It’s Einarson again

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This article was published 27/02/2021 (1147 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Kerri Einarson barely had the opportunity to truly savour the pride and glory traditionally attached to the Team Canada moniker.

So, the top-flight skipper from Gimli found the ideal way to avenge the ripoff. She just kept the thing for another year.

And who knows, maybe more.

Einarson’s stacked squad of former skips captured its second consecutive Scotties Tournament of Hearts championship Sunday night at mostly deserted Markin MacPhail Centre in Calgary.

The defending champions — Einarson, import third Val Sweeting of St. Paul, Alta., and a front end from Winnipeg, second Shannon Birchard and lead Briane Meilleur — defeated Rachel Homan of Ontario 9-7 in the championship final.

The win came 371 days after Einarson vanquished Homan in an extra end at the 2020 Scotties in Moose Jaw, Sask.

“It means the absolute world to repeat. It’s something that is very a hard to do since 2014, so to do it again and playing against all these amazing teams — we had to fight really hard — and I’m just so honoured and proud to wear the Maple Leaf again,” said the 33-year-old skip, named the playoffs’ most valuable player.

Homan skipped third Emma Miskew, second Alison Kreviazuk and lead Lisa Weagle to victories in 2013 and 2014, the last time a team won Scotties titles in succession. Homan also prevailed in 2017, with Joanne Courtney replacing Kreviazuk.

“We were definitely determined to repeat. We missed out going to worlds last year, and we’re just so happy to be able to have this event on, under these circumstances. For Curling Canada to make this a go, it’s amazing.”

Homan was playing her 13th game of the week while, remarkably, eight months pregnant, but never took an end off for some rest.

“Can we talk for a second about skipper over here. Unbelievable that you curled that well, so all women should aspire to do that. It’s just amazing,” said Miskew, turning to her friend.

Einarson’s team immediately earned a spot at the 2022 nationals in Thunder Bay, again as Team Canada, and took home $100,000 in first-place prize money.

Officially, Einarson isn’t scheduled to represent Canada on the international stage later this winter. For the second year in a row, the world championships were scrapped, owing to the health crisis. It was to be held in late March in Switzerland.

The team was already in Prince George, B.C., last March ready to compete on behalf of the Maple Leaf, when the 2020 event was cancelled.

There are rumours, however, that the ‘21 world champion could be staged as early as May, although a host is still being finalized.

“We’re hopeful something will happen for us. Right now, we haven’t heard anything. Just wait and see,” said Einarson.

From the perspective of competitive sports, missing out would be major bummer. But weighed against the risks during a global health crisis, it’s an unfortunate setback, and Einarson, a rehabilitation assistant at the Betel Foundation care home, totally gets it.

“For sure (it brings perspective) and I know all my residents at work are so happy for me right now. They have been phoning me and wishing me well and good luck. It’s been amazing,” she said.

Earlier in the day, Einarson beat Alberta’s Laura Walker 9-3 in the semifinal. Walker had dispatched of Manitoba’s Jennifer Jones 9-8 in a morning tie-breaker.

Einarson’s squad was in tremendous form in the finale, making the delicate stuff and the big-weight stuff. They had a brilliant understanding of Oakbank ice-maker Greg Ewasko’s slick surface and controlled the contest from the outset.

Homan, however, threw a massive scare into them with a game-tying steal of a pair in the ninth, the effect of a missed runback by Einarson.

It was eerily remniscent of the 2020 final when Homan pilfered a pair in the final end to force the extra.

“Yep, when we gave up two, it was like, ‘Oh, boy, here we go again.’ But I wasn’t worried. The girls in front of me were playing so well, I knew they’d make their shots and I knew I would make mine. But it was deja vu.”

But the champions kept things tidy coming home. Facing two, Homan had to try a freeze against two with her final stone but it slid heavy and Einarson didn’t have to throw.

“It hasn’t really fully sunk in yet. It’s a totally different atmosphere than last year but a great accomplishment to win back-to-back… down to the wire again. They were playing really well and we had to stay sharp,” added Sweeting.

Einarson’s team finished with an 86 per cent shooting accuracy, compared to 79 per cent for Ontario. Meilleur had a game-high 95 per cent, while Birchard and Einarson each finished at 88.

“They played really well. Again, it was down to the last rock and that’s the way curling goes sometimes. We had a great game out there and I’m really proud of my team,” said Homan. “Our first little bonspiel together, so I’m unbelievably proud of these girls for battling through all week and sticking with me and doing all the extra stuff I couldn’t do. Just a phenomenal week and I couldn’t be more proud of these girls and the way they carried themselves. Had a chance right to the end but didn’t go our way, so we’re really excited to cheer on Kerri, hopefully, in May.”

Homan also finished runner-up in 2018 after a defeat to Alberta’s Chelsea Carey in the final, also in an extra end.

The Scotties was the first of four Curling Canada major championships to be staged in a spectator-free, controlled environment to prevent the spread of the virus to athletes, coaches, officials and broadcast crews. The Brier begins March 5.

jason.bell@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPJasonBell