Playdown After Party 2024

 #BetweenTheSheets: The Playdown After Party

Scotties field finalized, Brier field taking shape

Are you getting tired curling fans? Maybe a bit sleepy?

This past weekend was THE BIGGEST playdown party scene we have attended.

It produced THE BIGGEST playdown preview blog post EVER last week.

And, when the last rock settled, we crowned 15 provincial/territorial champions!!

But don't let the sun set on the fun yet rock heads.

We have 2 more provincial playdowns headlining the #PlaydownAfterParty this week.

PLUS national championships taking place in Japan, USA and Sweden.

Note of course Sweden's national championship will NOT determine their world championship representatives as those have already been announced as Team Hasselborg and Team Edin.

Of course remember, we still will have 2 more playdowns to watch out for the following week.

As S Club 7 famously sang "Don't Stop Moving"!

15 champions in one weekend is INSANE...in all the best ways possible.

What a week of curling we were treated to last week. And what a weekend of championship action.

From measurements to #StealPants to #TeamUpset to #Favs, there was something for everyone.

Lets get caught up on the STOH and Brier fields.

#STOH2024

The Scotties field is final. All the champions have been crowned. The wildcard spots have been solidified. And Curling Canada released the pools and draw on Monday.

Congratulations to the following teams who are now getting ready for the main event in Calgary AB (overall seed based on CTRS):

Pool A
#TeamCanada - Team Einarson (3)

#BuffaloHunt (Manitoba-Lawes) - Team Lawes (4)

#ABStrong - Team Sturmay (5)

#WC2 (BC-Brown) - Team Brown (8)

#TeamGreen - Team Ackerman (9)

#FearTheMoose - Team McCarville (12)

#Labelleprovince - Team St-Georges (13)

#TheIslanders - Team DiCarlo (16)

#TheRock - Team Curtis (17)

Pool B

#PQ1 (Ontario-Homan) - Team Homan (1)

#PQ2 (Manitoba-Jones) - Team Jones (2)

#CurlON (Ontario-Inglis) - Team Inglis (6)

#WC1 (Manitoba-Cameron) - Team Cameron (7)

#TeamPacific (BC-Grandy) - Team Grandy (10)

#PolarPower - Team Koe (11)

#TeamBluenose - Team Smith (14)

#TeamAcadia - Team Adams (15)

#PurplePower - Team Scoffin (18)

Right away curling fans will notice the CTRS rankings in parenthesis with #1 and #2 in the same pool while #3, #4 and #5 being together in another pool.

It does feel a bit lopsided.

According to Curling Canada, "Because some matchups featuring the pre-qualified teams were pre-set as part of ticket marketing campaigns, the pools were adjusted accordingly but kept as even as possible. The Curling Canada Athletes Council was informed of this possibility and the methodology that would be used to keep the pool equitable, in the fall. The average overall CTRS ranking for Pool A is 27.33 and 29.1 for Pool B."

So there is that explanation for those interested.

If we ignore the CTRS for a second, and incorporate last year's final standings, the pools aren't that far off really.

We have the 1st and 3rd place provinces in Pool A (Canada, Northern Ontario) and we have 2nd and 4th in Pool B (Manitoba-Jones, Nova Scotia).

Unfortunately the other 2 provinces who reached the Championship Pool (Ontario, BC) also find themselves together in Pool B.

I know there are slightly different teams in 2024 representing those provinces in comparison to final results of 2023, but then the names still end up being the same with Homan, Jones and Grandy together.

It is too bad we cannot develop some type of combined system where CTRS + Previous Scotties final results help create the pools.

This blog has often advocated for an IIHF type of system where the pools for the next year's event are based on final standings from the previous year. The pools are then pre-determined before the playdowns.

I still do not think this would be as horrible of an idea as many think but maybe a compromise is more realistic and combining both ideas into one format could work?

Also, can we just say the naming conventions are HORRIBLE.

Why no wildcard name? I get the logo and jersey's would be a minor issue with designs owned by the previous company but the "Wildcard" name should not be owned by a clothing company. It should be "owned" by the governing body. So #WC should still be usable here.

I would even settle for #PQ1 and #PQ2 over Ontario-Homan and Manitoba-Jones as the official name.

Are these naming conventions just getting everyone prepared for the inevitable where provincial/territorial champions no longer qualify for the national championships and we use just regular team names with a CTRS qualification system?

It is sneakily starting to feel that way, no?

