Top Ten Rajun Cadiens matches of 2006!

As we get set to ring in 2007, it’s time to look back at some of the memorable matches played by the Rajun Cadiens in 2006.

There were many to choose from but here is my Top 10 list:

10) April 9, 2006 vs. Neil Whyte (Won 8-4)

We were eliminated from the CCL Playoffs the week before, making this match meaningless but a composed display turned a 4-3 deficit into an impressive victory. Steals occurred in two of the final three ends.

9) October 29, 2006 vs. Peter Richardson (Won 7-1)

The opening game of this season saw us steal the first four ends to lead 5-0. Richardson took one in five but a deuce in six led to handshakes. This improved our record against Richardson to 5-0.

8) April 2, 2006 vs. Jared Newcombe (Lost 3-6)

A re-match from two years earlier at the Twin Cities when the Cadiens upset the Super League team but there was to be no repeat here. It was a game of very few mistakes but a missed take-out by skip Peter Boudreau gives Newcombe a pair in the fifth to break a 2-2 tie.

7) November 19, 2006 vs. Sandy Amey (Won 8-3)

The Cadiens finally pick up a win against the CCL team. Amey leads 3-1 after two ends but a deuce in three is followed by three consecutive steals. Darren Pellerin and Peter Boudreau deliver excellent performances.

6) April 23, 2006 vs. Gary Welsh (Won 6-0)

A second consecutive 3-1 post-season record is achieved with a comprehensive win over rivals Gary Welsh. A deuce in the opening end then sees steals of one in the second and third and a steal of two in four as Welsh says he’s had enough. It is the Cadiens first ever shutout.

5) March 12, 2006 vs. Sandy Chisholm (Won 8-4)

The last game of the regular season portion of the CCL. A game that has no bearing in the standings but the Cadiens gain revenge for a loss earlier in the campaign. Chisholm takes two to start but seven consecutive points sends the Cadiens in to the playoffs on a high.

4) January 27, 2006 vs. Gerald Oliver (Won 11-7)

This was the opening game of the Gold Star Bonspiel. Oliver gets three in the first but we battle to tie the game 5-5 after five. The Bridgetown skip faces four Cadien rocks the next end but his draw is light and we steal four. The teams trade deuces the rest of the way and we march into the second round.

3) February 2, 2006 vs. Collin Atkinson (Won 10-7)

A tough start as Atkinson tallies five in the opening end. We score two in the second and manage three straight steals to lead 6-5 after five. Atkinson takes two in six but a deuce of our own sets up a thrilling last end in which we steal two and take an improbable victory.

2) January 28, 2006 vs. Bob Murphy (Lost 5-6)

A spot in the semi-finals of the Gold Star is on the line. We lead 3-2 after four ends but Murphy tallies three in the fifth to go up 5-3. Murphy’s third tries to pick an argument with Phil Dunville regarding the measurement but the latter keeps his cool. We trail 6-4 in the last end but sit two forcing Murphy to take out one of our rocks to win which he does and we bow out of the main draw as the match doesn’t end until after 1 AM.

1) January 22, 2006 vs. Paul Hunt Jr. (Won 9-6)

Its top versus bottom in the CCL and things are going according to plan as Hunt leads 5-1 after four ends but a takeout from Boudreau gives us three to cut the deficit to one. A steal of two in six puts us ahead but Hunt gets one in seven to tie. Needing to take out a Hunt stone with his last shot, Boudreau ends up making a double and we take three for the win. This win turned things around for the team and got us on a good run for the remainder of the year.

Happy New Year everybody!

Cheers,
Terry
http://www.geocities.com/rajuncadiens/curling

Time to hibernate for a while!

We've now hit the XMAS Break and although we have dropped our last two games, I'm quite pleased with how things are going so far.

It took us until mid-January to win our fourth game but we've done that already and sit with a 4-3-1 record, which is good for fifth place and just three points out of top spot in the Capital Curling League.

Has you probably know now, second Darren Pellerin has left us to grace the hallowed halls of Concordia University, he's a Stinger now and I hope he kicks some serious butt in his studies and perhaps the curling rink, but here's to hoping the ladies can recognize the Acadien/Herring Cove French he speaks.

An 8-5 victory over Sandy Chisholm on December 3 was our third in a row and put us into second place. It wasn't a pretty game but we started off strong and got four in the first and stole one in the second to lead 5-0. At that point, there really was only going to be one winner, even when Chisholm got his points, he had to work hard to get them.

This set us up nicely for a big grudge match with Neil Whyte and though we didn't know at the time, a win would have put us top. It was Darren's last game with us in league play but it was a disaster as we lost 10-0 in five ends. This was the first time we were shutout as a team and it was humbling. Nothing went our way and the difference was that they figured out the ice and we didn't. It was just one of those days and you get those sometimes.

Our most recent game was with Jamie Mills and we fell 8-4. We didn't play badly except for the second and third ends when we gave up five points and were down 6-0. A pair in four was followed by a great chance to steal in the fifth as we had four red rocks in the rings but the skip made a nice draw and took one.

Another two in six made it 7-4 but we simply ran out of time. Mills took one in seven and we ran out of rocks. It was a tough one to take but I think we'll be all right and we seem to hit our best form in the New Year. We will have to be sharp as we have tough games to come versus Darren MacInnis, Paul Hunt Jr. and Stewart Slaunwhite. Mills and MacInnis are now the only teams we haven't beaten in three years of CCL play and we want to change that.

I've been impressed with the boys play considering the circumstances. Our decorated skip Peter Boudreau, having academic committments, has played well as did Darren and mate Phil Dunville hasn't missed a bit despite missing a couple of games due to a liaison with Angelina Jolie in Toronto. Actually it was job training but Phil has his groupies you know!

Yours truly needs some work on his hitting game but a recent practice session went well and I plan to play in CFB's Hot Shots Competition. It takes place on December 28 and we have to master six different shots - draw to the button, draw the port, hit and stick, hit and roll, double takeout and the raise. My plan is to slip some rum in my pre-game egg nog to wake me up from my post Boxing Day Blues...it starts at 1 PM and over XMAS that feels like 9 AM!

I said in the last column that the new Ana Arce Calendar was now on sale. This guy decided to get one and I have to say on the whole I was impressed. There were some good shots and I will certainly focus a lot more on the careers of Leigh Armstrong and Chrissy Cadorin now that I know a bit more about them (actually not a lot more) but buy a calendar and you'll know what I mean. Meanwhile here's a pic of skip Deb McCormick down below to get you in the right frame of mind.

That's it for now but I'll be back on the weekend with the Top 10 Rajun Cadiens matches of 2006.

Cheers,
Terry
http://www.geocities.com/rajuncadiens/curling