Team Ackerman wins Viterra Scotties, will represent Sask. at Tournament of Hearts

In just their second-ever appearance at the Viterra Scotties, Skylar Ackerman and her Saskatoon rink have won it all.

Based out of the Nutana Curling Club in Saskatoon, the rink — skipped by Ackerman with Kaylin Skinner at lead, Taylor Stremick at second and Ashley Thevenot at third — defeated Nancy Martin’s rink 10-9 in an extra end in Sunday’s final to claim its first provincial crown in Tisdale.

Ackerman’s rink finished first in its pool with a record of 4-1. Its only loss of the tournament came in a 10-5 game against defending champion Robyn Silvernagle’s rink.

Martin’s rink also finished first in its pool, going 5-0 in the round-robin.

The teams met in the playoff showdown, with Ackerman winning that one 7-6.

The Ackerman team — the youngest rink at the tournament with Ackerman only 22 years old — got three points in the third, sixth and ninth ends. Martin’s rink — with Krysten Karwacki at lead, Madison Kleiter at second and Lindsay Bertsch at third — battled throughout the game with single points in the first, second, fourth, fifth, seventh and 10th ends along with a three-point steal in the eighth.

But with the hammer in the extra end, Ackerman was able to get the hit and roll she needed with her last rock to claim the crown. Her team is one of the youngest teams to ever win the tournament.

The team will wear the green jackets and represent Saskatchewan at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in Calgary. The Canadian women’s national curling championship goes from Feb. 16 to Feb. 25.