Bonot, Jacobs, Hackner undefeated after Day 1 in Nipigon

Four-time defending champion Brad Jacobs is off to another great start at the Northern Ontario men’s provincial curling championship in Nipigon.

The Sault Ste. Marie skip and teammates Ryan Harnden, E.J. Harnden and Ryan Fry edged Sudbury’s Robbie Gordon foursome 5-4 on Wednesday night, capping a two-win opening at the five-day event for the right to represent the region at the Brier.

Earlier in the day Jacobs took out North Bay’s Jordan Chandler rink, beating them 7-3.

Jacobs is not alone at the top.

Thunder Bay’s Trevor Bonot also went 2-0 on the day, whipping New Liskeard’s Matt Dumontelle 11-5 in the morning draw and dropping fellow Thunder Bay skip Jeff Currie 6-4 in the nightcap.

Currie, who has drafted Mike McCarville from Joe Scharf’s squad, beat Mike Jakubo 5-2 earlier in the day.

While Jacobs may be the favourite on paper, Nipigon-born Al Hackner, a two-time world champion, is the sentimental favourite at the Nipigon Arena.

And the Iceman didn’t disappoint on opening day.

Hackner, Kory Carr, Kris Leupen and Gary Champagne put up two points in three different ends and sent Dumontelle to his second of the day in Draw 2, winning 7-2.

Bryan Burgess, the other Thunder Bay skip in the hunt, split his two matches on Wednesday, falling 6-3 to Gordon in the opening draw, then scored three in the 10th to pull out a 7-6 win over Jakubo in his evening match.

Draw 3 sees Hackner tangling with winless Jakubo, Gordon taking on Dumontelle, Currie playing Chandler and Jacobs trying to remain undefeated against Burgess. Bonot has a bye.