Spring League Showdown!

Good Evening Drar Reader.
I’m trying something different tonight, I know you are not reading this in real time but as this is the Spring League Showdoen I’m going to blog from the comfort of the bar area, in real time. So here goes.
Rink 3 is Jim versus Steve Mc
Rink 4 is Joe versus Steve G in for David.

Joe is looking good in the first end, possibly a big score coming but Steve delivered two great stones and winkled Joe out the house, leaving with a single score.
Jim is building a good head too. Not many gaps for Steve to exploit. But Steve only needs one, he’s found it and sneaks in with a single as well.

There is no way into the house for Steve, he’s got one on the four foot but Joe has him surrounded and I don’t think it’s counting. He needs to promote a yellow if he’s going to cut Joe. Just not enough weight on that one. Two to Joe.

Nip and tick on Rink 3. Jim is guarding his two and Steve is helping him too. Not this time Steve, no way in, nearly a tap n roll. But it’s two fir the reds.

Third end. Guddle, guddle, Joe’s in trouble! Steve has this house sorted if he can promote a stone or two. Joe can’t seem to find away around the four front of house. More porridge Steve! That one was short and light. Steve takes a single.

Can’t quite see from up here but I looks like Jim is taking control. Only until Steve fils the gaps, knocks Jim out the house, slides in himself and that’s a two for Steve.

Right on the button Steve. Nice guards from Joe. That’ll please Steve no end. And so it proved. Joe couldn’t shift it. Steve couldn’t add to it. One red. 3-2 to Joe after four ends.

And for good measure, it’s very similar on Rink 3. With one on the button for Steve Mc. Jim just nibbles away, a wick here, a roll there and with the last stone, taps Steve out to take a one. It can’t be closer 3-3.

End four and I don’t think a stone has crossed the T line yet. Another guddle and from thus distance I can’t see whose doing what this end. Must be close, could be a measure? No, the stones are being moved and it’s anither single for Steve.

Quite the opposite on the other Rink. I can hardly see the rings for red stones. Looks like a big score coming Jim’s way. Although Steve has the hammer and there is a gap........and he found a way through. Just nicked his stone on the wrong side. It’s a two for Jim.

Can you get two stones on the button? Well you can but only one is going to count. As guards go up and gaps reduce its getting harder for Joe to dislodge that pesky red stone. It won’t take much but joe can’t nabsge it. Another single to Steve.

Jim is making Steve work if he wants to win. He’s kind of split the house and Steve is looking to reduce the score, maybe nick a one......another end where the last stone is crucial. You won’t believe it, halfway down the ice the stone stopped dead! That could be the killer blow for Steve’s title hopes. It’s another two for Jim and I think this is the last end.

Looks like Joe is taking control in the seventh. He’s sitting three and Steve is blocked out. Steve has shifted him but still looks like he’s lying two. He took a three. It goes into the eighth end and joe is leading!

Steve is building a good head too, he needs to! Could be lying three at the moment. But this is his last end, he’s run out of time. Jim is eating into this head. It’s very tight. And they are shaking hands! Who scored what? It’s a one to him. 8-3 to Jim.
That’s Steve’s chances all but gone. Hold on, what’s going on over in rink 4?

Steve is lying three. Now he’s lying one! Joe taps over and lies one. Steve shifted the stones at his first attempt but Joe is still lying. He’s guarded it well with his last stone. Steve has played with weight m, clipped his guard on the wrong side but it has knocked an an outside guard right into the mix! One to Steve!!!
A peel is enough for Joe to take the title. Congratulations to Joe and his team. It’s been a close battle all league long and fitting it should come down to the last stone of the last end. That was a great night if curling 🥌🏆🥌🏆😮🏆🥌