Losses spur win for Liverpool Light Rocks provincial champions

The tournament, held at CFB Halifax March 14-16, featured 30 teams from across the province. The members of Liverpool’s Team Chandler are Skip Jacob Chandler, Mate Andrew Corkum, Second Cody Benvie and Lead Luke Barnes. Little Rocks curling involves athletes up to the age of 12.

Anthony Corkum, who stepped in as coach for Erin McArthur, who was unable to attend, said, “This was the first time they (Liverpool Light Rocks program) curled in any type of competition. I was just hoping for one win. They’ve been practicing together for two months; that’s it.”

The team won their first three games and lost their fourth during division play. The top teams from each of the six divisions advanced to what is called the Red Division.

However, the teams had to determine the standings by “drawing to the button,” Corkum said. Liverpool members were still tied with another club, Team Smith from Berwick after the initial throws, but managed to draw their way to first place.

During this period, however, Lead Luke Barnes because ill and was forced to return home Saturday morning.

Corkum said, “They ended up playing the rest of the tournament with just three players. Our second and third each threw three rocks.”

The players didn’t know it, of course, but Corkum didn’t expect them to win the championship with only three players.

Liverpool, being the top team, was given a bye to the second round of the Red Division.

They defeated Mayflower by a score of 4-3 in a nail-biter of a game to advance to the championship match.

“It came down to the last rock. The skip put one in the house to give us the win.”

They met up with Team Smith of Berwick once again for the championship game. Corkum said it appeared at first they would win easily but Team Smith fought back. “We had them 4-1 but they kept chipping away with the points.”

Team Smith brought the score up to 4-3 entering the sixth and final end.

The Liverpool team used their hammer with purpose, however, Corkum said, to build “the great wall” in front of the house.

Corkum laughed. “Technically, we didn’t have to throw our last rock but our skip likes to throw anyways. That had us biting our fingers. He (correctly) wasted the throw but we didn’t know what he was going to do.”

Corkum continued. “We’re very proud of them. When you play teams like Dartmouth and Mayflower, you expect good competition, and they were good competition, but our kids curled awesome.”