Standings: The MEN: Todd Birr (Mankato, Minn.) 1-0 (Madison, Wis.) 1-0 (Lynnwood, Wash.) 1-0 Alex Leichter (Boston, Mass.) 1-0 (Superior, Wis.) 1-0 Daily Pebble Hunter Clawson (Clarksville, Md.) 0-1 The official publication of the 2017 USA Championships Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017 Stephen Dropkin (Minneapolis, Minn.) 0-1 (Bemidji, Minn.) 0-1 Heath McCormick (Sarnia, Ontario) 0-1 Darryl Sobering (Broomfield, Colo.) 0-1

WOMEN: (Duluth, Minn.) 0-0 Cristin Clark (Lynnwood, Wash.) 0-0 Cora Farrell (Fairbanks, Alaska) 0-0 Cassie Potter (St. Paul, Minn.) 0-0 Past national champs in this year’s competing field: Becoming Team USA: (McFarland, Wis.) 0-0 Women: Beginning this year, any team ranked in the Top (Richfield, Minn.) 0-0 • Alex Carlson (2015) 25 of the year-to-date World Curling Tour Order of (St. Paul, Minn.) 0-0 • Sophie Bader (2014) Merit (OOM) on Jan. 23, 2017, is eligible to repre- Becca Wood (Parker, Colo.) 0-0 • Nina Roth (2014, 2010) sent the U.S. in the men’s or women’s 2017 World • Becca Hamilton (2014) Curling Championships by winning the U.S. men’s Draw 1 scores (men): • Jessica Schultz (2013, 2011, 2005) or women’s 2017 National Championships, regard- • Tabitha Peterson (2012) less of whether or not that team has the highest Birr 10, McCormick 2 • Cassie Potter (2005) OOM points total among the top three finishers in Clark 9, Sobering 2 Men: the Nationals. Two teams have reached that ranking Brown 8, Dropkin 6 • Pete Fenson (2014, 2011, 2010, 2006, 2005, – the Heath McCormick and Nina Roth rinks. The Leichter 7, Fenson 3 2003, 1994, 1993) 2017 Nationals will award teams OOM points as Shuster 9, Clawson 3 • John Shuster (2015, 2009, 2006, 2005, 2003) follows: First – 110 points; second – 85 points; and • (2014, 2011, 2010, 2006, 2005) third – 65 points. • Brady Clark (2016, 2013) To view the most current OOM points: Upcoming games: • Philip Tilker (2016, 2013) Current U.S. team rankings and point totals com- Sunday: • (2015, 2010) ing into Nationals: Noon: Men’s Draw 2 • Craig Brown (2008, 2000) 1. Team Nina Roth -- 142.3943 Fenson v. Shuster • Colin Hufman (2016) 2. Team Jamie Sinclair 103.6185 McCormick v. Leichter • (2016) 3. Team Cory Christensen -- 89.6739 • (2015) 4. Team Jessica Schultz -- 45.0921 Clawson v. Sobering • (2015) 5. Team Madison Bear -- 29.0001 Clark v. Brown • Trevor Host (2015) 6. Team Cassie Potter -- 24.7606 Dropkin v. Birr • Sean Beighton (2013) 7. Team Cristin Clark -- 9.3501 4 p.m. Women’s Draw 1 • (2012) 8. Team Becca Wood – 0.0 Wood v. Sinclair • Heath McCormick (2012) Men: Potter v. Schultz The 2017 USA Curling National Championships kicked off Saturday night at XFINITY Arena of Everett. Brady Clark’s team is the defending champion rink and had many fans in • (2009) 1. Team Heath McCormick -- 159.6537 the stands, including some donning “ big head” replicas of Clark and teammate Greg Persinger. • John Benton (2009) 2. Team Craig Brown -- 110.1296 Clark v. Bear/Farrell Photo by Rich Harmer, Daily Pebble Chief Photographer • Rich Ruohonen (2008) 3. Team John Shuster -- 102.163 Roth v. Christensen • Todd Birr (2007) 4. Team Brady Clark -- 86.1816 8 p.m. Men’s Draw 3 Olympians in the field: 5. Team Todd Birr -- 68.8327 Clark v. Clawson • John Shuster (2014, 2010, 2006-bronze) 6. Team Pete Fenson -- 38.434 Birr v. Fenson • Jessica Schultz (2014, 2006) 7. Team Stephen Dropkin -- 38.3062 • Jared Zezel (2014) 8. Team Hunter Clawson -- 22.9996 Shuster v. Leichter Off & Sweeping in Everett • John Landsteiner (2014) 9. Team Alex Leichter -- 16.2928 Sobering v. Dropkin By Terry