Team Spruit/Spruit trades haymakers with Team Wasylkiw/Konings in 9-7 win at 2025 Canadian Mixed Doubles
If you want to survive in mixed doubles, you’d better be ready to take some lumps.
It’s a philosophy that Casandra Spruit, Geoff Spruit and coach Geordin Raganold are deploying at the 2025 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Championship this week, where the Winchester, Ont., outfit outdueled Team Wasylkiw/Konings (1-1; Unionville) in a 9-7 win Monday afternoon at Gerard “Turk” Gallant Arena in Summerside, P.E.I.
It’s a win that almost didn’t come to fruition, though, with Team Spruit/Spruit having trailed 4-1 after just two ends.
But it’s always better to take those punches on the chin and come back swinging, says Geoff Spruit.
“First two ends were a bit out of control,” said Spruit. “After that we kind of dialed it in, smacked each other around a little bit and said ‘let’s get it going’”.
Get it going, they did. Team Spruit/Spruit bounced back with a three-score in the fifth to tie the match at five each, before a clutch deuce in the seventh set the stage for a two-steal in the eighth, where Lauren Wasylkiw’s draw attempt for the win ran straight and crashed on a Spruit stone in the eight-foot.
Geoff Spruit credits his team’s ability to adjust to the conditions for the win despite the tough start.
“It kind of quickened up a little more than we thought,” said Spruit. “We eventually adjusted and got draw weight down, and that kind of turned it around.”
The ever-important win vaults Team Spruit/Spruit to an unblemished 2-0 record, tied for Pool C’s interim lead with Team Walker/Muyres (2-0; Edmonton/Humbolt, Sask.).
Coincidentally, the two teams will face off Monday evening at 7 p.m., (all times Atlantic), at the Silver Fox Entertainment Complex in a match that could already have heavy playoff implications.
“We’re kind of running on the high now,” said Geoff Spruit. “We’ll see how the rest of the week goes, I guess. It’s still early.
There are no rookie-jitters for Team Spruit/Spruit, where the husband-and-wife combo are competing in its first Canadian mixed doubles nationals together.
“Bit of a dream start to show up at our first nationals and go 2-0,” said Casandra Spruit. “Couple rocky starts to the games so we’re still trying to clean that up a bit. But other than that, things are feeling good out there.”
And while the expectations are high on Team Spruit/Spruit, the duo knows it’s a long road ahead to a Canadian mixed doubles crown.
“You’ve got the best teams in Canada here,” said Casandra Spruit. “You can’t expect to come in and win them all. But if we can win a couple and keep it rolling, we’re in a good spot.”
In other mixed doubles action Monday, Team Zheng/Pietrangelo (1-1; Niagara Falls, Ont.) defeated Team Manitoba’s Robyn Henry and Rob Gordon (0-2; Winnipeg) 10-6. Team Walker/Muyres needed a steal of two in the eighth end to down Team Neil/McDonald (1-1; St. Thomas, Ont.) while Team Ontario’s Katie Ford and Oliver Campbell (1-1; Waterloo) dished a 10-2 drubbing to Team Yukon’s Ruth Siciliano and Tyler Williams (0-2; Whitehorse)
Team Jones/Laing (2-0; Horseshoe Valley, Ont.) stayed perfect with a 9-0 win over Team Northern Ontario’s Nicole Westlund and Tyler Stewart (0-2; Thunder Bay). Team Gagné/Morrisette (1-1; Quebec City) earned a tight 8-7 win over Team Papley/Van Amsterdam (1-1; Edmonton) while reigning Canadian mixed doubles champions Team Lott/Lott (2-0; Gimli, Man.) bested Team Nova Scotia’s Marlee Powers and Luke Saunders (1-1; Halifax) 7-3 and Team British Columbia’s CJ Jackson and Matthew McCrady (1-1, New Westminster) secured a 9-7 win over Team Bouchard/Charest (0-2; Chicoutimi, Que.)
Action from the 2025 Candian Mixed Doubles Curling Championship continues Monday at 4 p.m., and 7 p.m.
Select games will be streamed live on Curling Canada’s YouTube page found here.
Live scores, standings, team rosters, schedule information and more can be found at the event website here.