Description
Dartmouth Curling Club hosted the 2002 Masters Provincial Curling Championship from February 3 to 7 with 36 teams vying for the Men’s Title. Middleton Skip Dallas King won the title the previous year and now under Skip Graham Thompson Middleton was out to repeat.
Over the first two days of play the team reeled off four straight wins, winning three by a large margin of 12 – 4, 9 – 1 and 7 – 3 before losing to Liverpool, but then bouncing back to win to qualify for the final day. On the final day they squeaked by fellow Middleton CC Rink skipped by Dave Romkey 8 – 7. This pitted Middleton against the Bligh Woodworth Rink out of Liverpool who had defeated them the day previous for the Final. Skip Thompson and his Rink of Mate John Byrne, Second Jim Carter and Lead Ernie Killen we not to be denied and out for revenge downed Liverpool 8 – 5 for the Championship.
The foursome then went on to the Maritime Masters on February 17 to 20 in Charlottetown, P.E.I. and the Canadian Championships in Medicine Hat, Alberta, March 25 to 29. In Medicine Hat Middleton, representing Nova Scotia went 1 and 1 on Day 1, losing to Saskatchewan 7 – 3 and winning over Yukon 11 – 8. Again on Day 2 they were 1 – 1, losing 7 – 5 to eventual Champion Manitoba and defeating Quebec 8 – 7. The following two days saw losses to Alberta and Ontario. Finishing with 2 wins and 4 losses they represented Middleton and Nova Scotia in fine fashion.
The Sports Heritage Wall of Fame is honored to induct the Middleton Rink of Graham Thompson, John Byrne, Jim Carter and Ernie Killen, the Nova Scotia Men’s Master Curling Champions 2002.