L. Davis, Daily Pebble Editor ing four points in the second end against Darryl and Heater struggled. He didn’t have his draw • Craig Brown (2014) 10. Team Darryl Sobering -- 6.466 Brown v. McCormick he first round of action of the 2017 USA Sobering’s team from Colorado. The two-time weight, which is the last thing you’d expect from Curling National Championships is in the national champion Clark sealed the win in the him,” said Birr, 48. “It’s a slippery game, and that A live webstream, in partnership with the books at XFINITY Arena of Everett. eighth end with a second four-ender for the 9-2 happens. I feel for him as I’ve been there myself.” U.S. Olympic Committee and the 12th End TThe first draw of the men’s round robin got triumph. Birr won the national championship 10 years Sports Network, is available throughout the underway tonight at the 10,000-seat arena with Todd Birr’s team earned a 10-2 win over Heath ago in Utica, N.Y., and led Team USA to a bronze championship at www.usacurl.org all 10 teams taking the ice to kick off the week- McCormick in the battle of past event champions. medal at the 2007 Men’s World Championship, long championship. Prevailing with opening McCormick’s team gave up a steal of four in which is also the location of this year’s men’s round victories were teams skipped by Todd Birr the second end when the team’s final draw came world event. Social media for the event: @usacurl & (Blaine, Minn.), John Shuster (Superior, Wis.), up short. After being forced to draw for a single “I look at it the other way ‘Has it been 10 @curlingseattle on Twitter Alex Leichter (Boston), Craig Brown (Madison, point in the third end, McCormick allowed Birr’s years?,’ Birr said about winning his first and only @2017curlingnationals on Instagram. Wis.), and the defending champion Brady Clark team to pile stones in the rings that resulted in national championship in 2007. “The Olympic Hashtag: #curlingnationals (Lynnwood, Wash.). a three-point end for Birr’s Minnesota rink. Not Trials is the carrot that’s out there. We need some Clark and teammates Greg Persinger (Fairbanks, able to generate offense, McCormick’s side offered help, but it’s the last grasp to try to have a shot at Alaska), Colin Hufman (Minneapolis, Minn.), and the handshake after six ends to conclude the game. Phil Tilker (Seattle) got off to a solid start by scor- “We played all right. They struggled, obviously, Continued on Page 3 4))usacurl.org Fargo to host 2018 National The Field: Men Team Birr: Todd Birr (Blaine, Minn.), Rich Ruohonen (Brooklyn Park, Minn.), John Benton (St. Michael, Minn), Championships Tom O’Connor (Brooklyn Center, Minn.) Team Brown: Craig Brown (Madison, Wis.), Kroy ing in Scheels Arena to the families, fans, officials and Nernberger (Madison, Wis.), Sean Beighton (Seattle), By Terry Davis, Editor staff who get to be part of this first-class championship Quinn Evenson (Fairbanks, Alaska) SA Curling’s National Championships experience and all that the area has to offer,” said Rick Team Clark: Brady Clark (Lynnwood, Wash.), Greg will make a return to the Fargo- Patzke, USA Curling’s chief executive officer. “The Moorhead area in 2018 as Scheels great people at the Fargo-Moorhead Convention and Persinger (Fairbanks, Alaska), Colin Hufman (Seattle), ArenaU hosts the premier national event. Visitors Bureau, Athletic Commission and curling club Philip Tilker (Seattle) On the heels of the 2018 Olympic Winter have outdone themselves with each subsequent event Team Clawson: Hunter Clawson (Clarksville, Md.), Cody Games, the 2018 National Championships will we