Macdonell, Arbuckle to repressent Manitoba at Canada Winter Games – Winnipeg Free Press
For the primary time of their younger careers, Aaron Macdonell and Mackenzie Arbuckle have earned the precise to put on the buffalo jacket.
The duo from the St. Very important Curling Membership went an ideal 7-0 at Manitoba’s Canada Video games Combined Doubles Trials on the Heather Curling Membership this previous weekend. Macdonell and Arbuckle capped off their run with an exhilarating 10-8 further finish victory over Granite Curling Membership’s Katy Lukowich and Thomas McGillivray.
With the win, Macdonell and Arbuckle will symbolize Manitoba on the 2023 Canada Winter Video games in February in Prince Edward Island.
SUPPLIED
Aaron Macdonell (left), Mackenzie Arbuckle, and coach Tim Arbuckle have been all smiles after successful Manitoba’s Canada Video games blended doubles trials on the Heather Curling Membership.
“It’s an thrilling feeling. I can’t actually put it into phrases proper now,” Macdonell advised the Free Press on Monday.
“I’m nonetheless taking all of it in as a result of it’s one thing I’ve wished for some time. To truly get it finished is one thing particular.”
Macdonell and Arbuckle cruised to an early 5-1 lead within the gold medal match, however the sport flipped when Lukowich and McGillivray stormed again with a four-ender to go up 6-5 after six ends. The eventual winners responded with a 3 earlier than Lukowich had a clutch draw for 2 to drive the additional finish.
“Yeah, it was positively very nerve-racking. However I believe total, having the ability to bounce again after giving up a giant finish is what helped us as a result of we positively felt the stress after that,” mentioned Arbuckle.
Macdonell and Arbuckle, who will each be 20 by the point the Canada Video games start, began curling collectively in 2020. They joined the 2020 Combined Doubles Provincials in Brandon only for enjoyable however ended up happening a formidable run and ending the occasion at 4-3. Macdonell, who performs lead for Jace Freeman, and Arbuckle, the lead for Grace Beaudry, have been teaming up and dealing collectively ever since.
Freeman may also be in P.E.I. as he received the province’s under-18 Canada Video games trails final month. Since Macdonell is nineteen, his solely shot to make it was the under-21 blended doubles.
“Going to Canada Video games is one thing I wished to do for blended doubles. Mackenzie and I, it’s been our purpose to win this. To work for the previous couple of years after which lastly get it finished and win this one occasion that they’ve, it’s superior,” mentioned Macdonell.
Macdonell and Arbuckle assume they’ve what it takes to achieve the rostrum on the nationwide stage, however that received’t be their sole focus.
“I believe we simply need to soak all of it in. That is the primary expertise for each of us so we simply need to benefit from the expertise total,” mentioned Arbuckle.
taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca
Twitter: @TaylorAllen31
Taylor Allen
Reporter
Eighteen years outdated and nonetheless in highschool, Taylor received his begin with the Free Press on June 1, 2011. Effectively, type of…
