Gemini skip Lucie Panschow ‘draws up’ picture-perfect finish, two Gemini wrestlers, two swimmers qualify for OFSAA

Gemini curlers Emily Howe (left) and Evelyn Beard (sneaking a peek) sweep a rock toward the house. (Jeff Tribe Photo)

Jeff Tribe, Post Correspondent

Lucie Panschow is a pessimist by nature… and to a degree, choice.

A crucial Thames Valley Regional Athletics Southeast girls curling quarter-final last-rock draw to shot and 6-4 victory over the Woodstock St. Mary’s Warriors Monday, February 23 at the Woodstock Curling Centre might not change that perspective.

But it did open the door to optimism a tiny crack.

“Expect the worst and you can’t be disappointed,” the Tillsonburg Gemini skip explained. “That’s kind of what I live by.”

Late dramatics were set up by a see-saw battle throughout. St. Mary’s took a single in the first, the Gemini counted three in the second end, with the Warriors answering with two. St. Mary’s stole one in the fourth, the Gemini countering in the fifth with a single point and then stealing one more in the sixth to take narrow 5-4 advantage into what would be the final end.

There admittedly was reason for pessimism with the Warriors lying two, owning hammer and the Gemini clinging to the narrowest of leads as Panschow entered the hack, second stone in hand.

“The last shot was scary,” she admitted. “They were sitting up two points - that would have won the game.”

Compounding Panschow’s considerations was the fact as skip, she’s far more used to and comfortable with throwing takeout weight, rather than finessing stones into position. In short, both she and coach Shelby Colldock agreed ‘draws’ are not her thing.

“Not my speciality,” Panschow confirmed.

However, not only did her line combined with her sweepers’ efforts carry the stone through high guards outside the top of the house, her weight moved it deeper into the rings than the two Warriors in-house rocks, placing the Gemini into position for a game-clinching steal of one.

“Lucie hates drawing anything. The fact she was able to do that was a testament to her not being super stubborn,” credited Colldock.

There was still cause for concern - pessimism even - as the Warriors final stone headed down ice on a takeout attempt which had the potential to leave them lying three. It came up just short however, giving the Gemini a steal of one and resultant two-point victory. Along with it, the team earned a berth in the 11 a.m. TVRA Southeast semi-final, scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 25 at the Ingersoll District Curling Club. Tillsonburg’s foursome will face St. Thomas Parkside, with the winner advancing to the 2 p.m. final against the home-ice Ingersoll DCI Blue Bombers.

Gemini vice Keona Cornish again faces the potential for double duty, should the Gemini advance past TVRA Southeast finals. She finished second in Western Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association (WOSSAA) 61-kilogram wrestling championships, qualifying for Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) provincial championships in Peterborough March 3/4 in the process. Cornish will be joined by Sophia Gray, who also finished second in her weight class. Aurianna Narcisian added a third-place finish in 47.5K competition and Emily Oosterveld fourth in the 57.5K division. Tyken De Waele was fourth in the boys 64-kilogram weight class, Aiden Frei captured fourth in 72K competition and Lucas Hussey was fourth in the 83-kilogram division.

Glendale finished fifth of 23 in girls team standings and 11th of 23 for the boys, 9th in combined.

Gemini swimmers Alex Jones and Isabel Wilson are also OFSAA bound, Jones winning the 50-metre girls 15-and-over WOSSAA breaststroke in a time of 35.29 seconds. Wilson took the open girls 100 metre breaststroke in a 1:17.24 clocking. Swim OFSAA will be in Windsor March 3 and 4.

The Gemini boys’ hockey team was also scheduled to be in action, opening a best-of-three TVRA Southeast semi-final against Lord Dorchester, Tuesday, Feb. 24 at the Memorial Arena. Game two was set for Thursday, Feb. 26 in Dorchester and game three, if necessary, back in Tillsonburg’s Memorial Arena Monday, March 2 with a noon opening faceoff.