Scottish Schools Championship

The Lockerbie Academy team of (L-R) Hannah Fleming (skip), Kimberley Smith (3rd), Alice Spence (2nd) and Kirsten McNay (lead) won the Scottish Schools Championship at Ayr today. They defeated Garnock Academy in the final. All the results and linescores are here.

The Garnock Academy team: (L-R) Stuart Marshall (2nd), Frazer Keil (lead), Greg Matthew (3rd), Gavid Reid (skip). Here are some pics from today's semifinals and from yesterday.

Tasha Aitken and her team of Becca Kesley, Mhairi Anderson and Abi Brown so nearly made it an all-girls' final. Had Tasha's last guard drawn over just an inch more in the semifinal, Gavin Reid would not have been able to see enough of the Mary Eskine School shot to attempt a chip out.

This pic appeals to me! Abi Brown, Becca Kesley, Mhairi Anderson

Given the chance with last stone of the semifinal, Gavin was right on target to secure his team's place in the final.

Gavin Reid and Tasha Aitken

A tough one for Becca Kesley in the semi - a pulled thigh muscle left her unable to sweep.

Stranraer Academy's Rori Macpherson, here with sweepers Hamish McGeoch and Andy Lock (Ian Kirkpatrick is in the house), found the Lockerbie girls too strong for them in the other semifinal.

Another of the Stranraer team in action

Hannah Fleming. Grand young curler, great skip.

Curling is all about attention to detail. This young curler (identity concealed) is doing just that. Note the colour co-ordination!

Bell Baxter's Blair Jeffrey

Kimberley Smith watches that umpire Ron Tosh is doing the measure correctly!

Hamilton Grammar's Kyle and Craig Waddell watch as Garnock's Greg Matthew calls line.

Hamilton Academy's front end John Ballantyne and Rachel Hannen.

Merchiston Castle's Grant Hardie

Craigmount High's Mhairi Baird
It's Thai silk!

Merchiston's Hamilton McMillan

Loudon Academy's Euan Cunningham is getting excited. Perth Academy's Kyle and Cammy Smith behind.

Perth's Kyle Smith

Currie Community High's skip Rebecca Steven.

Fiona Munro is Currie's third, here caught in mid delivery!

Lockerbie's Kirsten McNay and Alice Spence.

Dollar Academy's Jayne Stirling

Umpire Carolyn Hibberd was one of the very first competitors in the Glasgow Schools' League when it began at Crossmyloof.... not that long ago actually!

Ewan Davidson of Douglas Ewart High gets the Editor's award for the most colouful player on the ice!

Well done to all who took part. All pics by Bob - if I have labelled any incorrectly let me know!

What's next?

I'm looking ahead to this weekend. The major event is of course the RCCC Rink Championship at the Galleon Centre. Twenty-four teams play in four sections, and the first games are on the ice at 09.00 tomorrow, Friday. Quarters, semis and finals are on Sunday. The draw is here.

I'm looking forward too to seeing something of the Schools Championship. Twenty-four teams from twenty different schools will play in four sections, beginning at 11.00 tomorrow, at the Ayr rink. Quarters, semis and finals are on Sunday. The results will be here.

Dollar Academy are in the draw. That's the team in the photo above with the Miller Drummond trophy which they won at the final at Braehead last Saturday. Photo by Bob. L-R: Tom Haddow (3rd), Jayne Stirling (2nd), Ruairidh Macdonald (skip) and Duncan Filipkiewitz (lead).

Now, a little history about schools' curling. The Scottish Schools' Championship was first held in 1967. But schools had been participating in the sport for some years prior to that. There was an active schools' league at Crossmyloof on Saturday morning ice in the early 60s. The first inter-city games took place in the 1961-62 season, see below!

I found this pic recently in the March 1962 Scottish Curler. The legend reads, "The happy group of schoolboy curlers in the second Hutchesons' Grammar School v George Watson's College match at Edinburgh Ice Rink."

Can you recognise a fourteen-year old future Scottish Curler editor (front row, third from left)? Click on photo to enlarge!

Scottish Schools Championship

This report by Robin Copland:

The final of the Scottish Schools Championship at Murrayfield between Stewart’s Melville (skipped by Colin Dick) and Fortrose Academy (skipped by Peter Macintyre) was a cat and mouse game, tight and hard fought through the first three ends. I believe the turning point in the game was the fourth end. With skips' last stones to come, Fortrose were looking good to score a three or even a four. Peter attempted a promote, but his stone held wide and ended up pushing his shot into the open.

Colin’s attempted run-back double failed but crucially he nosed, forcing Pete to try the out-turn draw for his two. His draw caught a guard. A score of one went up on the scoreboard when a three had looked more likely.

The momentum swung in Stewart’s Melville’s favour. The team capitalised on this turn in the all-important sixth end, when a wrecked guard left Colin with a draw for three and, effectively, the game.

Fortrose Academy’s Peter McIntyre, Scott Fraser, Jamie Fraser and Neil Paul just failed in their quest to win the title for the first time in the school’s history. The winners were Colin Dick, Struan Wood, Douglas Burns, Jonathan Irwin and Neil Anderson (fifth).

World Junior Champion Kerry Barr presented the prizes to the winners and runners-up in front of a large and appreciative gallery.

An expanded report will be in the April Scottish Curler.

Photo above by Robin Copland. Back row: Tommy Hinnigan (RCCC President), Colin Dick (skip), Kerry Barr, Struan Wood (third), Front: Douglas Burns (second), Jonathan Irwin (lead) and Neil Anderson (fifth).