LAC LA BICHE - The Portage College mixed curling team is off to Vermilion over the March 3 weekend, taking part in the Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference Curling Championships
The six-member mixed team, three men and three women — including an alternate for each — have been practicing over the last several weeks, joining regional events and competing in ACAC qualifying events.
At the end of last November, the Voyageurs' mixed team finished the ACAC Fall Regionals hosted by the SAIT Trojans at the Airdrie Curling Club with a 2-2 record. The team beat Lakeland College twice and lost to NAIT and Red Deer Polytechnic. The Portage rink had a tougher time at the end of January in the Winter Regionals, hosted by Concordia at the Avonair Curling Club in Edmonton The Voyageurs came home with a 1-4 record after beating Red Deer in one out of their two games, and losing the remaining two games to Lakeland and NAIT. After the two regional events, the Voyageurs earned a 3-6 record in their ACAC season. Red Deer topped the four-rink division with a record of six wins and three losses. NAIT finished in second place with a 5-4 record and Lakeland goes to the championships in third place with a 4-5 record.
With only four teams in the ACAC mixed curling division, all rinks are invited to the season-ending championships.
Portage's Manager of Athletics and Recreation Jim Knight says the team has shown a lot of improvement and effort — and also share some existing team experience at the college.
"They're a good team together and five of the six are on our men's and women's soccer teams already — all three of the guys and two of the women," he said.
Hosted by the Lakeland College Rustlers, the curling championship weekend will see men's teams, women's teams and mixed rinks competing for the titles.
The Portage College mixed team is made up of Ashley Hennenfent, Miriam Kabonesa, Samantha Lychak, Tata Mugusha, Shafick Forufu and Dante Cashato.
