Johnston, Hackner, Jacobs remain undefeated in Kenora

Brad Jacobs, Al Hackner and Dylan Johnston are starting to separate themselves from the pack at the Northern Ontario men’s curling championship in Kenora.

All three skips won both of their games on Thursday and will enter Day 3 of the event with identical 4-0 records, three wins ahead of a quartet of curlers sitting at 1-3.

Jacobs, seeking his fifth provincial championship in six years, edged former champion Mike Jakubo 4-3 in the morning draw, then crushed Thunder Bay’s Bryan Burgess 9-4 in the night cap.

Johnston knocked off winless Chris Glibota 8-3 in his first match of the day, then downed defending champion Jeff Currie of Thunder Bay 7-5 in the evening draw.

Hackner, a nine-time Northern Ontario champion, scored one in the 11th to nip Burgess 7-6 and followed up with a 6-3 triumph over Jakubo.

Thunder Bay’s Ben Mikkelsen pounded Glibota 7-1 in the day’s second draw to pick up his first win of the championship.

Jakubo, Burgess, Currie and MIkkelsen are all tied at 1-3. Glibota is 0-4.

Hackner and Johnston will tangle on Friday morning. Hackner will take on Jacobs later that night, while Johnston second match of the day will see him match-up with Mikkelsen.