Jones undefeated at junior playdowns

Thunder Bay’s Karlee Jones tops the standings at the Northern Ontario provincial junior women's playdowns in North Bay, winning both her games on opening day on Friday.

The Port Arthur Curling Club squad, which includes lead Sheree Hinz, second Victoria Anderson and third Grace Esquega, beat PACC’s Kim Zsakai 9-4 in the afternoon draw, scoring three in the first end and stealing one in the fourth to set the stage early in the match, which ended when Jones scored a pair in the ninth to stretch her lead to five.

Jones, the daughter of local golfing legend Trevor Jones, went on to beat Idylwylde’s Kendra Lilly 5-3 in the second draw. She and Nipigon’s Blair Ball are the only undefeated rinks remaining.

Zsakai rebounded in the evening, walloping Sault Ste. Marie’s Samantha Servant 13-1 to finish the day 1-1.

Thunder Bay’s Cody Johnston, who curls out of the Fort William Curling Club, earned a split on Day 1 on the men's side on Friday.

Johnston, whose team includes lead Mike Makela, second Mark Adams and third Mike Badiuk, beat Thunder Bay’s Brennan Wark 8-5 in the provincial opener at the North bay Granite Curling Club, scoring two in the night and stealing one in the tenth to seal the victory.

But he was no match for Capreol’s Dustin Montpellier in the evening draw, giving up steals of one in the fourth and two in the fifth en route to a 7-3 defeat.

Wark had even less luck against Sault Ste. Marie’s Brendan Hodgson in his second match, falling 8-1 in a game that was never in question after the fifth end.

Hodgson and North Bay’s Randy Ray sit atop the six-team standings at 2-0.

Play continues on Saturday.