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Kerri Einarson will represent Canada in Prince George after winning 2020 Scotties Tournament of Hearts

First title for Manitoba curler comes after back-and-forth 8-7 win over Ontario’s Rachel Homan
Kyle Balzer
Kyle Balzer

We now know who will wear the maple leaf in Prince George next month at the 2020 World Women's Curling Championships.

Kerri Einarson had been lights out on almost every shot throughout the playoff round at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Moose Jaw, Sask.

When it came time for her final draw attempt in an extra end of Sunday's (Feb. 23) final against Ontario’s Rachel Homan, even she had to feel a bit of pressure – and only in part because her draw to win outright an end earlier had slid a few inches too far and led to a steal of two.

But this time, Manitoba was money.

And, with third Val Sweeting calling line, lead Briane Mielleur and second Shannon Birchard sweeping, the shot settled nicely in the four-foot, giving Einarson an 8-7 win and her first-ever Canadian national women's curling title.

“This means absolutely the world to me, I really wanted to do this for myself and my teammates and especially Val, she’s lost two big finals,” a teary Einarson said shortly after celebrating with her teammates.

“We really put it together this week and I’m so proud of everyone… if it wasn’t for them, I don’t know where I’d be today. They’re such great teammates and supporters, all those shots we made out there were because of them. The sweeping, the line calling, I just absolutely love my teammates.”

It looked in the early going as if not only would an extra end not be needed, the two teams might have been shaking hands early, as Einarson, who was named the tournament MVP, roared out to a 7-3 lead through eight ends.

But when your opponent is Rachel Homan, a three-time Scotties champion, even that kind of an edge wasn’t safe.

Homan, third Emma Miskew, second Joanne Courtney and lead Lisa Weagle would pick up their deuce in the ninth and played a near-perfect 10th to force Einarson to the aforementioned draw for the win.

Despite curling 92 per cent at the time of the shot, she would come in a touch heavy, giving Homan the steal and forcing the extra.

That comeback was a source of pride for Homan, even if it ultimately came up short.

“We fought to the end, it means we’re right there, and that’s curling, it’s a game of inches and a game of one-shot here and there,” Homan said.

“We’re excited that we were right there, and one shot here or there and it could have been us. There are a lot of teams who would have loved to have been here, so I’m really proud of the girls that we battled right to the end and made her throw her last one… so it was a great game and they’re going to be great representatives for Canada.”

Homan kept things interesting in the extra end too, but Einarson had been a quick study all week on the Mosaic Place ice, and when it came time for the ‘one shot to win it all’, she was ready.

“I knew it was going to be close, I threw a few draws and with my outturn I knew that weight, so I just really dialed in, took my time and really focused and let my sweepers take it over,” Einarson said.

A few seconds later, they were Scotties Tournament of Hearts champions.

It didn’t take long for the conversation to turn to Sweeting, who had lost the final in back-to-back Scotties (Montreal, 2014; Moose Jaw, 2015) and then again in the Mixed Doubles Olympic Curling trials in 2018.

To say the least, it was a sweet win for the Maryfield product and University of Saskatchewan grad.

“It means so much, it’s just an honour to be Team Canada,” Sweeting said.

“I’ve had quite a few heartbreaking finals losses, so I definitely needed that. It just shows that you have to keep getting back up and I’m so proud we have a chance to wear the maple leaf.”

Einarson will now prep her squad for the World Championships from March 14 to 22 at the CN Centre.

- with files from Randy Palmer, MooseJawToday