Kesa Van Osch has won her first women’s provincial title – and it only took her one try.
The 22-year-old toppled the reigning BC champion Kelly Scott in a nail-biting final at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club.
Things didn’t go well for the Nanaimo student in the first end of the 2014 Scotties BC Curling Championship, Presented by Best Western, when Scott opened with a deuce. But the game tightened up after that and Van Osch (and her team of third Stephanie Baier [Victoria], second Jessie Sanderson [Coquitlam] and lead Carley Sandwith [Victoria]) managed to prevent Scott from adding to her lead.
Speaking after the game, Baier said: “Our focus has been on learning and making sure that we’re all working as a team to become something that is bigger than the sum of our parts.
“We’re very honoured and excited for the opportunity to continue our learning at the national level.”
The game was tied 4-4 going into the ninth end, with Scott with the hammer. A blank end in the ninth meant that Scott kept the hammer in the 10th.
But Van Osch didn’t blink and managed set up perfect final end for her team, protecting her stone in the four-foot, preventing Scott from getting an easy single for the win.
Instead, Scott was faced with the impossible task of trying to draw in behind the Van Osch stone, which was sitting just above the button. Scott’s shot was short and the young team got the steal to take the game 5-4.
Kesa is the third Van Osch sister to win a BC title this year. Her younger sisters Kalia and Marika took the junior women’s title on December 31 and will head to nationals in Nova Scotia later this month.
The girls had great support from their family, especially their parents Cindy and Ed, throughout the season
“We are incredibly proud of the girls,” said Cindy.
The 2014 Scotties BC Women’s Curling Championship, Presented by Best Western, was a huge success.
With two Prince George rinks in the competition, the host club, the Prince George Golf and Curling Club, was full to the rafters all week long. Vonda Hofferd, chair of the host committee, said the event went amazingly well. “Beyond all expecations,” she said.
The national Scotties Tournament of Hearts takes place in Montreal February 1-9.To find out the results of all the draws at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club, visit www.playdowns.com and click on Curl BC.
Visit www.curlbc.ca for more about Curl BC.
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About Curl BC
Curl BC is the provincial sport governing body responsible for the development, promotion and organization of curling in British Columbia. Curl BC is also responsible for the championship system that declares provincial representation at National events. In cooperation with its Members, Curl BC provides services to both competitive and recreational curlers, including a variety of adaptive groups. For more information, visit http://www.curlbc.ca.