It's Zone 2 Eve

Here we are, hours before our first game in Zone 2 as we will face Murray Woodward in our quest to ride the underdog title all the way to Dauphin.

It's been two years since I've played in a Zone play down. My last game was the A-B Final with Team Gromnisky vs. Bob Sigurdson. We got our lunches handed to us on a hospital cafeteria tray after we didn't respond well to the ice breaking down quicker than.... uhm... Vanilla Ice's career. (It's the only other ice reference I could think of.)

After two consecutive years of daily practice and several delivery analysis sessions with High Performance Centre coaches, I feel a calmness going into our first day of war at Ste. Anne. In a strange bit of scheduling, all eight teams vying for the Zone spot will have to play back-to-back games Friday night... two 10-end tilts in a row. Whoever actually wins this thing will have earned it, that's certain.

I remember this time in 2005 like it was a few weeks ago. I was uptight going into the final game and over thinking the situation. Tonight, I'm thinking about showing up to the rink in Ste. Anne, stretching, and letting it all happen on the ice. Either way, I'm going to have a blast because I love to compete, and because I know I've worked hard to maximize our opportunities as a team.

For our competitors, I hope for excellent ice conditions and a pick-free match.

For Team Ryall, I wish for potential realized and hundreds of laughs.

Cheers!