THUNDER BAY, Ont. — Rachel Homan’s team went undefeated to win the 2024 Scotties, and now they’re one win away from repeating the feat.
On Saturday at Fort William Gardens, the world No. 1 and defending champions in Team Canada red earned their 10th straight win at the national championships, this time 8-4 over Manitoba’s Kerri Einarson, to book a trip to Sunday night’s final.
It was all tied up in the sixth when Homan fired an absolute rocket on her last, narrowly missing a pair of guards and nudging out a Manitoba shot stone to score a deuce for a 4-2 lead. The shot had the crowd roaring, Homan pumping her fist, and coach Jennifer Jones clapping on the sidelines.
Homan, third Tracy Fleury, second Emma Miskew and lead Sarah Wilkes piled on after that, stealing another deuce in seven to take a 6-2 lead after Homan buried her last to sit two, and Einarson’s last shot hit a guard. Manitoba pulled back within two in the eighth when Einarson made an incredible tap and roll to sit shot stone, and then floated in her second.
On her last shot in nine, Homan made an incredible angled takeout to sit two, then pumped her broom in the air and smiled. Not long after that, Manitoba shook hands.
Despite the loss, Manitoba’s Einarson, Val Sweeting, Karlee Burgess and Krysten Karwacki aren’t out, and they can earn themselves a rematch. They’ll face Nova Scotia’s Christina Black in the semifinal Sunday afternoon, with the winner taking on Team Homan for all the marbles at night.
Saturday marked the fourth meeting this season between the teams ranked one-two in Canada. Among teams in this country, only Einarson — winner of four of the last five Scotties titles — has managed to win against Homan, back in October at a Grand Slam event.
Homan is looking for a fifth career Scotties title, and her team rolled in here the heavy favourites, with five title wins this season.
They’re set to go for another big one on Sunday.