The Foothills Composite High School will be putting out the welcome mat for the high school curling provincials at the Okotoks Curling Club on March 4-6 as the South Central zone champions.

The Falcons beat Melissa Sampson from W.G. Murdoch High School from Crossfield in the mixed final 8-4 at the zone tournament in Airdrie on Feb. 12.

The final was close until Foothills pulled away late for the victory.

“We just started to play our game which is to keep our options open,” said Foothills skip Kyle Morrison.

In order to keep their options open, team members have to know each other’s strengths and communicate.

As a skip Morrison is more like a chairman of the board rather than an out-right ruler.

“We do talk about our shots and the final decision is usually a joint decision,” Morrison said.

The person Morrison is most in contact with is Falcon third Jenelle Steele who, like Morrison, has been playing the roaring game for six years.

“Usually it’s mostly Kyle and I who discuss the shot, but quite often the other two will help us with some other options,” said Steele.

The other two are second Taylor Ardiel and lead Danielle Molvik.

The Falcons won at zones with Ardiel out of the lineup during the finals because he was competing at the Southern Alberta Juvenile boys playdowns.

Justin Postelwaite, a Grade 12 student at the Comp, filled in.

“This is his first year curling and he played really well,” Steele said. “We were really impressed with him.”

Ardiel, who won a gold medal in boys curling at the Alberta Winter Games, will be back in the Falcons’ lineup for provincials.

The Falcons mixed team has known each other through junior curling programs in the Okotoks area.

When Foothills was awarded the provincial championships, the four curlers realized it was an ideal opportunity to represent their school in their own community.

The Falcons have hit the curling rinks hard in preparation for the provincials.

All four members have skipped and mentored young curlers on Tuesdays after school at the Shannon Kleibrink Junior Curling Academy at the Okotoks Curling Club.

The Falcons are also competing in the Monday Night Mixed League where they are holding their own in the “A” bracket of the league.

“It has helped us a lot and it’s given us more exposure to curling with some experienced, good curlers,” Steele said.

They also participate in the game’s greatest tradition of telling tales and sharing a few drinks after the game. Of course, the Falcons just grab a pop or juice.

They are hoping to share in a celebratory toast after the provincials.

“I think we are capable of being right up there,” Morrison said.

The high school provincials at the Okotoks Curling Club will consist of boys, girls and mixed championships.

The Falcons do not have a team in either the boys or girls championships.

bcampbell@okotoks.greatwest.ca

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