A junior curling tournament was held over the weekend at the local club involving 31 teams from all over the region, including four area schools.
Grant Bjornerud was at it again this year, putting on a bonspiel for some of the youngest talent in the area.
Bjornerud, representing the Yorkton Regional High School, did not go home without a medal-again-as his girls' team wound up hanging in for a bronze medal thanks to a 6-1 win in the bronze medal game.
Following a brief medal presentation ceremony on the finely-cleaned ice of the local curling club, Bjornerud told the media that this, again, was one of those tournaments where he had high hopes for everyone wearing the orange and black of the Yorkton Regional High School (YRHS).
"They did, actually, for their first spiel together," he said of his three teams' chances for a medal of any colour.
They were "very consistent" and "gelled together very good".
The YRHS girls went on to take an early 2-0 lead in their final draw and wound up taking it by a final score of 6-1 after stealing four points in a row in each following end, he said.
He told the paper that the final score wasn't a good representation of how close the game was actually played out by the opposition.
"The game was actually a lot closer than the score says," he said.
Bjornerud added that the same YRHS girls team had lost on their last rock in the semi final game.
Both of his other teams (one boys and the other girls team) both finished with records of 1-3.
There was 31 teams represented at the junior spiel. They included Preeceville, Foam Lake (both teams won medals in their respective categories), Sturgis, Greyson, Melville, Ituna, Esterhazy, Langenburg, Kamsack and Springside.
Aside from the YRHS, other local teams included Yorkton's Columbia School, Ecole St. Michael's and Sacred Heart High School.
"There was certainly a lot of planning," says Bjornerud at the end of the tournament, which ran from Friday morning to late on Saturday afternoon.
He said it is well worth it.
"This is one of the best spiels because you get a lot of the young guys(girls) out. Getting them some curling experience."
Upon presenting medals to the various winners, young curlers from Preeceville and Foam Lake commented on how well run the tournament is and the good ice at the club.
"They appreciate the sportsmanship of the club."
Bjornerud also made a point of noting the ice is very well kept at the local club.
St. MICHAEL'S
St. Michael's had a great weekend at the bonspiel, reports coach Karen Cottenie.
"All of our teams played very well and so much growth happens for all players and teams when they get to play in a bonspiel like this," she told the newspaper via email.
There was no shortage of talent dressed in a St. Mike's uniform either.
There was a boys' team, anchored by skip Austin Walkington, third Dylan Lemke, second Kaedan Hanesshewsky, leads Braden Kitchen, Austin Roberts and Reese Kinaschuk.
The girls' team was comprised of skip Madison Butchko, third Sydney Mrorzowich, second Alex Cottenie and lead Stephanie Flaman.
The mixed team included skip Matthew Todas, third Lesya Ochitwa, second Nathan Cochrane, leads Makayla Neibergall and Alexandria Hanashewskyas well two players (second Chet Airth and lead Nathan Pidperyhora) played with the Sacred Heart Saints skip Tanner Kinaschuk and third Daniel McCoshen, reports coach Cottenie.
