St. John's, NL – January 5, 2025 – The Memorial Sea-Hawks men's curling team emerged victorious at the 2025 Atlantic University Sport (AUS) Curling Championships, capturing their first title since 2017 with an impressive 6-5 comeback win over the UNB REDS at the historic Mayflower Curling Club in Halifax.
The Sea-Hawks' championship roster, consisting of Simon Perry (Skip), Nicholas Codner (Third), Brayden Snow (Second), Sean O'Leary (Lead), and led by head coach Glenn Goss, showcased determination and resilience throughout the tournament.
Hailing from Portugal Cove-St. Philips, NL, Skip Simon Perry brought precision, leadership, and experience from his time with Team Canada at the Youth Olympic Games, guiding the team through critical moments. Nicholas Codner, the team's Third, originates from Torbay, NL, and is a first-year Bachelor of Arts student, contributing consistency and precision throughout the championship. Brayden Snow, the team's Second, from Summerside, PE, a first-year Bachelor of Arts student, demonstrated reliable performance in every end. Sean O'Leary, the team's Lead from St. John's, NL, is in his fourth year of a Bachelor of Commerce and played a crucial role with his strategic shot-making.
The Sea-Hawks opened their championship campaign with a 7-4 victory over STFX, showcasing early dominance with a steady performance across all ends. Despite a setback in their second game against defending champions Dalhousie, where they fell 7-2, the team quickly regrouped.
In a pivotal match against UNB, Memorial delivered a disciplined performance, securing a 6-3 victory that bolstered their confidence heading into the final day of round-robin play. They followed up with a nail-biting 5-4 win over Saint Mary's, demonstrating their ability to stay composed under pressure.
In the championship final, the Sea-Hawks started strong, scoring two points in the first end. However, UNB countered with four unanswered points across the third, fourth, and fifth ends, taking a commanding 5-2 lead. Memorial responded with poise, scoring two points in the sixth end and another single point in the seventh end to tie the game at 5-5. With the championship on the line, the Sea-Hawks delivered under pressure, securing a critical single point in the eighth end to claim the 6-5 victory.
The Sea-Hawks finished the tournament with an impressive 4-1 record in round-robin play, including key victories over STFX, SMU, and UNB, earning their well-deserved spot in the championship final.
This victory marks an important milestone for Memorial Curling, highlighting the team's ability to overcome adversity and deliver results when it mattered most. It not only marks Memorial's second AUS title, ending an eight-year championship drought since their 2017 win, but also disrupts the Dalhousie Tigers' six-year championship streak, as they missed the playoffs in a surprising turn of events.
Both Memorial and UNB will now advance to represent the AUS at the 2025 U SPORTS Curling National Championships in Lethbridge, Alberta, from February 24–28, 2025
Story - Udantha Chnadraratne
Photos - Eduardo Ibarra