By Jonathan Brazeau
NISKU, Alta. — Makenzie Kennedy looked right at home Sunday on the big stage at the Silent Ice Center.
As Bruce Mouat and Matt Dunstone battled in the CO-OP Tour Challenge men’s final, Kennedy and her team from the Beaumont Curling Club took on Katherine Sipka’s Calgary crew in a Battle of Alberta during the first-ever Jr. GSOC U15 final.
With friends, family and fans in the stands, the future stars of curling were shining and thriving under the spotlight as Kennedy came out on top 4-3 to capture the inaugural title.
“It was awesome,” said Kennedy, who is supported by third Kyra Doepker, second Sophia Huska and lead Lindsay Smith. “Obviously, very overwhelming during the whole game, but I have so many people to thank. Definitely Beaumont because they have supported us so much. All of my family, my parents and coaches.
"I just thank them so much, and it's such a great opportunity to be the first U15 Grand Slam winners.”
The inaugural U25 champions were also crowned on Sunday. Edmonton’s Team Serena Gray-Withers defeated Team Yuina Miura from Japan 8-4 in the women’s final, while Japan’s Team Takumi Maeda beat Team Jordan McNamara of Ottawa 8-3 on the men’s side.
“Super awesome,” Gray-Withers said. “We had a lot of family here today, being able to watch us on this super great sheet of ice.
"To perform for them and being able to put on a show and really capitalize on those opportunities was awesome.”
Preliminary round play, plus the quarterfinals and the semifinals, for all three tournaments took place at the Beaumont Curling Club, with the finals upgraded to the big show.
Playing two sheets away from the world's best teams and in a packed arena was something Kennedy enjoyed.
“I honestly loved it,” Kennedy said. “It didn’t feel too odd. I really, really loved it, and I loved all the interactions I'm able to have with everybody after the win.”
For Gray-Withers, it was a super special way to cap off a “very gritty weekend of curling.”
“We had to play some really tough teams,” said Gray-Withers, who is supported by third Catherine Clifford, second Lindsey Burgess and lead Zoe Cinnamon. “We squeaked out some wins, so we were really happy to be here in this final today and playing in this awesome facility.”
Perhaps none more gritty than the semifinal against two-time reigning Scottish champion Fay Henderson. Trailing by three points but holding the hammer coming home, Gray-Withers pulled off a double takeout to score four and complete a 6-5 come-from-behind victory.
“Well, it wasn't over until it was over,” Gray-Withers said with a smile. “We needed a three to go to a shootout, so we were just really trying to lob the rocks in there, hoping that I would have an opportunity to either make a double or a runback with my last. I was given that, and we ended up making it.
“A huge team shot and a great sweep by Zoe. It was definitely an awesome win.”
The two-time Canadian university champion faced Miura before, falling in the semifinals of the Winter World University Games in January. Gray-Withers rebounded to take home bronze while Miura went on to defeat South Korea’s Bo-bae Kang for gold.
Miura led by two in the U25 final until Gray-Withers scored a critical count of three points in the fifth to hold a 4-3 advantage. After Miura was forced to a single in the sixth to tie it, Gray-Withers took two in the seventh and added a steal of two in the eighth.
The first half of the game was all about figuring out the ice conditions, and patience paid off.
“Obviously, this was our first game in this arena,” Gray-Withers said, “so we just wanted to keep it close, learn the ice, and really capitalize on those opportunities.”
Although Team Brad Jacobs wasn't in the event, as the Calgary club prepares to represent Canada at the Pan Continental Curling Championships, a couple of members were definitely keeping an eye on the live stream of the U15 final.
Kennedy is the niece of Team Jacobs third Marc Kennedy, while Team Sipka includes lead Sloane Hebert, daughter of Team Jacobs lead Ben Hebert.
Facing a familiar opponent, Kennedy said she had an open mindset for the final.
"I had to be ready for anything, really, because we’ve played them for like three or four years, a lot of different times," she said. "I know that they're really good curlers, so I just had to come in and do my best."
