Team Silvernagle punches ticket to Scottie’s in Kamloops
The third time was the allure for Team Silvernagle at the 2023 Viterra Scotties Provincial Championships.
Prior to the championship finals, Team Silvernagle had lost just two games throughout the tournament, both to Team Martin 9-2 and 9-8. Team Silvernagle would defeat Team Martin 8-4 to earn a ticket to the 2023 Scottie’s Tournament of Hearts in Kamloops, BC later this month.
Silvernagle team leader and Prince Albert resident Kara Thevenot says the team gained some much-needed confidence throughout the tournament, which allowed them to put some shots in their final matchup.
“In the first game, the ice actually changed a lot. And we came out that night and we really fought. We just had a really bad game in the second game and there was a lot of attacking and we pushed sometimes and had some good placements but Nancy made a lot of great shots. We had a chance to win and we just missed it. So we knew we were close and we played really well on Sunday morning. We simply took this self-confidence with us and continued to grow as a team. And we knew we had a lot of experience on our team and we were in those finals and we just decided to go after them in the first end with a center guard and it paid off and we played really well as a team . We put pressure on them and we made the mistakes and those mistakes showed up on the scoreboard.”
After losing their second game of the tournament on Saturday night, Team Silvernagle needed a quick turnaround as the 10pm game against Sherry Anderson’s team was a must.
When Team Anderson and Team Silvernagle met in the semifinals, a certain friendly rivalry emerged.
There was a certain family dynamic to the game as Robyn Silvernagle, skip for Team Silvernagle, took on her mother Anita, the lead for Team Anderson.
Thevenot says it was special to be part of the game but it didn’t affect the team’s concentration.
“It’s really, really fun. And sometimes it’s relaxing to play against people who are very close to you. I played with Robyn for six seasons so I got to know her family very well. So it wasn’t a big deal to play them. When you’re on the ice just think about making the most of your shots and don’t worry about what the other team was doing. So, it’s not really a big deal, but there’s definitely some emotional attachment, but you just have to play your game.”
The format of the 2023 Viterra Scottie’s Provincial Championship was a triple knockout format. Having already lost two games prior to his game against Team Anderson, Thevenot says Team Silvernagle wanted to take their last chance.
“It’s always nice to be in that position, to have a second life. And so you just have to let go that you just lost and move on and realize that you still have a chance to win back. We knew they were going to play well against us and honestly we just came out with guns blazing and we played really well so it didn’t really matter who we were playing against and you just had to regroup and worry make about what lies ahead of you.”
It is the third time Thevenot has accompanied Silvernagle to a Scottie’s. Team Silvernagle’s last appearance at a Scottie’s was in 2019 when the team finished with a bronze medal. Thevenot says there will be a lot of preparation on and off the ice for Team Silvernagle ahead of their trip to Kamloops.
“There will definitely be some rest and relaxation after the long week and some organization with family and stuff like that and our jobs that we have to do otherwise, we will definitely practice individually and be able to meet up too. Yes. So basically a little over two weeks and that time will go by very quickly.”
Team Silvernagle will represent Team Saskatchewan at the 2023 Scottie’s Tournament of Hearts at the Sandman Center in Kamloops, BC. They open the tournament on Friday February 17 against Team Nova Scotia. The draw begins at 8:00 p.m. Saskatchewan time.
