Two common sports cliches played out in dress rehearsals for the 2013 Spring League Playoffs: heartbreak and intrigue.
About an hour into Draw 5, you could hear three hearts breaking if you were able to get past the WOMP, WOMP of the FAIL horn.
Facing the prospect of scoring 6 or 7, a chance for an 8-ender lured the Buffalo Bills into a trap last night. The Hammer went awry, knocked the wrong stone into the button, and Demented Magenta stole a point in the 4th end, broke the Bills’ backs, and went on to a 6-3 win.
The victory locks Demented Magenta into the Playoffs as the final entry and helps them regain the lead in the Wilkes Division. They can lock it up in the final week of the Spring League regular season on May 14 with a win or a Bills loss.
Then, as stones were being returned to the box, an intriguing Draw to the Button had an undefeated record in the balance.
Walrus & Mermaids’ deuce with the Hammer in the 8th end forced a Draw to the Button tie-breaker and the team’s shot to the back-8 ring was enough to move them to a perfect 6-0 record this season.
Happy Hour had taken a two-point lead after the 7th End, scoring 4 points over the course of the previous three ends to go up 6-4 heading into the decisive 8th. Two points for the league leaders forced the tie break.
These results guarantee a replay in two weeks in the Divisional Playoff round on May 21. Walrus & Mermaids and Demented Magenta each swept their postseason opponents during the regular season.
In the third match from Draw 5, Falcons picked up its second consecutive win with a clutch score of a pair in the 7th for a 5-4 win.
