Thursday, December 6, 2001
Morris stays in hunt
Ottawa skip beats Middaugh at Olympic trials
By TODD SAELHOF -- Ottawa Sun
It was more a case of bitter survival than sweet revenge for John Morris.
Still, the Ottawa curling sensation achieved a measure of both with yesterday's 8-4 win over hot-shot Wayne Middaugh at the Olympic trials in Regina.
Morris ensured his own survival while killing Middaugh's hopes with the decision at the week-long event to determine a rink to represent Canada at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Feb. 8-24.
Last year, Middaugh of Victoria Harbour edged Morris 4-3 for the Ontario men's championship. The 1998 world champion also beat the two-time junior world champion 8-4 in the final of the Regina-hosted SGI Canada Charity Classic earlier this year.
But yesterday, Morris and his rink of third Joseph Frans of Guelph, second Craig Savill of Kanata and lead Brent Laing of Stayner used a count of two rocks in each of the sixth and ninth ends to stay alive in the hunt for a playoff spot at the trials.
TOP 3 ADVANCE
After yesterday's play, B.C.'s Bert Gretzinger, New Brunswick's Russ Howard and Edmonton's Kevin Martin lead with 5-2 records. Morris and two Winnipeg teams, Jeff Stoughton and Kerry Burtnyk, sit next at 4-3.
Only the top three teams advance to the playoffs.
"It's going to be a blood bath out there," said Gretzinger.
The loser in today's Draw 8 match (11 a.m., TSN) between Morris and Stoughton will likely be eliminated from contention.
"We see it as being in the quarter-finals of a tournament and we've got to win the rest of our games to win the tournament," said Morris.
The Ottawa skip secured his survival yesterday when Middaugh flashed on his eighth-end attempt to raise his shooter into the four-foot to count two and tie the game. Instead Middaugh counted one, giving Morris the hammer for the concluding ninth end.
On the women's side, Saskatchewan's Sherry Anderson and Kelley Law of Coquitlam, B.C., lead the pack at 6-2, followed by Colleen Jones of Halifax and Regina's Michelle Ridgway at 5-3.
The women have only one round-robin game remaining today, while the men have two.
The semifinals go tomorrow. The women's final is scheduled for Saturday at 2 p.m. with the men's set for Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
--with files from CP
2002 Games Curling Coverage
