the OUA semi's and this time the team in red got the best of Waterloo winning the match 7-2 ending any hopes of an OUA gold for the Warriors.
Despite not going for gold, Waterloo knew a bronze medal would punch their ticket to Nationals and
John Willsey (Orillia/)'s rink did just that taking out the Western Mustangs, who went undefeated in their pool play, by a score of 5-3.
The Warriors will have a month to prepare for the
U SPORTS Championship hosted by the University of Alberta in Leduc, Alberta from March 24-28.
On the women's side, the Warriors struggled out of the gate but much like Rachel Homan and team Canada at the Olympic Games bounced back from a slow start to win their next three games.
Waterloo's women's roster is made up of
Melissa Wong (Ottawa/) (skip), Kate Ford (vice), Margot Fleming (second),
Hilary Nuhn (Kitchener/) (lead), and alternates
Hayley Horton (Blind River/) and
Jessie Hooker (Dundalk/).
Waterloo picked up impressive 6-5 wins over Guelph and Carleton both who came out pool play to advance to the quarter-final matches.
A full list of award winners follows:
Women's First Team All-Stars
Skip: Krysta Burns (Laurentian Voyageurs)
Lead: Erin Tomalty (Lakehead Thunderwolves)
Second: Calli Barclay (Queen's Gaels)
Vice: Riley Sandham (Laurier Golden Hawks)
Women's Second Team All-Stars
Skip: Mary Fay (Queen's Gaels)
Lead: Miller Miller (Toronto Varsity Blues)
Second: Audrey Wallbank (Ryerson Rams)
Vice: Kendra Lemieux (Lakehead Thunderwolves)
Men's First Team All-Stars
Skip: John Willsey (Orillia/) (Waterloo Warriors)
Lead: Brendan Acord (Carleton Ravens)
Second: Decebal Michaud (Queen's Gaels)
Vice: Jamie Waters (Vice)
Men's Second Team All-Stars
Skip: Ryan Thompson Brown (Western Mustangs)
Lead: Owen Purdy (Queen's Gaels)
Second: Johnathan U (Ryerson Rams)
Vice: Parker Konschuh (Western Mustangs)
Women's Coach of the Year
Dick Henderson (Lakehead Thunderwolves)
Men's Coach of the Year
The late Bill Charlebois (Lakehead Thunderwolves)
