O'LEARY - The reigning boys 15 and under curling champion has a mammoth challenge on his hands. For the Matthew MacLean rink to win the P.E.I. Pepsi Junior (20 and Under) mens curling championship, he will have to beat the reigning Canadian junior men's team three times.
MacLean faces the Brett Gallant Charlottetown foursome in the "C" final of the triple knock-out provincial championship at 1 p.m. today at the Maple Leaf Curling Club, MacLean's home rink.
MacLean has already faced the Gallant foursome twice, losing to the four-time provincial champions in the "A" and "B" finals.
Meanwhile, MacLean's sister, Amanda MacLean, the reigning 15 and under girls champion, made sure there would be at least one play-off needed to decide the girls 20 and under championship. She defeated the previously unbeaten Sarah Fullerton Cornwall rink 8-4 in the "C" semi-final Sunday night. Fullerton had won over MacLean in the "A" final and prevailed over Anita Casey's Charlottetown rink in the "B" final. Fullerton is the reigning 17 and under girls champion.
Casey's 9-8 extra-end victory over the Maple Leaf's Tiffany Sweet Sunday night, puts her into the "C" final against MacLean. The winner will face Fullerton at 6 p.m. tonight in the first play-off game. If Fullerton fins the 6 p.m. game, she will take the championship. If not the same two teams will meet in a sudden death final Tuesday at 1 p.m.
Matthew MacLean advanced to the "C"C final wit a close 5-4 victory Sunday night over clubmate Parker Clements while Gallant made it to the final with a 9-6 win over Spencer Pitre's Charlottetown rink. What was significant about the Gallant-Pitre game was that it was the first time in six games that Gallant allowed more than two points in a game, and Pitre was the first opponent to force him to a full 10 ends. With Pitre's tying rock in the rings, Gallant calmly hit and rolled out, relying on his two biters on the wings to give him the victory. In six games the reigning champion has outscored his opponents 56-16.
Weekend linescores
Sunday's draws
10 a.m.
Amanda MacLean, Maple Leaf 110 003 222 X - 11
Sarah Clow, Cornwall 001 010 000 - 2
Anita Casey, Charlottetown 010 200 100 X - 4
Sarah Fullerton, Cornwall 002 020 022 X - 8
Tricia Sanderson, Cornwall 010 01X XXX X - 2
Tiffany Sweet, Maple Leaf 302 30X XXX X - 8
1 p.m.
Shawn Pitre, Western 021 001 100 X - 5
Spencer Pitre, Charlottetown 100 210 052 X - 11
(B final)
Brett Gallant, Charlottetown 140 40X XXX X - 9
Matthew MacLean, Maple Leaf 001 01X XXX X - 2
Parker Clements, Maple Leaf 021 010 000 1 - 5
Sam Ramsay, Charlottetown/Silver Fox 000 102 001 0 - 4
6 p.m.
Amanda MacLean 001 020 032 X - 8
Sarah Fullerton 100 100 200 - 4
Tiffany Sweet 021 002 020 10 - 8
Anita Casey 100 200 104 01 - 9
Spencer Pitre 102 010 101 0 - 6
Brett Gallant 020 102 020 1 - 8
Parker Clements 010 020 001 X - 4
Matthew MacLean 200 101 010 X - 5 -
Saturday draws
9:30 a.m.
Tricia Sanderson 101 100 XXX X - 2
Anita Casey 030 044 XXX X - 11
Sarah Clow 102 002 010 0 - 6
Tiffany Sweet 010 200 102 1 - 7
("A" final)
Amanda MacLean 001 000 103 0 - 5
Sarah Fullerton 100 002 030 0 - 6
1 p.m.
Spencer Pitre 000 320 030 X - 8
Parker Clements 010 002 101 X - 5
("A" final)
Matthew MacLean 010 001 00X X - 2
Brett Gallant 102 000 62X X - 11
Sam Ramsay wins by default
4:30 p.m.
Amanda MacLean 100 010 010 X - 3
Anita Casey 002 001 201 X - 6
Sarah Fullerton 400 102 12X X - 10
Tiffany Sweet 010 010 00X X - 2
8 p.m.
Sam Ramsay 010 100 XXX X - 2
Brett Gallant 203 005 XXX X - 10
Shawn Pitre wins by default
Spencer Pitre 000 100 100 X - 2
Matthew MacLean 002 001 010 X - 4