On the positive, the #TwineTime blog did a solid job with Scotties predictions this year. The blog accurately predicted 9 provincial champions out of 12 predictions (Yukon completed their championship before the Playdown Party previews began).

And while I missed the Alberta championship, I did predict Sturmay still in the field, just as a WC rather than champion.

I did have Cameron as a #WC though so, technically, both are correct in being in the field too.

Not bad, right? The little blog that could...still can!!

#Brier2024

We know 13 of the 18 teams have already punched their tickets to the Montana's Brier in Regina, SK. 

Congratulations to the following teams:

#TeamCanada - Team Gushue

#PQ1 - Team Bottcher

#PQ2 - Team Dunstone

#TeamArctic - Team Latimer
#PurplePower - Team Scoffin

#CurlON - Team Howard

#TeamPacific - Team Schneider

#PolarPower - Team Koe

#TeamBluenose - Team Manuel

#FearTheMoose - Team Bonot

#Labelleprovince - Team Arsenault

#TheIslanders - Team Smith

#TheRock - Team Symonds

We have returning faces like Manuel, Smith and Koe.

We have new faces like Bonot and Arsenault.

We have new teams with familiar faces like Schneider and Symonds.

And we have the Team Howard 3some, winning a title playing with 3 and surviving a tough battle against #TeamUpset / #NextGen rising star Team King (the blog warned you to watch out for this team).

Now we get ready to add 2 more provincial champions to the qualification list, this week coming out of Saskatchewan and New Brunswick.

Once again rock heads, grab a cold beverage, enjoy some hot eats and welcome to the #PlaydownAfterParty.

Playdown Previews

#Brier2024

#TeamGreen

Saskatoon, SK

2023 Champion: Team Knapp

Format: 12 team RR with 2 pools of 6. Top 2 in each pool advance to Page Playoff.

#Fav: Team McEwen / Team Knapp

The highest ranked team in the field (#14), Team McEwen is arriving in Saskatoon as the favourites.

This team has curled A LOT this season. They own a season record of 41-24.

They have played 11 tour events. They have qualified 7 times. They have reached the SF 6 times.

But they have yet to play a final. Interesting.

They have also played in 3 slams. They reached the SF at the Tour Challenge Tier II but went a combined 3-5 at The Masters and Canadian Open, failing to qualify both times.

On the other positive though, remember they broke a few brackets early in the season at the #Sweep16 when they reached the SF.

McEwen was at the Brier last year as the Ontario champion. Can he return this year with his 3rd different crest (also having represented Manitoba)?

Colton Flasch and the Marsh brothers would love to erase last year's championship, where they were eliminated in the #CSideGrind and failed to reach the playoffs.

Plus they just watched former teammate Catlin Schneider skip his new team to a B.C. title over the weekend.

This team is also in the hunt for the lone #WC spot, should they slip up this week.

It feels like a "Make it or Break It" season for them.

Either they win the SK Tankard or we see change in the offseason, no?

And both feel very possible and equally probable, which makes predicting how they do even a bigger wildcard than anything. 

But Team Knapp is equally deserving of the #Fav tag as they try to #DefendTheIce.

This team has been on fire all season, even if you may not have noticed.

They are 34-6 on the season and have qualified in all 7 events played. 6 losses in 7 events folks.

They have also reached 6 finals and have won 3 titles. Those 3 titles also happen to be their last 3 events played heading into the SK Tankard.

And they are on a 16-match winning streak and are 18-1 in their last 3 events.

How does that not scream #Fav?

#TeamUpset: Team Jacobson

I think the blog places this title on Team Jacobson every year, no?

Every year they quietly enter the field, not the biggest name in the field nor the best overall record. Yet they surprise higher ranked teams and make a playoff push.

Last year they qualified for the playoffs, a feat not accomplished by a few "bigger" name teams (Team Flasch, Team Kleiter).

Should we expect the same "upset" result this year?

They are 15-7 on the season, qualifying in 3 of 5 events while reached 2 finals and winning 1 title.

And how about their H2H record vs. the field this season? They are 7-2.

Watch. Out.

#W2W4

This is going to be a fun event to watch unfold.

Saskatchewan has 5 men's teams currently ranked in the Top 50: McEwen (#14), Team Kleiter (#24), Team Knapp (#34), Team Kalthoff (#48) and Team Laycock (#49).

Any one of those 5 teams could win this title.

But also watch out for Team Bernath (#62) or Team Hartung (#72) or the #TeamUpset pick Jacobson.

