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INUVIK
Both Inuvik boys and girls curling teams were busy competing at their respective territorial championships this past weekend – with the boys garnering second place, earning them a spot at the Under-18 Optimist International Curling Championships in Toronto, Ont., in April.

Skip Chris Nerysoo throws a rock during the skills competition of the territorial Junior Boy's Curling Championships in Inuvik on Friday. Teammates Connor Sullivan, left and Deklen Crocker stand ready to sweep. The team lost but will go to the under-18 nationals. - Samantha Stokell/NNSL photo

Yellowknife hosted the junior girls teams – including Yellowknife, Hay River and Inuvik – while Inuvik welcomed Yellowknife's junior boys. Yellowknife's two teams won first in their respective competitions over the weekend, meaning they will head to the Canadian Championships in Napanee, Ont., in early February.

Skip for the Inuvik junior boys' curling team Chris Nerysoo, 13, said the team played well, winning the third of four games against Yellowknife.

"The team sometimes made great shots," he said.

The games, running from Friday to about 11 p.m. Saturday night, took their tolls on the players – as both teams put their all into hours of play.

"I was tired after four games. After the first game, I was like 'This is long. (Saturday), I have three games.' I didn't think I was going to last this long," said Nerysoo.

Coach for the junior boys, Shona Barbour, said Inuvik's team is young and competing against other junior teams and acquiring a bit more experience allows for a great learning experience.

She said winning the third game with a score of 9-8 was a big highlight for the team.

"I think teams from this region like to beat out-of-town teams … other than that, it was great to see the boys out there and there were tons of family and friends here," said Barbour.

"They'll have a chance to go to the Optimist this year and they also have Arctic Winter Game trials so it's certainly a young team and they have lots of things to try out for and hopefully a lot of years in juniors to keep playing."

Nick Saturnino, coach for the junior girls, said the team had two very close games in Yellowknife over the weekend and two other games that didn't work in their favour.

"The girls, overall, played very well and learned from the experience," he said.

The curling doesn't stop here. This weekend coming, Inuvik will be host to yet another territorial competition: the NWT Ladies Curling Championships made up of two Yellowknife teams and two teams from Inuvik.

The games will run from Thursday to Saturday.

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