LACOMBE — Defending champion Kevin Martin scored three in the first end and downed Jamie King 7-3 in seven ends in an all-Edmonton A-event final of the Boston Pizza Alberta men’s curling championship Thursday night.
The victory was Martin’s third against no losses and gave the foursome a berth in the A-B Page playoff game Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, Charley Thomas of Calgary, who has Lacombe natives Colin Hodgson and Matthew Eng at third and second, respectively, scored three in each of the third and eighth ends en route to an 8-7 win over Wade White of Edmonton to move into a B-event semifinal against Mark Johnson of Edmonton today at 2 p.m.
Johnson scored a single in the 10th end to down Brenden Bottcher of Edmonton 7-6 in Thursday’s late draw
King and Matthew Blandford of Calgary will meet in the other B semifinal — also at 2 p.m. — with the winners advancing to the B final today at 6:30 p.m.
Blandford defeated former Canadian and world champion Kevin Koe of Calgary 4-2 Thursday evening.
Martin defeated Bottcher 10-8 in Thursday’s morning draw, which also saw King get past White 7-4.
In the afternoon draw, Thomas recorded a trio of two-enders and added three in the eighth to beat Robert Schlender of Airdrie 10-6, Johnson shaded Greg Pasichnuk of Grande Prairie 7-6, Koe dumped Lloyd Hill of Calgary 8-2 and Blandford ripped Ted Appelman of Edmonton 11-4.
In today’s 9 a.m. C-event games, Schlender will face Pasichnuk, White will take on Hill and Bottcher will meet Appelman. Koe is also in the C event and will play at 6:30 p.m.
The two C-event qualifiers will be decided following the 1 p.m. draw Saturday, and will face each other in the C vs. C Page playoff game at 6:30 p.m.
The semifinal will go at 9 a.m. Sunday and will be followed by the championship contest at 2 p.m.
Sportsnet West will televise the semifinal live and the final will be aired at 5 p.m. on a delayed basis.