The R.F. Staples mixed curling team are provincial silver medalists after a strong performance at the ASAA Provincial Curling Championship in Ponoka March 3-5.
Coach Leanne Huppertz said she was pleased with the effort displayed by her teams at the provincials — the school’s girls team finished seventh.
“The team were calm and in control and they were always looking ahead,” she said.
“They took it one game at a time and they were steadily chipping away and working at it and they didn’t get too excited about anything.”
The mixed team, which consisted of Cole Huppertz, Kaylee Huppertz, Brianne Letts and Evan Marquette had a perfect 3-0 record in the round robin.
A semifinal win over Chauvin’s DR. Folkins Community School put them in the finals against W. R. Myers High School from Taber.
“They had one bad end and it was hard for them to come back, but they still got silver and that’s the best our mixed has ever done,” said Huppertz.
Skip Cole Huppertz said he was pleased with the team’s play over the weekend.
“It was a good weekend, we went undefeated for the round robin and the semifinals and the wheels just kind of fell off the wagon in the final match,” he said.
“It was the best we every played, the team was shooting bang on for everything.
“There’s nothing wrong with finishing second in the province, that’s for sure. It was a good weekend for us.”
This was the mixed team’s third-straight provincial berth, but first time on the podium.
The girls team of Kristen Guelly, Lauren Kostiw, Avary Kostiw and Ariana Burke went 0-3 and didn’t qualify for the knockout round, but did gain some valuable experience.
“They did get some points on the board. It was a tremendous experience for them,” said Huppertz.
“They’re very young and they were curling against girls the same age as them and older.
“They learned a lot and still stayed really positive throughout the weekend.”
Both the mixed team and girls team were gold medalists at the zone competition in Whitecourt Feb. 26-27, which qualified them for provincials.
Huppertz said both teams placed first in their respective pools, en route to the zone finals for the chance to represent the zone.
In the finals the mixed team matched up against Boyle, while the girls played Slave Lake and both emerged victorious.
“It was very exciting fore sure that we could take the two teams,” said Huppertz.
