Panschow, Cornish make waves, toss opponents before throwing Gemini rocks

Gemini second Tomas Rapai prepares to release his stone. (Jeff Tribe Photo)

Jeff Tribe, Post Correspondent

Keona Cornish warmed up for throwing curling rocks down the ice by tossing wrestling opponents onto the mat.

“A little bit of everything,” smiled the Tillsonburg Gemini multi-sport athlete following a regular season-closing 6-4 Thames Valley Regional Athletics Southeast girls’ curling loss to the visiting St. Thomas Central Elgin Titans Wednesday, Jan. 14 at the Tillsonburg Curling Club.

As well as rocks and wrestling, Cornish also enjoys Gemini rugby and basketball, a varied and busy schedule by any standard.

“Keeps me busy, out of trouble,” said Cornish, a curling vice who pinned both wrestling opponents she faced earlier that day. “It’s fun.”

“Double threats,” added Lucie Panschow, who took over as skip from Cornish part way through the game, due to her own earlier participation with the Gemini swim team. Panschow had competed in the 50 freestyle event and swam the second leg on a four-by-200-metre freestyle relay, leaving for curling before she saw the results from the latter.

“But we got first in our heat, so it’s looking pretty good.”

Although Wednesday’s outing didn’t look as ‘good’ as they would have liked, the Gemini girls’ year has been a productive one. Finishing a solid third at the end of regular season action, the 3-3 Gemini are looking forward to playoffs upon their return from exams.

Panschow and Cornish head up a group including fellow Grade 12 Kylie Thiessen, Grade 10s Emily Howe and Evelynn Beard, the latter three all in their second seasons, and rookie Kate Panschow. When not double-booked, the skip and vice hold their positions with the other four rotating through lead and second.

As a group, they are supportive and analytical credits coach Shelby Colldock.

“They’re always thinking about what’s next, where to go, plan A versus plan B.”

TVRA Southeast playoffs will also feature Ingersoll DCI (5-1 on the season), St. Thomas Parkside (4-1) and either Woodstock St. Mary’s or St. Thomas Central Elgin or St. Joe’s, all tied for fourth with 2-4 records.

“It would be nice if we could get to WOSSAA (Western Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association),” said Colldock. “That would be an accomplishment both Lucie and Keona would like to see since they’ve been playing since Grade 9.”

“Last year, I want to go far,” agreed Cornish.

“You’ve got to make a grand exit,” Panschow concluded. “Grand finale.”

The Gemini boys’ curling team is at the other end of the experience spectrum, a unit featuring five Grade 10 students including Japanese ‘import’ (Rotary exchange student) Sota Hashiura, and Grade 9 Elliott Fletcher.

“Interesting,” commented Hashiura, whose Kanazawa region of Japan includes a rink hosting speed skating and ice hockey, but not curling. As well as developing a taste for poutine and watching football and baseball on TV with host families, he has embraced curling, searching high-level Japanese teams on YouTube to pick up pointers. Enjoying sweeping, when called into action Wednesday, Hashiura put his first rock right on the button, despite claiming to find reading ice tricky.

“Like it curves or straight, whatever.”

He is one of four first-year curlers on the Gemini this season, a roster anchored by skip Aaron Phillips and vice Mason Ellis, both in their second years. They are joined by fellow Grade 10s Travis Virgeo and Tomas Rapai.

“They’re a whole lot of fun,” said Colldock, a positive attitude and outlook coinciding with a trio of victories including a 7-2 decision over the Titans Wednesday.

“It’s all about fun,” agreed Phillips, who says gaining an understanding of curling and meeting new people are important parts of that equation.

The 3-4 Gemini boys finished out of the 2026 playoffs, additional wins over Woodstock St. Mary’s and St. Thomas St. Joe’s leaving them tied for fifth with Aylmer East Elgin, two points back of fourth-placed St. Mary’s.

“Most of our games are competitive,” said Fletcher. “We lose one end and that’s where we usually go down.”

There is however, a considerable upside, given the team’s comparative youth and future potential.

“I think we’re going to do well,” Phillips concluded. “Two more years, hopefully.”