have had there, and no doubt the same thing will Clouser (Brewyn, Pa.), Caleb Clawson (Clarksville, Md.), take place March 3-10, 2018, in Fargo, N.D. happen again. With the 2018 Olympics serving as a Andrew Dunnam (Dresher, Pa.) “Scheels Arena is very excited to have the springboard to concentrate curling fever back in the Team Dropkin: Stephen Dropkin (Minneapolis, Minn.), Curling Nationals return to Fargo in 2018,” land that prides itself on being ‘North of Normal,’ this said Jon Kram, president and general man- will be a can’t-miss event.” Ethan Meyers (St. Paul, Minn.), Trevor Host (St. Paul, ager of Scheels Arena. “It will have been seven Scheels Arena is a 5,000-seat hockey arena located Minn.), Brandon Myhre (Minneapolis, Minn.) years since Scheels Arena last hosted this in southwest Fargo and is home to the USHL hockey Team Fenson: Pete Fenson (Bemidji, Minn.), Jared Zezel event. Having experience hosting the 2011 USA team the Fargo Force, Fargo high school hockey and (Hibbing, Minn.), (Bemidji, Minn.), Alex Curling Nationals and the 2014 Olympic Curling many other special events. USA Curling and Scheels Fenson (Bemidji, Minn.) Trials, the arena looks to make this event even Arena will partner with the Fargo-Moorhead Curling Team Leichter: Alex Leichter (Boston), Martin Sather better. Scheels Arena welcomes the curling com- Club and Fargo-Moorhead Convention and Visitors munity and all the athletes that will be compet- Bureau in hosting the event. (Yonkers, N.Y.), Nate Clark (Nashua, N.H.), Ryan Hallisey ing in this event.” “The Fargo Moorhead Curling Club and our mem- (Medfield, Mass.) Fargo, which hosted the 2011 National bers are very excited to be working with Scheels Arena Team McCormick: Heath McCormick (Sarnia, Ontario), Championships and 2014 U.S. Olympic Team and the City of Fargo to bring the Men’s and Women’s Chris Plys (Duluth, Minn.), Korey Dropkin (Duluth, Minn.), Trials for Curling, was selected over Kalamazoo, Nationals event back to Fargo in 2018,” said Steve Tom Howell (Milwaukee, Wis.), Coach Phill Drobnick Mich. (which hosted the Nationals in 2010 and Scheels, president of the Fargo-Moorhead Curling 2015); Omaha, Neb. (which will host the upcom- Club. “With this event happening shortly after the 2018 (Eveleth, Minn.) ing U.S. Olympic Team Trials); Provo, Utah; Olympics, this will be a great opportunity for not only Team Shuster: John Shuster (Superior, Wis.), Tyler Seattle curlers Ben Richardson, Ken Trask and Luc Violette prepare to deliver the ceremonial first rock to the 2017 National Championships. Richardson and Violette depart Sunday to compete at the 2017 World Junior Champions while Trask won the senior men’s world championship title in 2015. Holding the broom at the opposite end was na- Ogden, Utah; and Downers Grove, Ill. our curling club members, but for people from around George (Duluth, Minn.), Matt Hamilton (McFarland, Wis.), tional champion Nancy Richard, a USCA Hall of Fame member. “Bringing the USA Curling Nationals back to our region and across the country to come to Fargo John Landsteiner (Duluth, Minn.), Joe Polo (Duluth, Minn.) Photo by Rich Harmer, Daily Pebble Chief Photographer the Fargo-Moorhead area is a treat for everyone and experience the great game of curling being played Team Sobering: Darryl Sobering (Broomfield, Colo.), involved, from the competitors who love play- at the top level in our country.” Aaron Johnston (Greenwood Village, Colo.), Josh The weeklong national event features the top men’s and women’s teams in the country and helps determine Chetwynd (Denver), Evan Jaffe (Sedalia, Colo.) Team USA for the subsequent World Championships. The Daily Pebble The 2018 World Men’s Championship will take place in Las Vegas, Nev., while the 2018 World Women’s The Field: Women First draw in the books Editor: Terry L. Davis Championship will be staged in North Bay, Ontario. n Team Christensen: Cory Christensen (Duluth, Assistant Editor: Amelia Young Minn.), (Minneapolis, Minn.), Taylor FROM PAGE 1: Nationals kick off out with a win is good.” Leichter’s team is rounded Photography: Rich Harmer Anderson (Minneapolis, Minn.), Jenna Haag (Milton, out by 2012 national champion Martin Sather Everett Weather Wis.), Coach (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) making the Trials if we get out of the Nationals (Yonkers, N.Y.) and Ryan Hallisey (Medfield, Team Clark: Cristin Clark (Lynnwood, Wash.), Emily here and get in the top half at Worlds. That’s what Mass.). Story ideas? Email the editor, we’re working toward.” Brown’s team earned the final win of the night Anderson (Broomall, Pa.), Katie Dubberstein (Portage, [email protected] Shuster and his team of Tyler George (Duluth, with a last-rock takeout through a narrow port to Wis.), Sherri Schummer (St. Paul Minn.) Minn.), Matt Hamilton (McFarland, Wis.), and earn an 8-6 victory over Stephen Dropkin’s team. Sunday 48 32 Team Potter: Cassie Potter (St. Paul, Minn.), Jackie John Landsteiner (Duluth, Minn.) escaped the The men’s round robin continues at 12 p.m. PT Printing courtesy of Pacific Copy Lemke (Medford, Wis.), Sophie Bader (St. Louis Park, opening end with a hit and roll that ended up Sunday. The eight women’s teams will take part in & Printing Company Minn.), Stephanie Bohan (White Bear Lake, Minn.) holding Hunter Clawson’s team to a single point. a practice session in the morning, followed by their n Monday 52 37 Team Roth: Nina Roth (McFarland, Wis.), Tabitha Shuster capitalized in the fourth end with a draw first round of competition at 4 p.m. Sunday. for three points and expanded the lead in the Peterson (Eagan, Minn.), Aileen Geving (Duluth, following end when Clawson’s team couldn’t Minn.), Becca Hamilton (McFarland, Wis.), Coach Ann convert the hammer shot, resulting in a steal of Swisshelm (Grosse Pointe, Mich.) three points for a big swing in Shuster’s favor. The Tuesday 56 43 Team Schultz: Jessica Schultz (Richfield, Minn.), five-time national champion Shuster would go on (Minnetonka, Minn.), Stephanie to lead his team to a 9-3 victory over the young Clawson rink. Senneker (Perry, Mich.), Jordan Moulton (St. Louis Leichter’s team capitalized on opportunities to Park, Minn.), Coach Doug Pottinger (Eden Prairie, steal points in a 7-3 victory over Olympian Pete Wednesday 49 40 Minn.) Fenson (Bemidji, Minn.). Team Sinclair: Jamie Sinclair (St. Paul, Minn.), Alex “It was definitely a good start for us. We put Carlson (St. Paul, Minn.), Vicky Persinger (Fairbanks, a lot of stones in play and forced Pete to make Alaska), (St. Paul, Minn.), Coach Scott some big shots and were able to get some key steals there,” said Leichter, who along with team- Baird (Bemidji, Minn.) Thursday 49 40 mates Nate Clark (Nashua, N.H.) and Chris Bond Team Wood: Becca Wood (Parker, Colo.), Donna (Seattle) just returned to the U.S. 48 hours ago www.usacurl.org Umali Mendoza (Burbank, Calif.), Auria Moore after representing the U.S. at the 2017 Winter (Sacramento, Calif.), Porsche Renae Stephenson World University Games. “We weren’t sure if we (Sacramento, Calif.), Jen Nguyen (Sacramento, Calif.) would come out flat after all the travels so coming 2))usacurl.org USA Curling (( 3