Tracy Horgan is one step closer to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.
The Sudbury skip edged Thunder Bay’s Kendra Lilly 4-3 on Saturday night, scoring one in the 10th end to seal the win and in the process capture the first ever Northern Ontario provincial women’s curling championship at Fort William Curling Club.
Horgan earned a berth next month in a Scotties pre-qualifier in Moose Jaw, Sask., joining the Northwest Territories and Yukon to battle for a single spot in the main event.
Horgan knows she’s still got work to do to make a return trip to the Scotties, three years removed from her last appearance as the 2012 Ontario champion.
But she thinks she's up for the task.
“I think it’s exciting for curling in Northern Ontario that there’s a chance now for Northern Ontario to be at the Scotties. We’re definitely looking forward to wearing the green and gold,” said Horgan, who will be joined in Saskatchewan by teammates Amanda Gates, Jenna Enge, Jennifer Horgan and Courtney Chenier.
The final played out like most of her other games leading up to the championship – a tight battle that went down to the final shot.
Horgan won them all, posting a perfect 5-0 record when all was said and done.
“It’s the story of our week. All of our games have been super close. It was a really great field here this week and we were glad we were able to pull it off in the end here,” the 28-year-old said.
For Lilly, it was her second loss in two days to Horgan, the second by a single point.
It was a disappointing finish, but nothing to get too upset about, she said.
“It was really close for the first few ends. In the ninth we had a chance for two and my rock picked. That was pretty much the game there. Being forced to one there was not an option. It picked when my sweepers were on it, so that’s a little unfortunate,” Lilly said.
“I think that was definitely the turning point there.”
Horgan responded first, scoring two in the opening end with the hammer, but Lilly battled back and put up two of her own in the second.
The two sides blanked the ensuing three ends before Horgan struck again with a single in six.
Despite the loss, Team Lilly – which includes lead Tirzah Keffer, second Oye-Sem Won Briand and third Sarah Pots – say they learned from the experience and will be back with a vengeance next season.
For now they’ll be satisfied watching Horgan and her squad show their Northern Ontario pride at the pre-qualifier.
“It’s tough right now, but we’re all friends,” Lilly said. “I’m obviously going to be cheering for them all the way. They have to go through relegation, so they have a little tougher of a route, but I’m sure they can pull it out and I’m sure they’ll have a very good showing at the Scotties.”
Horgan will take on Kerry Galusha of the Northwest Territories and Yukon’s Sarah Koltun in the pre-qualifier.
