Earl Marriott Secondary's curling team came home with some heavy medal from provincial championships.
The EMS team won the silver medal at the B.C.-wide competition, which was held in Kimberley Feb. 26 to March 1, after a thrilling run through the tournament in which they took on some of the best high school curling teams in the province, teacher-sponsor Kristin Van Hulsentop said in an email.
Entering the semifinals as first in their pool with an impressive record of three wins and one loss, the team was ready for the challenge, she noted. Their standout performance came in a high-stakes match against Heritage Woods, where they triumphed to secure a spot in the gold-medal game.
The final was against last year’s champions, Vancouver's St. George’s School. After a valiant effort and some standout shots, the team won a hard-fought silver medal.
"The final score may not have been in their favour, but the pride and dedication displayed by the EMS team was undeniable," Van Hulsentop said, adding the team’s success was built on the experience, skill and dedication of its coach, Ed Holland, and the strength of its players: Sawyer Van Hulsentop’s leadership as skip, Owen Lowe’s and Nathan Wayman’s solid performances as third and second, and Ruben Deefholts’ reliable shots as lead.
"Their teamwork, communication, and focus were evident in every match, and it’s clear that their chemistry on the ice played a big role in their journey to the final," she said. "Supporters cheered them on both at the rink, and from afar as they watched the live-streamed games."
Plenty of supporters in the form of family, friends, EMS students and Peace Arch Curling Club members were all rallying behind them throughout the tournament, Van Hulsentop shared, calling the silver-medal win a testament to the team's growth and determination on the ice.
"The team practices at Peace Arch Curling Club. They would like to thank everyone who made it possible for them to attend the provincials, especially the members of the curling club who generously donated the majority of the funds."
