NeilMcDonald rally to capture spiel 

By Rob J. Ross 

ST. THOMAS - A pair of last end comebacks lifted Team NeilMcDonald to the capturing of the Walker Industries mixed doubles spiel.

The team of Laura Neil and Scott McDonald, from the St. Thomas Curling Club, scored two in the eighth end and two more in an extra end, to defeat Korea's Jiyon Kim and ByeongJin Jeong, 9-7, in the final, Sunday, at the Arthur Area Curling Club.

By winning the spiel, Team NeilMcDonald took home the champions' prize of $1,750 and earned a berth at Curl Ontario's provincial championship, Feb. 24-26, in Kingston.

Kim and Jeong, undefeated going in to the final, led 5-1, after three ends, before Neil and McDonald chipped away and had the game tied at five after six ends.

In the semifinals, Neil and McDonald trailed Katie and Shawn Cottrill, 5-3, before scoring four in the eighth, for a 7-5 victory.

"Both game were tough," said Neil. "We had to play two really strong teams and make a lot of precise shots. It feels really good to play so well when the pressure was on."

NeilMcDonald went 4-1 in pool play, before taking their quarterfinal, 8-3, in seven ends, over Mississauga's Jessica Shipmaker and Mike Aprile.

This coming weekend, Neil and McDonald will be at the Ontario mixed doubles tour championship, at the Galt curling club, in Cambridge.

NeilMcDonald sit second in the tour points standings, just behind Katie and Shawn Cottrill, thanks to the win at Arthur and a second place result at the St. Thomas Classic in December.