CURLING: 3 Bemidjians win men's national championship

Jun. 1—WAUSAU, Wis. — Bemidji had its fingerprints all over the U.S. Curling National Championships on Sunday.

Bemidjians Mark Fenner, Alex Fenson and alternate Joe Polo earned gold for Korey Dropkin's rink in Wausau, Wis., and they earned their spot at the 2022 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in November.

"We're really looking forward to Trials and are so happy to have secured our spot," Dropkin said in a release. "It was a great week and we're thrilled."

Team Dropkin defeated Team Brundidge, which also included Bemidji's Jarl Timothy Wagner as its alternate, by a 7-3 margin in the championship.

Team Dropkin scored two points on the fourth end to jump ahead 2-1, though the score leveled at 2-2 at the half.

But in the sixth end, Dropkin's soft weight takeout removed a Brundidge counter and vaulted them ahead 5-2 with three points.

In the ninth end, Team Dropkin sat with two rocks lined up in the house and, when Jed Brundidge couldn't land a double takeout, Dropkin scored one point for the 7-3 advantage to clinch the title.