ST CATHARINES, Ont. - Crossovers hosted by Brock University held at the St. Catherines Golf & Country Club featured very strong play by all of the participating Universities. With the Hawks entering the event with a 1-3 record following Sectional play, their backs were up against the wall.

Laurier opened up against Trent Excalibur in the Friday night draw. With a very controlled game, the Hawks stole several ends and took multiple deuces while only allowing the Excalibur singles. Final score was 7-4 for the Hawks giving them a 3-2 record.

The purple and golds next game was against the U of T Varsity Blues. The Blues, a team that has improved dramatically under the leadership of head coach Scott Jenkins, shot lights out posting a final score of 7-4 against the Hawks. The record for the Hawks now stood at 4-2.

With the Hawks knowing the any further loss would eliminate them from contention, they met the newest member of the OUA, the Laurentian  Voyageurs. With strong shot making by front end Freshmen Mathew Lowe and Shane Konings, the Hawks kept the pressure on Laurentian , resulting in a win. Final score Hawks winning 7-3, bringing their record to 4-3.

The final crossover game against long time rival, the Queen's Gold Gaels, was to decide the possibility of qualifying for a tie breaker game. With several universities having similar records going into the final draw, a 4-4 record kept the quest alive.

The Hawks and Gaels played a highly aggressive and skilled game  with the score board reflecting blanks and singles. The Hawks were down one going into the eighth end with hammer but were unable to get their deuce. Tied after eight,  the extra end was needed to decide the outcome. With a flawless played end lead by the "Rock" , third Paul Arkilander, the Hawks stole one, winning the game 4- 3 . This brought their record to 4-4 following the completion of round robin play.

With 5 teams tied with identical records tie breakers followed with the Hawks positioned to play the Windsor Lancers. The Hawks knowing that a win would give them a berth into the Provincials came out strong against the Lancers. Lead by skip Matt Mapletoft who stepped into the skip position this year lead the team to victory. Matt continues to excel in the sport and will be our lead in China with Team Canada.  Final score 6-4 over the Lancers.

With the 'Rock" providing a constant shooting percentage in the 80% range, Paul Arkilander earns the vote for athlete of the week. Paul, who will be playing second in China, will be our catalyst to propel the Hawks to world champions.

Joining the team throughout the play downs were our past graduates and team managers Bill Francis and Mike Anderson. Bill our vice and Mike our skip will be joining Paul and Matt on the ice in China. The leadership that these two individuals provide was absolutely essential in the success of the Hawks this past weekend. Alternates Justin Sim-Little and David Kaun were ready at a moments notice to step in if needed. This team bonding and team chemistry continues to be a Hawk tradition propelling them to success.

As the Hawks prepare for the Provincials hosted by Trent at the Peterbourgh Curling Club this coming weekend, February 6th to 8th , the journey for gold continues. As returning Ontario Champions, the Hawks continue to practice and work together to realize their quest for double gold.

Written By Ken McCormack