From here on in, every single game at the 2026 New Holland Canadian Under-20 (Curling) Championship is a big one.

The final draw on the women’s side took at 10:00 a.m. Friday morning at the Gerry McCrory Countryside Sports Complex and once that was in the books, the 12 teams that are still standing (six men’s & six women’s rinks) from the field of 36 were finalized.

A 7-6 extra-end victory Thursday night for Evan MacDougall and his Ontario #1 rink of Dylan Stockton, Evan Madore and Carson Kay over Saskatchewan #1 (Rogan Snow) secured top spot in Pool “B” for the Fergus foursome, posting a record of 7-1, one win better than Alberta #1 (Peter Hlushak), Québec #1 (Raphael Tremblay) and Newfoundland and Labrador (Simon Perry).

“We’ve only been together for two years, but if feels like we’ve been together a lot more than that, just because we know each other so well,” said MacDougall, a 20 year-old second year student at Guelph University. Truth be told, this current incarnation is technically in year one, with Carson Kay jumping aboard last fall – though the remaining troika remained intact from the previous season.

Understandably, the aesthetics of their game have grown a little over this time, partially due to understanding what works best for the quartet and partially due to the gradual maturing of the game that elite curlers tend to experience, moving from their late teens to the adult scene.

“Honestly, our style of play has bounced around a lot,” said MacDougall. “I would say a couple of years ago, I liked to hit everything; and then it morphed to completely the opposite end and we got pretty aggressive. I think it’s now a bit of a hybrid style.”

“We play differently depending on the team we are facing.”

Regardless of the approach, the results have been impressive. Team MacDougall looked strong in bolting out to a 4-0 start to their week, dropped a close 4-3 encounter to Newfoundland & Labrador in the final end mid-week and then closed out preliminary round play with three more wins.

A fairly talented athlete in both lacrosse and hockey in his youth, MacDougall is certainly comfortable with the tough decision he made some five years ago. “I really wanted to start specializing, really wanted to excel in one sport,” he explained. “I liked curling because unlike other sports, people can play at a highly competitive level into their fifties.”

MacDougall and mates now await the winner of the Quebec #1 (Raphael Tremblay) vs Ontario #2 (Tyler MacTavish – 7-1 in Pool A) first round playoff match-up at 2:00 p.m., with Alberta #1 (Peter Hlushak) facing British Columbia #1 (Harrison Hrynew – 5-3 in Pool A) at the same time and the winner moving on the meet up with Alberta #2, with skip Jaxon Hiebert and his rink taking the first place LSD tiebreaker with Ontario #2 at the top of Pool A.

On the women’s side of things, Alberta #2 (Sierra Androschuk – 7-1 in Pool B) and Nova Scotia #1 (Cassidy Blades – 7-1 in Pool A) have earned the byes through to the semis, the latter surviving the LSD tiebreaker with Quebec #2 (Joliane Fortin). Nova Scotia #2 (Rebecca Regan), Manitoba #1 (Shaela Hayward) and Newfoundland & Labrador #1 (Cailey Locke) all joining the Quebec quartet in the playoffs Friday night.