Although keep your eyes on Hartung. They have a re-altered lineup heading into this event compared to what they had all season so expectations may be all over the map.

8 Saskatchewan teams ranked in the Top 75 of the world.

And here many people thought curling was struggling in Saskatchewan.

The 8 are also balanced out in the pools.

Pool A features McEwen, Kalthoff, Laycock and Bernath alongside Team Bryden and Team Carss.

Pool B has Kleiter, Knapp, Hartung, Jacobson along with Team Heidt and Team Springer.

And with the format being only the Top 2 advance to the page playoff, good teams will go home early.

It may be interesting to pay attention to the familiarity these teams have with one another as well.

8 of the 12 teams in the field curl out of the Nutana Curling Club in Saskatoon: Bernath, Carss, Hartung, Jacobson, Kalthoff, Kleiter, Laycock and McEwen.

Besides tour events, you know they have crossed paths during league play or practices or fun spiels or whatever in Saskatoon.

Friends? Enemies? Rivalries? All of the above?

Worth nothing, AGAIN, another provincial championship switching formats this year. Last year this event was a triple knockout with 12 teams. This year a RR with 12 teams.

And back and forth we go once again....the REAL theme of Playdown Party season.

Qualifiers: Team McEwen, Team Laycock, Team Knapp, Team Kleiter

Saskatchewan Championship: Team Knapp def. Team McEwen

#TeamAcadia

Miramichi, NB

2023 Champion: Team Jones

Format: 10 team triple knockout with 3 qualifiers. A-qualifier earns bye to championship final.

#Fav: Team Grattan

James Grattan and his slightly altered squad have been quite busy this season.

They have competed in 6 tour events, qualified in 5, reached 2 finals and won both.

They sit with an overall season record of 23-10. They also sit with a 7-1 H2H record vs. the field. 

The key to success may come in how the new guy on the team, Joel Krats, performs.

At only 22 years old, the #NextGen star is already competing out of his 3rd province.

After representing his home province of Newfoundland and Labrador in his junior years, Krats shifted to Nova Scotia last season to play with Team Purcell.

Now he has joined the New Brunswick veteran skip to try and qualify for his first Brier out of yet another province.

Could #TheVet + #NextGen = NB Tankard Champion?

#TeamUpset: Team Comeau

Rene Comeau's team may be ranked #165 in the world but do not let the ranking fool you. This team has potential to shock the system in Miramichi this week.

The team does have a sub-.500 record on the season (11-13) but they have qualified in 3 of 5 tour events, including reaching a tour final in PEI last November.

Comeau is past the #NextGen cut line at 29 years old but is a #NextGen OG.

Comeau represented New Brunswick at the Canadian Junior Curling Championships, winning silver in 2014 and bronze in 2015.

While we have yet to see his junior success translate to his men's game, could this be the year it happens?

#W2W4

Another format change? These playdowns have been all over the map with format changes.

After returning to a RR format last year, the NB Tankard will re-return to a triple knockout format this year.

Does the format favour anyone specifically? Hard to tell.

What could be a wildcard is the experience factor of this field.

James Grattan. Grant Odishaw. Scott Jones. Jason Roach. Zach Eldridge.

These are all guys with NB Tankard wins under the slider and Brier experience.

Does a triple knockout favour the experienced teams in the field?

Or does it allow for #TeamUpsets to emerge?

Could Rene Comeau, Carter Small, Aaron Young, Brody Hanson or Trevon Hanson reap the benefits?

We have two tiers here: The Experienced 5 vs. The Emerging 5.

Which tier produces the 2024 champion?

Qualifiers: Team Grattan, Team Eldridge, Team Comeau

New Brunswick Championship: Team Grattan def. Team Eldridge

#WC

2023 Representatives: Team Bottcher (#WC1), Team Carruthers (#WC2), Team Sturmay (#WC3)

Format: Top team who did not win their provincial/territorial championship based on CTRS.

Teams In Contention: Team Koe (AB), Team Carruthers (MB), Team McEwen (SK), Team Sluchinski (AB)

#W2W4

Ok, as we learned with the release of the Scotties pools and schedule, the "Wildcard" term is no longer being used.

And, really, nobody likes the new naming convention. Right?

So, for sake of ease and a small unwillingness to let the #WC term go quite yet, lets keep it around until the Playdown Party ends.

