The Pinball Queen unleashes the “Double Wick”

Sports fan, this one was a doosy (for lack of a better term). Picture this, the semi-finals 10th end of a whirlwind match, Team Middaugh having just battled back against supposed disaster (down five and taking a three, stealing one, and laying two shots buried for the potential steal and win) and we can be secure only in the knowledge that we had done all we could. The rest was up to fate and Eve Belisle, who for now on will remain in our somewhat still astounded minds as the Pinball Queen.

After careful deliberation we came to the conclusion that the only shot to leave Eve was the draw through a somewhat negative port with the swing. The ice was most definitely getting sludgy and the port to the four-foot was almost un-navigateable, so we decided to block off what we considered the much-easier angle tap to the four-foot with backing. It is hard to know if this decision was actually our undoing, as there would be very few who would make a call otherwise. We made our choice and executed, took away the raise and left her what we thought was the considerably more unlikely draw.

At the hogline, we knew it was hot. Through the rings hot. Not slowing down for nothin’ hot. Next thing we know, Eve’s last rock starts to move. We hear a soft “Ping” off the corner guard, “Ping” off the backside of a rock sitting center-line, full twelve….and there it goes, rrrroooooollllllling into the four foot. Never did we think that the double wick would be our downfall. The double wick. This is something we must now consider as a crutial blindspot in our examination of Belisle’s arsenal.

The double wick. A deadly weapon against any team, something to bring out when your opposition least expects it. We now know better. We have seen its devastation and know it is almost impossible to guard against it. Beware the double wick, my friends. You too could be in a battle against another Pinball Queen and not even know it.