O'LEARY, P.E.I. — The Eddie MacKenzie rink has found a successful combination.
The 2020-21 season marks the first year for MacKenzie, third Tyler Smith, second Sean Ledgerwood and lead Ryan Lowery playing together as a team. A mix of youth and experience has not only translated into success on the ice but also some fun and good-natured ribbing.
The rink, which is out of the Crapaud Community Curling Club and the Montague Curling Club, recently defeated the Blair Jay team from the Silver Fox in Summerside 3-0 in the best-of-five Tankard P.E.I. men’s curling championship at the Maple Leaf Curling Club in O’Leary.
“We have a lot of experience with Eddie and Sean,” said Lowery. “They have been around the block quite a few times.
“You can’t get much better players on the Island than those two for experience. Tyler and I are younger. They like to have us sweeping, so it works out good.”
Lowery, who is still eligible for junior play, is the youngest team member at 20 years old. Ledgerwood, at 51, is the senior member of the rink. MacKenzie is 48, and the 22-year-old Smith is in his first year out of the junior ranks.
MacKenzie said the youthfulness that Lowery and Smith bring to the rink each night rubs off. He noted there is “a lot of teasing and joking around” among team members.
“It’s pretty fun teasing them about their age,” said Smith, who competed in six Canadian junior men’s curling championships and five as a skip. “We have to get shots in at them somehow.
“Especially with me skipping all my life and now playing third, having that experience from Sean to draw back on is big. I’m not used to having to sweep rocks and then throw right after.
Having him in my corner to bounce a couple of ideas off is always good.”
Heading to Brier
With a provincial title to its credit, Team MacKenzie’s season is far from over. Next up is the Tim Hortons Brier in Calgary, March 6-14.
Next month will be the fifth time MacKenzie and Ledgerwood have been teammates with Team P.E.I. at the Canadian men’s curling championship. Smith and Lowery will make their debut at Curling Canada’s signature men’s event.
“Eddie and I can both share a lot of experience and bring the young guys along,” said Ledgerwood. “They are both great shooters and great sweepers. I can ease off a little bit and let them do the hard sweeping and give them as much experience as we can to try and get them prepared and ready for the Brier.”
Average age
MacKenzie joked the addition of Smith and Lowery “brought our average age down considerably” this season. He quipped they cut it in half.
“It’s enjoyable playing with the younger guys and have the chance to take them to the Brier,” said MacKenzie. “They have a lot of enthusiasm and love of the game.”
Lowery has enjoyed a smooth transition into men’s competition, thanks to some advice from Ledgerwood. The duo did make one adjustment to take advantage of Lowery’s youthfulness.
“He got me to sweep more,” said Lowery.
As far as shot-making goes, Lowery said he is taking a simple approach at the lead position. He said he spent the last month before provincials practising two shots – guard and top four-foot.
“I don’t have too much variety,” he continued. “There is not much difference in the shots, but they are more important than you would think.
“I can screw up an end pretty quick if I do not make them.”
Jason Simmonds is The Guardian's sports reporter.