As with any good party, there always seems to be a casualty of some sort. Whether a break-up or broken furniture or something "goes missing", there is always some unforeseen loss.

For 2024, the Playdown Party casualty is the Wildcard. 😭

There has been no movement on the #WC Watch since last week as all the Brier playdown results did not cause a stir with top CTRS positions.

This week we could have some clarity though.

If McEwen does not win Saskatchewan, Sluchinski could be eliminated from the WC conversation.

McEwen would also become the biggest fans of Team Koe and Team Carruthers next week.

If McEwen does take the Saskatchewan Tankard title, Sluchinski remains in the hunt heading into next week's Boston Pizza Cup.

Expect Sluchinski to be the biggest McEwen supporters this week.

Wildcard Prediction: Team McEwen

National Championship Previews

USA - Men

East Rutherford, NJ

2023 Champion: Team Shuster

Format: 8 team RR with 4 qualifiers to Page Playoff.

#Fav: Team Dropkin

Ranked #15 in the world, the #YoungBucks enter the national championship as #Fav once again.

But they were in this position last year remember and ended up struggling during the RR, squeaking into the playoffs and losing the SF (vs. Team Casper).

Can Korey and the boys rediscover the magic of their 2022 US Championship win?

It has not been the strongest of season for the Young Bucks.

They sit with a sub-.500 season record of 27-28. They have qualified in 6 of 10 events, including reaching the final of the US Open of Curling (losing to Team Casper).

They did qualify for the playoffs at the 2023 Pan Continental Curling Championships but lost both playoff games to finish 4th overall and reached the QF at The National in November.

The past two events have not been as kind as they arrive here with a 1-7 record.

Now of course those were both #gsoc events competing against the best of the best in the world but it does not give a ton of confidence, or momentum, heading into a national championship.

#TeamUpset: Team Ruohonen

Rich Ruohonen is no stranger to USA national championships. He has been here many times.

He has won this event twice (2008, 2018).

He has also reached the final an additional 5 times (2011, 2013, 2017, 2019, 2020).

But he has struggled here the past two years, including a disappointing 1-6 last place finish last year.

This is a new year, new team, new result?

Ruohonen has partnered up with 2010 US Olympian Jason Smith at vice. Smith was part of Team Shuster at the 2009 world championships and 2010 Winter Olympics.

The new look team has had success on tour this season, qualifying in 6 of 9 events and reaching a tour final in St. Paul (lost to Team Casper).

#W2W4

There will be a bit of added pressure on the teams competing this week. Not only are they vying for a US championship and a berth in the 2024 world championship in Switzerland but the winner also earns the first spot in the 2025 US Olympic Curling Trials.

The Olympic dream starts here for one team this week.

No pressure though?!?

John Shuster has been the dominating face that runs the place in US curling. Can he continue?

He has won 3 of the past 4 and 4 of the past 6 US championships. He turns up at this event.

Not to mention the fact the team has reached 2 finals in their past 3 tour events (the other being a SF result).

And what about last year's finalist Team Casper?

They have been turning heads all season, undoubtedly having the best season of any team in this field.

Could the "surprise" run to the final last year motivate them to do one better and complete some unfinished business against their main rivals?

Or will someone new emerge from the field and take down the Big 3 (Shuster, Dropkin, Casper)?

Qualifiers: Team Shuster, Team Dropkin, Team Casper

USA National Championship: Team Shuster def. Team Casper

USA - Women

East Rutherford, NJ

2023 Champion: Team Peterson

Format: 8 team RR with 4 qualifiers to Page Playoff.

#Fav: Team Peterson

Tabitha Peterson is a 3-time champion at this event (2012, 2020, 2023).

Cory Thiesse is a 2-time champion at this event (2021, 2023).

These are the players who have dominated USA Curling in the early part of this decade.

Should we really expect that to stop now?

Ranked #12 in the world and sitting with a season record of 29-24, Team Peterson is the front-runner for the title and #DefendTheIce.

They have qualified in 4 of 9 events this season, including a tour title win at the US Open of Curling in September.

They also won bronze at the 2023 Pan Continental Curling Championships, representing the #StarsAndStripes.

Plus they own a 5-1 H2H record vs. the field this season.

#TeamUpset: Team Workin

Rachel Workin has been "workin" this season in hopes of making some noise at this event.

While the team is only 15-18 on the season, they have have qualified in 4 of 7 events.

And while they failed to qualify at their last event, DEKALB Superspiel in Morris, MB, take note of who they lost to in their final 2 games: Team Inglis and Team McCarville.

