Bernard defeats defending champion for senior mixed title

ALBERTON -- Mel Bernard skimmed past rocks on the top of the 12-foot with his hammer shot in the eighth end to make a takeout and stick for two and the game in the championship final of the P.E.I. Curling Association's provincial senior mixed championship.
Bernard and his team of Jeanne Duffenais, Earle Proude and Helen MacDonald defeated defending champion Blair Jay 7-6 in the deciding game of the six-team championship at the Western Community Curling Club in Alberton on Sunday.
"I don't usually feel bad for the other team, but I feel bad for them," Bernard said moments after his victory. "They deserved to win."
Other members of the Jay foursome are Barb Currie, Douglas Simmons and Debbie MacMurdo.
Both teams curl out of the Silver Fox Curling and Yacht Club in Summerside, and Bernard and Jay are teammates on the provincial legion championship team.
The final shot had to skim the front of house if it was going to stick around after making contact. There was no pressure, Bernard acknowledged. He already had the tying point, so the worst that could happen was that he would have to play an extra end.
Bernard blanked the seventh end to retain the hammer and used it to his advantage. A missed takeout changed the complexion of the final end when a Bernard stone was bumped onto the four-foot instead of through the house. Duffenais followed up with a nice shot.
"I told Jeanne we need a genie shot, and she made the magic shot," said the winning skip.
It was cat-and-mouse the rest of the way with Bernard keeping the shot stone buried and Jay trying to find a way to it.
Jay's final shot came up just short of cornering onto Bernard's shot rock. Had he succeeded, Bernard would have had to play a difficult draw for the win or settle for an extra end.
"Mel made some great shots when he had to," said Jay. "Tough shots."
"We stole from a really good team," Bernard acknowledged.
Bernard won a close one over Jay in the round robin, taking three in the final end for an 8-7 victory. Bernard finished the round robin in first place, with a 4-1 (won-lost) record, guaranteeing his team a berth in the final.
Jay and Cornwall's Geoff Scutt finished tied for second with 3-2 summaries. Jay defeated Scutt 8-2 in the semifinal -- a game conceded after just five ends, Sunday morning.
Finishing with 2-3 summaries were Bob MacWilliams and Donald Clarey. Walter Callaghan finished with a win and four losses.