Lakeland Rustlers Curlers compete at ACAC Championships

Lakeland's curling squads took centre stage this past weekend, as they were in Red Deer for the ACAC Curling Championship.

All three teams (men, women and mixed) qualified for the playoff weekend, facing the best in the conference over three days. Despite a valiant effort, all three finished fourth at the end of the competition. The mixed and women's squads lost their respective bronze medal games to the SAIT Trojans, while the men fell to the NAIT Ooks in their bronze tilt.

Despite the lack of hardware, the weekend was a huge success for the curling program, given the number of rookie athletes this season. Additionally, this was the first time all three Rustlers curling teams made the postseason since 2013.

There were multiple individual accolades earned as well. Dylan Frey and Alia O'Neill were both named to the ACAC Mixed Team All-Conference squad, a first for each athlete.

Then, Annaka Miettinen of Watrous, SK, and Bodie Duke Eastend, SK were named the ACAC Curling Female and Male Rookies of the Year. Annaka and Bodie, who are taking Environmental Sciences and Animal Sciences Technology respectively at Lakeland College, each a critical role in helping their teams qualify for the ACAC Championship.

"We take this as a building year, and look to the future with encouraging eyes. For all three of our teams to make it to Provincials this year, we are optimistic to what next year holds for us", Coach Lindsay Bertsch.

Congratulations to our award winners and to the teams on a hard fought effort at the championship.