The Olds College mixed curling team just couldn't make their last rock stick in extra ends and lost their bid for a bronze medal to Red Deer College 5-4 in the Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference (ACAC) 2013 championships on Feb. 24.
It was a rocky tournament, held at the Olds Curling Club, for the Broncos squad, made up of skip Chad Rottier, lead Becky Strause, second Ryan Cameron and third Alanna Jonson, who had to drop out of play after the first three games of round-robin action due to a foot injury.
Michelle Lyckman, of the college's women's team, took her spot for the last three games of the tournament.
The team dropped the first three games of the championshipsó to Augustana University College 5-4 and Lakeland College 6-4, both on Feb. 22, and Red Deer College 9-2 on the morning of Feb. 23.
They rebounded for a win in their next game on Feb. 23, beating Red Deer 9-8 but lost again that night when Augustana blanked them 8-0.
The bronze medal game for the Broncos was a nail-biter right up to the end with the teams tied going into extra ends.
There was a tense moment in the fourth frame when Strause took a nasty fall while sweeping and inadvertently knocked the team's rock out of play.
Although the Broncos recovered to keep the game close, Red Deer prevailed when Rottier sent the team's last rock just long of the house, giving Red Deer one point.
Coach Barb Dixon, who helmed the Broncos team for the first time this year, said despite the outcome, her players were happy with their performance in the playoffs and the season as a whole.
"We're pretty darn proud of ourselves.î
She added that coming into the bronze medal game, Olds College and Red Deer were evenly matched.
"It was anybody's game from the get-go,î she said.
Cameron, who is in his final year at the college, said it was tough to lose Jonson midway through the tournament, but the team was able to carry on with Lyckman's help.
"It changed the dynamics for sure. They're two different players, obviously,î he said. "Having Michelle come in was a little tough at first but she played well.î
The gold medal in the mixed team category went to the Augustana team, which includes second Alison Owens from Olds, after they beat Lakeland in the final, 4-3.
The Broncos men's and women's teams did not qualify for the championships.
The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology took gold in the men's and women's categories with wins over Augustana and MacEwan University, respectively.
MacEwan won bronze in the men's category and Red Deer took the bronze in the women's category.
After the game, Cameron was honoured with the Charles Morter Award, which is given to a curler who shows leadership and good sportsmanship.
Throughout the tournament, Cameron could always be seen offering a joke, a smile or a pat on the back to make other players feel better after a fall or a missed opportunity.
He said he inherited such qualities from his father.
"He always encouraged me to encourage other people that were struggling. I've played on some really poor sports teams growing up so that really helped humble me.î
Dixon said she nominated Cameron for the award on the evening of Feb. 23 at a coaches meeting just prior to voting for the honour.
"When I explained to them who Ryan was and what Ryan is, he won hands down.î
She shared a story of how nervous she was when she took up coaching duties with the team and how Cameron helped make her feel welcome.
"As soon as I met Ryan, and how he introduced himself as ëMy name's Ryan, Ryan Cameron for short,' I just knew that I had a good group of kids that were going to make me feel comfortable, wherein I could make them feel more comfortable and that we would have a good learning year,î Dixon said.
Cameron was busy off the ice this year, serving as president of the college's judging team and sitting on the student board of directors and participating in Bible studies.
Growing up, he went on mission trips through his church and school and during two years at Bible college, he undertook urban hikes where he lived on the street and served in soup kitchens to help the homeless.
During the post-games awards ceremony, Owens, 22, was also named the ACAC's all-conference third in mixed curling for the second year in a row.
She chalked up the honour to her consistent level of play during her four years with Augustana, during which time she has won three consecutive gold medals in the ACAC championships with the team.
"I think just bringing my intensity, bringing my experience and good sportsmanship, making sure that I'm in the game and playing well and having fun with everyone who is out there.î
Although she grew up in Olds, Owens chose to go to Augustana, where she is in fourth year taking psychology, because of the school's programs and because her mother went there.
Lexie Nyland, third on the Olds College women's team, was also named all-conference third in the women's category.
