The Schenectady rink of Andrea Warr (skip), Amy Howansky (vice), Linda Austin (second), and Paula Lancaster (lead) participated in the annual regional playdowns for Club Nationals which were held at the Albany Curling Club from January 14th to 17th. Ardsley, Cape Cod, Philadelphia, and Nutmeg (Connecticut) Curling Clubs also sent teams to compete for a regional title, and for the chance to be one of the final ten teams at Club Nationals.

The Warr rink was seeded last, and met the top-seeded Cape Cod team for the first draw. The two teams had met each other on the ice last year at the same event, which was won by Cape Cod. Since Cape Cod had gone on to place second overall at Club Nationals, Team Warr knew they were up for a tough match. Warr fought hard to take 4 ends, but Cape Cod won 9 – 4.

Warr then met Ardsley, another team who had retained some members from the same event last year. Warr made a good effort, but Ardsley took the game. The next match was against some strong young women from Philadelphia. Warr controlled the first four ends, Philly controlled the next four, and then it was an all-out battle for the last two ends. Philly won, placing them into a three-way tie for first place with Ardsley and Cape Cod.

Meanwhile, Warr was determined to win the last game against Nutmeg. Patient strategy, great sweeping, and some hard-earned knowledge of the ice helped Warr put pressure on the other team. In the 10th end, Nutmeg needed one to tie, or two to win, and they were sitting two on the button. Warr called for a tight pass around a front guard to get a very controlled hit-and-roll off of the second-count stone. Warr maintained her calm during the precise delivery, Howansky shouted the line call at the top of her lungs, and Austin and Lancaster swept like maniacs to pass the rock within a hair’s width of the top guard. A perfect hit-and-roll to take one gave Warr the win.

Later in the weekend, the three-way tie for first was broken by two tie-breakers for a final result of: Ardsley third, Philly second, and Cape Cod first. Both Philly and Cape Cod move on to the United States Club Nationals, which take place February 20 – 27 in Madison, Wisconsin.

Team Warr thanks Fred Mackintosh and the other officials for running a competitive, yet fair event. Thanks also to fellow teammates Maureen Fodera and Nancy Wurth for their constant support. No one had to be on the ice before 8:30 am, Albany provided good snacks in their lovely, newly-renovated warm room, and the ice was keen, so all was well.