They also own a positive 5-4 H2H record vs. the field this season, including 2 wins over Team Strouse.

When they come to play and gain momentum and confidence, they can be a very dangerous dark horse team lurking in the field.

#W2W4

Team Peterson (#12) and Team Strouse (#15) are ranked in the Top 15 in the world. They enter this event as the overwhelming favourites to fight for the title.

It will be interesting to see who steps up to challenge them.

Team Anderson is the next highest ranked team at #36. The rest of the field falls outside the Top 70.

Could playing with house money and no expectations to win actually help the field?

Could the pressure of being the highest ranked teams work against Peterson and Strouse?

And don't forget, similar to the men, the winning team takes books that first ticket to the Olympic trials.

Qualifiers: Team Peterson, Team Strouse, Team Anderson

USA National Championship: Team Peterson def. Team Strouse

Japan - Women

Sapporo, Hokkaido, JPN

2023 Champion: Team Fujisawa

Format: 10 team RR with 2 pool of 6. Top 3 in each pool qualify for Championship Pool. Top 3 qualify for the playoffs with 1st place earning a bye to the final.

#Fav: Team Fujisawa

Satsuki Fujisawa has had a love/hate relationship with this event over the years.

There was the time when she dominated the championships, winning 4 straight and 5 of 6 (2011-2014, 2016).

Then there were the late 2010 years where she lost the final in 2017 and 2019.

The 2020's feel more like the early 2010's with Fujisawa back in domination mode, having won this championship 3 of the past 4 years (2020, 2022, 2023).

This year she will try to #DefendTheIce and #3peat once again.

The team is currently ranked #10 on the world rankings, compiling a season record of 34-20.

They have qualified in 6 of 10 events, including winning a tour title at their season opener in Hokkaido.

They also reached the final as defending champions at the 2023 Pan Continental Curling Championships, losing the championship to Korea's Team Gim.

There have also been misses this season though, namely failing to qualify at 3 of the 4 #gsoc events. Sure one was a TB loss (Masters vs. Team Wrana) but missing the playoffs a season after winning a slam was not what many would have expected from this team this year.

They are 6-3 vs. Japanese teams this season, including 2-0 vs. main pool rival Team Tabata.

#TeamUpset: Team Tabata

Speaking of the #Fav rival, Team Tabata may not only stop Fujisawa in opening pool play but could also "steal" the entire championship.

The blog has mentioned Team Tabata as a #TeamUpset before so why not include them again here?

Do not let the world ranking of #46 fool you. This is a good team capable of beating any team in this field.

They are 36-20 on the season, have qualified in 7 (of 10) events, reached 3 finals and won 2 titles. Their most recent title, the Hokkaido Curling Championships, also happened to be their last event played before these championships. They went 9-0.

Now, to be fair, none of those teams will be competing here.

But, against teams who are competing this week, they have an 8-7 H2H record this season.

Watch out for that final RR game vs. Fujisawa. It could decide which team has the "advantage" heading into the Championship Pool cross-over games.

#W2W4

This is going to be a VERY tough championship.

Japan has 3 teams within the Top 22 of the world rankings: Fujisawa (#10), Team Kitazawa (#21), Team Kotani/Yoshimura (#22).

Add in 1 more teams within the Top 41 in the world: Team Ueno/Kanai (#41).

And 2 more within the Top 52 in the world: Team Tabata (#46) and Team Sasaki (#52).

6 teams in the Top 52 in the world equates to a very deep field of very talented teams.

This is also a new format for the championships, going to a format Canadian curling fans have seen before at the Scotties/Brier.

Those top 6 teams are divided equally between the initial 2 pools with Pool A featuring Ueno, Kotani and Kitazawa and Pool B featuring Fujisawa, Tabata and Sasaki.

If those are the 6 teams to advance to the Championship Pool, watch out! Anything could happen.

Championship Pool Qualifiers: Team Kitazawa, Team Ueno, Team Kotani, Team Fujisawa, Team Tabata, Team Sasaki

Playoff Qualifiers: Team Fujisawa, Team Kitazawa, Team Tabata

Japan National Championship: Team Fujisawa def. Team Kitazawa

Japan - Men

Sapporo, Hokkaido, JPN

2023 Champion: Team Yanagisawa

Format: 10 team RR with 2 pool of 6. Top 3 in each pool qualify for Championship Pool. Top 3 qualify for the playoffs with 1st place earning a bye to the final.

