It took a key last rock in the eighth end, some great sweeping, and a little help from a guard out front to ensure the Marg Reynoldson rink of a victory in the Interior Savings/M&M Meat Shops Ladies Bonspiel at the Merritt Curling Centre this past weekend.

The team of Reynoldson, Susan Newton, Kathleen Bloom and Lorna Latremouille staved off a late challenge by the Sue Stankevich foursome from Kamloops to win the “A” final 8-6 on Sunday afternoon.

“We were up one coming home,” described Reynoldson, “but they had the hammer [last rock]. I threw our last stone and it came out narrow but, thanks to some great sweeping by Sue and Kathleen, it got by the guard and bumped their two rocks back that were biting the button.”

Stankevich wasn’t quite so fortunate with her final stone, as it wrecked on the guard, allowing the Reynoldson quartet to score one and win by two.

“It was a great game from beginning to end,” said Reynoldson. “Lorna, Sue and Kathleen were just amazing all weekend.”

The Reynoldson rink’s road to the championship game included a dramatic extra-end win over the Karen Gross foursome from Merritt in one of two semi-finals Sunday morning.

“We were up 5-0 early in the game,” stated Reynoldson, “but they battled back and scored three in the eighth end to tie things up. Fortunately, I was able to draw past their pair on the four foot in the extra end to score one. It was another close game.”

The “B” final also went to an extra end before the Diane Murdoch rink from Merritt prevailed 6-5 over the Bev Jones foursome out of Lillooet.

Other members of the Murdoch rink were Dee Arduini, Iris Hodson and Katherine Olsen.

“We took the first four ends and built a 4-0 lead,” described Arduini, “but then they changed their strategy and basically ‘oned’ us to death. We had to steal one in the ninth to win. We were all quite delighted.”

Added Murdoch, “Katherine threw a great angle raise with her last rock in the eighth to take it to the extra end.”

Winner of the “C” event was the Gwenn Anderson rink from Clearwater, which included Jan Johnson, Jane Olsen and Barb Kavanagh.

Meanwhile, in men’s curling action this weekend, the Adrian Reynoldson rink from Merritt followed up their second place finish at home two weeks ago by winning the “B” final at a bonspiel in Penticton.

Other members of the team were Rick Olsen, Gerry Sanders and Al McKinnon (from Langley).