CHAMPIONSHIPS Connecticut boys record historical win he Kent Suslavich rink from Connecticut earned a spot in USA Curling’s history books with the association’s rst-ever men’s title win at the Optimist U18 (Under 18) International Curling Championships held at the Cloverdale and Langley curling clubs in British Columbia, Canada. Suslavich (Woodbury, Conn.) and teammates Hunter Clawson (Clarks-ville, Md.), Will Pryor (Cornwall-on-Hudson, N.Y.), and Caleb Clawson (Clarksville, Md.) won the event on Sunday a ernoon with a 5-3 win over the previously undefeated Tanner Horgan rink of Northern Ontario. e team was coached by Don Arsenault (Brick, N.J.). e title win was the rst for the U.S. men at this event. In 2004, Wisconsin’s Nina Spatola led her team to the rst title for the U.S. program. e last time the U.S. won a medal at the U18 was in 2006 (bronze). Suslavich’s team went 4-1 in round robin play to reach the playo s. In the semi nals, the team defeated Nova Scotia’s Adam Cocks team, 6-2, to advance to the gold-medal game against the Horgan rink. In addition to the gold-medal victory, Washington’s Nicholas Connolly rink won the bronze medal for the U.S. a er defeating Nova Scotia, 5-4. Connolly’s team included fellow Granite Curling Club members Luc Vio-lette (Granite Falls, Wash.), Blake Sweet (Everett, Wash.), Kyle Lorvick (Lake Forest Park, Wash.), and Benjamin Richardson (Issaquah, Wash.). ey were coached by Tom Violette (Granite Falls, Wash.). e event also featured three other competing U.S. teams. Minnesota’s Joshua Moore (Heather Curling Club, Mapleton, Minn.) and Melissa Run-T e team of Kent Suslavich (l-r), Hunter Clawson, Will Pryor, Caleb Clawson, with Coach Don Arsenault, became the rst U.S. men's team to win the Optimist U18 International Curling Championship. ing (Mankato (Minn.) Curling Club) led their teams to 2-3 records in the round robin. Michigan’s Sidney Schroeder rink from the Midland Curling Club completed the competition with a 1-4 e ort. Championship nal, line score: Northern Ontario (Horgan) 002 010 00 – 3 Connecticut (Suslavich) 010 101 11 – 5 Bronze-medal game: Washington (Connolly) 000 104 00 – 5 Nova Scotia (Cocks) 010 010 11 – 4 // E IGH T-ENDERS Rice Lake An eight-ender was laid by the Anderson rink at the Rice Lake (Wis.) Curling Club on Dec. 9, 2013. Team members include Larry Anderson, Jan Schock, Randy Bina, and Gary Schie er. Wauwatosa On Feb. 20, 2014, the Arzbaecher rink scored an eight-ender during the Dinsmoor Open held at the Wauwatosa (Wis.) Curling Club. Team mem-bers include Amy Arzbaecher, Erin Ruenger, Matthew Boyd, and Rebecca Nguyen. Copper Country An eight-ender was scored at the Copper Country Curling Club in Calu-met, Mich., on March 8, 2014, during the Tuesday League Championship game. It was a very close call requiring a biter stick measurement, but this lucky rink consisting of Paul Eisenman, Walt Milligan, Katie Jo Wright, and Dan Fuhrmann have made their way into the history books as the rst ever to score an eight-ender at Copper Country Curling Club. Fargo-Moorhead On Feb. 19, 2014, an eight-ender was scored at the new Fargo-Moorhead (N.D.) Curling Club during men’s league night play. e happy team mem-bers include Evan Workin, Ryan Schroeder, and Weston Pochardt. Cape Cod Team Hannon scored an eight-ender on the rst night of Monday night league at Cape Cod (Mass.) Curling Club on Oct. 14, 2013. is would be only the fourth eight-ender in club history. Team members include Neal Hannon, Nanci Pacheco, Don Babin, and Janice Babin. Ardsley e Eaton rink of Ardsley (N.Y.) Curling Club scored an eight-ender dur-ing ursday night mixed league on March 6, 2014. Team members include Andy Eaton, Darrel Seife, Marty Levy, and Tomoko Tanii. Chicago On March 27, 2013, the Durrant rink scored an eight-ender during the Windy City Open League at Chicago Curling Club. e Durrant rink wait-ed a full year before convincing themselves to request recognition for this historical accomplishment. Team members include David Durrant, Julie Denten, Patty Hempel, and Joby Berman. Kettle Moraine A er 48 years of curling, Judy Maier recorded her rst eight-ender with the help of team members Ellen Dowd, Dona Seboth, and Pat Tomchek ( rst-year curler). is happy occasion took place at the Kettle Moraine Curling Club in Hartland, Wis., on Jan. 30, 2014. Hollywood Hollywood Curling Club claimed its second eight-ender by Team “ at’s What She Said” during the Sunday Features league on March 23, 2014. Team members include Larry Lieberman, Miranda Heaslip, Marie Buck, and Julie Roso . Infomation gathered by Christy Hering USA Curling (( 15
USA Curling Summer 2014: Page 15
