RANGELEY – The “Stoners” team are the champions of the 2022 Rangeley Curling Bonspiel, defeating the 2020 champions, “Orange Crush” in a tie-breaker match. In the double-elimination format, both teams had lost only once – to each other – resulting in the playoff. Heavy snow squalls dumped three inches of snow on the Haley Pond curling sheet on February 27, while the bonspiel was in progress, forcing suspension of play, which resumed on March 3.
In the championship match, both teams curled stones into the house, but the Stoners proved adept at knocking Orange Crush stones out of scoring range and built an insurmountable lead. Brent Quimby skipped the Stoners. Other team members are Jeff Zapolsky, Val Zaplosky, Carol Nale, and Keith Webber who had “hammer” for the team. Their names will be added to the Chris Devine Rangeley Curling Club trophy which is on display at Ecopelagicon Nature Store in Rangeley. The trophy is named for the late founder of the Club, which is now in its seventh year of play.
Runner-up team Orange Crush was skipped by Pete Christensen. Teammates are Jen Atwood, Doug Dunlap, Nick Leadley, Em Hancheck, and Costas Belomenos. Team “Snow Source”, skipped by Gregg Andrews also played in the early rounds of the bonspiel. Other team members are Allen Wicken, Costas Belomenos, and Karen Seaman.
According to one of the Orange Crush team members, “The Stoners were masterful at knocking out Orange Crush stones. Seems that every time we reached the house, you took uncanny aim and sent our stones flying.”
Rangeley Curling Club is open to anyone who would like to try the sport of curling.
There is no charge for membership. Curling stones are provided. Pick up matches are held Wednesdays at 5 p.m., and Sundays at 1:00 p.m. throughout the winter as ice conditions allow. The Bon Spiel is scheduled for the last weekend in February.
The Club thanks the Rangeley Lakes Skating Club, which maintains two ice skating areas and the curling sheet on Haley Pond, and particularly Pete Christensen, who is the primary caretaker of the curling sheet.
