Lyburn reaches Viterra semifinal, Carruthers into final

VIRDEN — Former Brandonite William Lyburn is two wins away from playing for a Canadian men’s curling championship in his former hometown.

Lyburn and his Winnipeg-based team of Daley Peters, Kyle Doering and Brendan Bilawka scored two in the 10th end to edge Tanner Lott 8-7 in the 3-vs.-4 Page playoff game at the Viterra Championship in Virden on Saturday evening.

It moved the former Brandonite into the semifinal for the third time in his career. He lost in both of his previous appearances in 2012 and 2014.

The path to the semifinals hasn’t been easy. Lyburn didn’t earn his berth at the provincial men’s curling championship until the second-last event of the season, the Brandon Men’s Bonspiel. 

He qualified for the playoff round in Virden through the B-side of the draw and then lost his first game in the final eight. He beat David Bohn 8-6 Saturday morning and Corey Chambers 6-2 in the afternoon to reach the Page game, where he struggled.

He threw an open draw for two in the fourth end through the house and took out his own stone in the seventh, which could have led to a three or four but resulted in a deuce for Lott. Lyburn then was light was a draw in the eighth end that led to a steal of two and he gave up a steal of one in the ninth as well, but he found a way to win.

"I struggled," Lyburn said. "I got some thoughts in my head. I thought my eight rock was a little straighter and faster and I wasn’t trusting it. I started to leak some oil late, but the experience of young Daley Peters paid off in the end. He just kept telling me it’s all good. The boys were all behind me, it was just a little bit of leaking oil."

Peters, who throws third stones, made the biggest shot of the game in the 10th end. Lyburn, who blew a 6-2 lead, was down 7-6 and was in a bit of trouble with lots of guards in front and laying one. 

With his last rock, Peters angle-raised one his own stones to the button to lay two. Lott tried a raise double but it was too thin, allowing Lyburn to plug the hole with a guard. Lott tried a nearly impossible flat in-off and was unable to change the situation, giving Lyburn the game-winning deuce.

"Shot of our year," Lyburn said of Peters’ raise. "It was one of those soft-touch shots, and Daley is known for his big-weight game. Just super proud of him trusting his soft game."

Lyburn will now face Jason Gunnlaugson in the semifinal today at 8:30 a.m., with the winner taking on Reid Carruthers in the final at 2:30 p.m.

Carruthers continued his strong play with a convincing 9-2 win over Gunnlaugson in sixth ends in the 1-vs.-2 Page game.

Carruthers, with former Brandonite Mike McEwen calling the game and throwing fourth stones, cracked deuces in the first and third ends to take a 4-1 lead. They added a steal of two in the fourth end when Gunnlaugson came up light on a draw in the fourth.

"Getting to a large lead is a good feeling," said Carruthers, who also plays with Derek Samagalski, who lives in Brandon, and Colin Hodgson. "It was just a matter of staying calm and making sure we’re making good shots. You don’t want to give a three right back because then you’re one steal away from a tie ball game."

That was never an issue as McEwen made a great draw to the top eight-foot with his last rock in the fifth end, forcing Gunnlaugson to a hit and stay for one. Carruthers tacked on three more points in the sixth end before they shook hands.

Carruthers is feeling like his team is finding its groove after struggling earlier in the week.

"I felt like we were pretty solid, especially the last two days," he said. "I’m very happy about how we’re playing and excited and nervous about tomorrow."

There is not shortage of experience in the final when it comes to Carruthers’ team. Carruthers, Samagalski and Hodgson have been in three of the last four provincial men’s curling championship games, winning two of them. Their lone loss was against McEwen in 2017, who was skipping his own team before joining this squad this season. This will be McEwen’s ninth final in the last 10 years, and a Manitoba record fifth-straight, although he has only won twice.

Carruthers isn’t sure his experience will play that much of a factor in the final.

"Whenever we’re playing in the final four here, a lot of players have played in that game," he said. "Experience helps, but it’s not everything when it’s winner-take-all and anything can happen."

As for Lyburn, he would love to reach his first final and win it to earn a chance to play in a Brandon Brier, but he isn’t looking too far ahead.

"I think I’ve said it before, it would be awesome to be in Brandon," he said. "There are two great teams in front of us and I can’t be leaking oil if we’re going to have a chance. Hopefully we can keep rolling one game at a time and whatever happens happens."

The semifinal and final will both be broadcast on Sportsnet.

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