Prior to playing in the provincial final earlier today, Lawson Yates and Team Brett Walter knew they were already heading to the New Holland Canadian Junior Championships in two weeks after making the final at Credit Union Place.
That wasn't enough for the foursome, however. They wanted more and they sure got more as they went out in front of a great crowd at Credit Union Place and they beat the previously undefeated Jacques Gauthier rink, 8-7.
Team Walter won eight games on their way to a provincial title.
"The feeling is surreal right now, I'm on cloud nine, to say the least," said Yates. "I'm really happy to do it in my hometown and it's my last year as well, there really is nothing better."
Lawson and Team Walter found themselves in the same position last year entering the playoffs. They played in the 1vs2 game last year and they lost two games and they were eliminated. This year, they also made the 1vs2 game and they lost that game last night against Gauthier.
This time around, Walter's rink said that wasn't going to happen and they came out this morning and got past Team Wiebe, 9-6. They, of course, followed that up with a big win in the final against Gauthier.
"We were able to come out firing this morning," continued Lawson. "I really believe that the win this morning gave us the confidence we needed to win the final."
Beginning on Wednesday, 32 of the best junior teams from around the province came to the City of Sunshine to begin the 2020 Telus Junior Men's and Women's Provincial Championships. Both inside Credit Union Place and the Dauphin Curling Club, the crowd support was fantastic, especially for Yates as he's a hometown boy.
"It was incredible, I don't even know what to say," added Yates. "To get the chance to play in this event in my hometown in front of all my family and friends, it's such a special feeling."
When the New Holland Canadian Junior Championships begin on January 18, Yates and Team Brett Walter will be in the same pool as Jacques Gauthier. Pool B also includes Northern Ontario, Nova Scotia, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.
Yates and the crew will play Gauthier and his crew on Monday, January 20.
Last year, JT Ryan and his foursome were finalists at the event. With a tough road awaiting Lawson and his team, the Dauphinite is excited about the challenge.
"We'll go out and play our best, we know things won't be easy," concluded Yates. "It's going to be an amazing experience and everyone is super pumped up."
On the women's side, Dauphin's Lane Prokopowich and the rest of Team Serena Gray-Withers finished as this year's finalist. They dropped their game against Mackenzie Zacharias who won the tournament for the second straight year.
