OUT OF THE HACK: Anderson looks to defend title with new partner

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This article was published 02/02/2017 (3383 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mark Anderson was in Saskatoon last April and he’d like nothing more than returning to the Bridge City.

Anderson, who is originally from MacGregor, and his mixed doubles curling partner Ashley Ewasiuk won the Manitoba title last year with an 8-6 win over Jason Gunnlaugson in the final at the Rossmere club in Winnipeg.

The victory not only gave Anderson and Ewasiuk a berth in the national championship — where they went 0-7 — but it marked the first time the Riverview club had produced a provincial champion.

Now the challenge for Anderson will be to repeat that feat, albeit with a different partner. He and Crystal Lawson are one of 11 teams in Stonewall for provincials, which begins Friday.

Dauphinite Lisa Menard, who is coming off a 3-4 performance at women’s provincials last week in Winnipeg, and her partner Ray Baker are also in the field, as is another Dauphin duo: Sheldon Oshanyk and Laurie Macdonell.

The partnership between Anderson, 46, and Lawson, 38, who grew up in Glenboro, happened by chance.

“We were at a bonspiel at a dance, (the Lawsons) were sitting at the same table and we were talking about Ashley not being able to curl this year and I just remembered the conversation and how interested Crystal was,” Anderson recalled. “I was sitting at home one day and I thought I’m going to give her a call and see if she’d want to go and we went from there.”

Lawson is looking forward to the chance to play with the defending champion.

“I was happy that he asked me and know that he’s got the experience that we’ll be able to use,” she said.

Despite only having a handful of practice sessions with Lawson, Anderson feels confident ahead of their opening game versus Ashley Groff and Kyle Doering of the Granite club in an A-side semifinal Saturday morning.

“We’ve been trying to get a handle on how each other throws,” Anderson said. “I’m feeling pretty good about going in there.”

He knows there’s no more flying under the radar, and so the focus can’t be on the opposition.

“We maybe won’t sneak in the back door like last year and I’m sure they’ve got a target on us but I’m up to the challenge,” Anderson said. “I know in this two-person curling there’s no outright favourites. If one team is hot it’s really hard to stop that team when they are on.

“We’ll just try and worry about our game.”

It’s important for them — and for all mixed doubles teams — to control the front of the house.

“If you keep going deep you can give up a big end and the game is over,” Anderson added. “We’ve got a good game plan and hopefully the weight at the curling club is something we are used to.”

Judging the weight of the rocks with just one sweeper will be the key element in having command of the front of the house, meaning communication between Lawson and Anderson is crucial.

“We need to make sure we talk to each other and make sure that we know what exactly we want to throw and I’m sure it will be fine,” Lawson said.

The less sweeping the better for Anderson, who has battled a nagging right knee injury since the fall.

“Hopefully we can hold out sweeping,” he said. “I have to admit being a skip I’m not the most fine-tuned machine but we’ll see. I know I’m pretty sore by the end of the weekend but it’s all worth it if you can get on a good run.”

A run the duo is optimistic will end with an invite back to Saskatoon for nationals from April 5 to 9.

UNDER-18s: Men’s, women’s and mixed double regionals will take place from Friday to Sunday across Manitoba.

In Westman, Brandonites Sam West and Brayden Payette, plus Dawson Hole of Boissevain and Virden’s Brooks Freeman will be vying for the lone men’s provincial bid up for grabs in Souris.

The men’s Parkland regionals in Swan River includes Dauphin’s Carter Williamson and Nolan Hadway among five men’s teams looking for one berth. Jenna Rystephanuk of Hamiota and four Dauphin squads, skipped by Hanne Jensen, Emma Jensen, Stacy Sime and Paige Kabel, will battle with two hometown teams for two spots at provincials on the women’s side.

Springfield Curling Club in Dugald will host U18 provincials from March 2 to 5.

EXTRA ENDS: Binscarth is hosting its mixed senior and mixed bonspiels from Monday to Feb. 10 and Feb 10 to 12, respectively. Each event costs $100 per team and the entry deadlines are Friday and Feb. 9, respectively. For details about the senior mixed event contact Cliff at 204-532-2514 or Paul at 204-821-5422; and contact Ken at 204-532-2118 or Grant at 204-532-2007 regarding the mixed spiel … Baldur is hosting its annual men’s bonspiel from Feb. 17 to 19. The cost is $120 per team and for details contact Bob Conibear at 204-535-2180 … Minnedosa is hosting a masters bonspiel on Feb. 18 and 19. The cost is $240 per team and for details contact Bob Manns at 204-867-2241, Barry Tegg at 204-867-2890 or Dennis Peckover at 204-867-2395 … Souris is hosting its junior curling jamboree on Feb. 20. Open to students ranging from Grade 5 to 9, the event costs $10 per student up to 32 curlers. For details, contact Karen at 204-483-3534 … Entry deadline for the mixed berth bonspiel being played in Melita from Feb. 17 to 19 is today at 4:30 p.m. For details, contact CurlManitoba at 204-925-5723 or mca@curlmanitoba.org.

Nathan Liewicki is the Brandon Sun’s curling reporter.

» nliewicki@brandonsun.com

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