One Step Closer!

Team Cameron rolls into semifinal game at Scotties 

Did anyone out there pick Kate Cameron to win the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts? 

While she was largely considered a dark horse at the event, here she is, along with her team from the Granite Club in Winnipeg, two wins away from completing their mission of winning the Canadian Women’s Curling Championship in Calgary. 

Team Manitoba-Cameron moved into the semifinal game of the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts with an efficient 6-4 win over Team Alberta, skipped by Selena Sturmay, in the Page 3 / 4 Page playoff game Saturday afternoon at the WinSport Event Centre. 

Team Manitoba-Cameron will play the loser of tonight’s Page 1 / 2 playoff game featuring Team Ontario-Homan and Team Manitoba-Jones. 

“We capitalized when it mattered and made the shots when we needed them,” said Cameron, 32, who has been in win-or-go-home mode since Thursday. “I think the last couple of games we knew we were in a position to move forward on the weekend. We just had to put a good game forward.” 

Team Manitoba-Cameron was gifted with an early 4-1 lead when Sturmay, feeling the nerves of playing in front of a pro-Alberta crowd, suffered a few self-inflicted wounds. She failed to roll out on a blank attempt in the first end, then fanned on a thin double in the third, allowing the Manitobans to draw for three. 

The problems mounted in the fourth end when Sturmay, playing a soft hit for three in the four-foot, came in a hair wide, rubbed the enemy stone and rolled away, leaving Team Cameron a steal of one. 

The Alberta skip also squandered a point in the seventh when a hit for two rolled too far, and then again in the ninth when a hit for two jammed and she was left with one. 

The shooting percentages told the story. Cameron clicked in at 91 per cent; Sturmay at 68 per cent. 

“Honestly, it sucks that I didn’t have a good game,” said Sturmay. “I feel like it was probably my worst game all week. But that’s curling, that’s the game . . . just unfortunate it came out in this game. 

“Got to give props to Kate Cameron’s team. They played really well and were the better team today. The girls curled amazing all week so definitely disappointing to do this in the 3-4 game. But we are a first-year team and looking stick together moving forward and just grown.” 

Sturmay admitted nerves and pressure played a part. 

“Yeah, I think a little bit of both,” she said. “We came in wanting to play with no fear but if I said we didn’t have nerves I would be lying.” 

Team Manitoba-Cameron certainly didn’t come to the Scotties lacking confidence. The team finished its round-robin in its pool with a 5-3 record, needing a crucial 7-4 win over Team British-Columbia-Grandy to earn a berth into the playoffs. 

But an impressive 9-4 win to knock defending champions Team Canada out of the championship Friday was an eye-opener, and a portent of things to come. 

Cameron came home to Manitoba to skip for the first time in a decade after being a gun-for-hire, throwing third stones for either Manitoba’s Michelle Englot (where she won a Scotties silver medal in 2017) or Alberta’s Laura Walker or Casey Scheidegger. 

Cameron, who qualified for the Scotties based on national ranking points, had to scramble to fill a hole in the team’s lineup as second Taylor McDonald, in late-term pregnancy, would be occupying a spot on the bench. The team picked up Kelsey Rocque to help, and with third Meghan Walter and lead Mackenzie Elias, went to war. 

Rocque is enjoying the opportunity. 

“Honestly it’s been pretty seamless thus far.,” she said. “I knew I had to step in a play really well. The girls have been very supportive.” 

Cameron is soaking up the success. 

“We put this team together knowing this was a building year,” said Cameron. “So I’m happy we’re moving forward right now but I don’t think we ever expected to do that this year. We’re looking big picture and to peak next year and the year after into the Trials. It’s great to play well right now but for us this is a great learning experience and something we can take moving forward. 

“The thing we have going for us is we’re such good friends off the ice, and we respect each other a ton,” added Cameron, who is playing in her seventh Scotties. “We know we all have what it takes and we’re doing whatever we can to support each other to bring out the best in each other.” 

Live scoring, standings and statistics for the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts are available at www.curling.ca/scoreboard/. 

TSN and RDS2 will provide complete coverage of the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts. CLICK HERE for the complete schedule. 

Broadcast coverage for viewers outside of Canada is available on TSN’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@TSN_Sports. 

For ticket information for the 2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, go to www.curling.ca/2024scotties/tickets/.