#Fav: Team Yanagisawa / Team Morozumi

Team Yanagisawa will attempt the #3peat this week and #DefendTheIce.

Before Yanagisawa went on their current championship run, we saw another familiar Japanese curler accomplish the #3peat: Yuta Matsumura (2019-2021).

Can Yanagisawa following in Matsumura's slide path? They may need to go through Matsumura (now vice for Team Morozumi) to do so of course.

Yanagisawa is not the highest ranked team in the field. They currently sit #28 compared to Team Morozumi at #18.

Hence both being tagged as co-#Fav right now. These are the 2 teams with the most experience, most championship victories and the have the highest ranking.

Morozumi (52-31) has 4 tour titles this season from 5 final appearances and has qualified in 10 of 15 events.

15 events folks! This team has played A LOT of curling since starting their season in August and winning 3 straight tour titles early. They also reached the Tour Challenge Tier II final.

Yanagisawa (43-34) has 1 tour title and has qualified in 7 of 14 events. They also represented Japan at the 2023 Pan Continental Curling Championships, winning bronze over USA (Team Dropkin).

The big question here is what is their H2H record this season?

Advantage Yanagisawa: 2-1.

#TeamUpset: Team Abe

If experience leads to championships, Shinya Abe will be playing for a medal at the end of this event.

The 44 year old won his 1st Japanese title in 1996 as lead with Team Sato.

Since his 1996 title, he has won 3 additional gold medals (2019-2021), alongside 4 silver (2000, 2015, 2017, 2018) and 7 bronze (1997, 1998, 2003, 2013, 2016, 2022, 2023).

And, in all those appearances, he has won medals as a lead and as a skip. And, as skip, he has thrown skip stones and second stones before.

Talk about a well-rounded curling athlete. He really has proven he can do it all...and at any position.

Abe is back skipping this season but has thrown second and vice stones this year.

The team is ranked #69 in the world with a season record of 19-17. They did pick up a tour title back in August at the ADVICS Cup.

We have not seen them compete since November, where they struggled at events played in Canada. Overall, in those events, they went a combined 3-8 and failed to qualify in any event.

However, experience is a key factor and Abe has it in spades.

The rankings, the results and the numbers may not favour him heading into the event. But do not be surprised to see him fighting for a playoff spot at the end.

#W2W4

On paper, this may appear to be a 2 team championship between Morozumi and Yanagisawa.

But do not get fooled into thinking there are not a handful of teams who can mount a challenge to the main contenders.

Team Hayato Sato (#42), Team Hirata (#43) and Team Maeda (#56) have had outstanding seasons.

H. Sato (note there are 2 Team Sato's in the field) has qualified in 6 of 9 events and has 2018 Japanese men's champion Go Aoki throwing last stones.

Hirata has qualified in 7 of 10 events and has picked up 3 tour titles. Remember, Hirata did reach the Japanese final last year too.

Maeda has qualified in 6 of 8 events, including 2 tour titles. One of those titles was the Mother Club event in Winnipeg while the other was their most recent event, the Hokkaido Curling Championships.

Similar to Team Tabata on the women's side, Maeda went 9-0 to claim that championship.

Maeda has also represented Japan at the 2021 (held Jan. 2022) and 2022 (held Dec. 2022) World Junior-B Curling Championships. At the 2022 event, the team was 5-0 and playoff bound before COVID-19 cancelled the remainder of the event.

Add in #TeamUpset Abe and you have a 4 main challengers taking on the 2 main contenders.

Get ready for a tough #6pack challenge here folks.

The draw certainly stacked against one pool though as Pool A will feature Morozumi, Sato, Hirata and Maeda.

4 of the main 6 in one pool, meaning at least 1 will be going home early.

Advantage Yanagisawa and Abe though, headlining the other pool. They should get off to a good start to earning Championship Pool qualification and have a nice record in hopes of playoff qualification.

Championship Pool Qualifiers: Team Morozumi, Team Maeda, Team Hirata, Team Yanagisawa, Team Abe, Team Takahashi

Playoff Qualifiers: Team Morozumi, Team Yanagisawa, Team Maeda

Japan National Championship: Team Morozumi def. Team Yanagisawa

#StayTuned

The blog will return next week with the final playdown previews of the season: Alberta and Manitoba.

And we know how important those two provincial championships will be!

Until then, stay hydrated and keep the party going rock heads...