The Red Deer Polytechnic Queens and Mixed curling teams laid it all on the line at the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) Championship over the weekend.
As a result, the Mixed curling squad won the bronze medal after defeating Portage College 10-3 and the Queens finished fourth following a 6-4 loss to the SAIT Trojans in the bronze match.
However, the tournament didn’t start off smoothly for either team.
On Friday the Queens defeated the Trojans 10-0 but later in the day lost to the University of Alberta-Augustana Vikings 8-2. The Mixed team began their weekend with two straight losses. The first was a 7-6 loss to the Portage College Voyageurs followed by an 8-4 setback to the Lakeland College Rustlers.
On Saturday the Mixed team began the day on a high note defeating the NAIT Ooks 5-4 and the Voyageurs 10-3 in their first playoff game. However, they lost to the Rustlers in the semi-finals and earned a spot in the bronze medal match.
On the other hand, the Queens had to forfeit their first playoff game which led them to play the Trojans in the bronze medal game.
The Queens season is not over quite yet as they’ll head to Sudbury, Ont. to compete in nationals on March 15-19. After the Mixed curling team won bronze, their season is now over, and will now prepare for next year.
Prior to the tournament, four athletes from the Queens’ curling team were named to the ACAC Womens All-Conference team.
Skip Kaylee Raniseth, third Cuyler Desormeau, lead Jaycee Bourke, and lead Reegan Cox were all honoured as ACAC Curling All-Stars.
They were all crucial in the team’s 5-0 record prior to the ACAC Championship weekend.