Curling Fall Regional Recap | November 27, 2017

The Lakeland Rustlers Curling team began their season over the weekend with the Fall Classic hosted by Portage College in St. Paul, AB.  The Rustlers had teams competing in the men's, women's and mixed divisions.  The Rustlers curling teams this season consist of a mix of returning and new athletes, who practice once or twice a week and compete in the men's league every Wednesday. 

The men's team had two games on Friday, playing Olds College and Concordia.  The Rustlers lost to Olds 10-6 and to Concordia 5-4.  Saturday, the men saw themselves have two more games, this time against Red Deer and NAIT.  The Rustlers lost to Red Deer 7-6 Saturday morning and 10-1 to NAIT Saturday evening.  The Rustlers got their first and only win of the weekend Sunday morning in their final game of the weekend against Augustana, beating the 5-4.

The women's team had just one game on Friday against Olds College which they lost 8-1.  The women had three games on Saturday against Augustana, Grant MacEwan and Red Deer.  The Rustlers defeated Augustana 6-5 Saturday morning and followed that up with a 7-1 loss Saturday afternoon to Grant MacEwan and an 8-1 loss Saturday night to Red Deer.  The women played twice on Sunday, playing NAIT and Concordia.  The Rustlers lost 10-0 to NAIT Sunday morning and 7-5 to Concordia Sunday afternoon.

The mixed team played twice on Friday, playing against Olds College and NAIT.  The Rustlers beat Olds 10-1 in their first game, followed by a 6-5 loss to NAIT later in the day.  The mixed team had two games Saturday, against Grant MacEwan and Red Deer.  The Rustlers lost to Grant MacEwan 8-2 Saturday afternoon and 9-1 to Red Deer Saturday night.  The Rustlers played once Sunday, playing Portage College.  The team dropped the match 7-6.

Rustlers Curling Head Coach Dusty Makichuk was pleased with how the weekend went on the whole. 

"It was really a learning weekend," Makichuk said, "learning the systems and learning to play together.  We lost two skips (from last year) so it has not only been learning how to play together but learning strategy together.  There was lots of improvement over the weekend.  The biggest thing was how the student-athletes handled themselves and represented both themselves and the college.  They were first class all the way."

The Rustlers will next compete at the Winter Classic in Edmonton January 26-28.