[EAGAN, MN, January 15, 2024]  — Youth curlers from across the country gathered at Rock Creek Curling in Lafayette, CO, last week. After four days of great competition and sportsmanship, Team Pekowitz (At-Large) and Team Hebert (Wisconsin), separated themselves from the field and earned the championship trophies.

In the U18 Boys final, Team Hebert (Caden Hebert, Jackson Bestland, Benji Paral, Jack Wentland, Shane Nelson, Coach Mike Peplinski) defeated Team Guentzel (Mason Guentzel, Stuart Strack, Will Podhradsky, Leighton Hines, Coach Stephen Dropkin). Guentzel trailed by two with hammer in the eighth but could not generate the two points needed to tie the game.

In the U18 Girls championship game, Team Pekowitz (Julia Pekowitz, Addison Neil, Megan Stopera, Alexandra Pekowitz, Coaches Keith Dropkin and Bill Pekowitz) avenged a previous loss in the qualifying round and defeated Team Hollands (Natalie Hollands, Jersey Hollands, Lillian Molitor, Coach Addison Hollands) by a score of 6-2. It capped off three must-wins in a row for Team Pekowitz, who needed to defeat Team Hagenbuch in the final round of pool play to advance and then topped Team Wendling in the semi-final.

In the Boys bronze game, Team Laufer from At-Large (Daniel Laufer, Jaime Christopher Vidaurrazaga, Dylan Ciapka, Jack Guerin, Coach Bill Laufer) defeated Wisconsin’s Team Lannoye (Matthew Lannoye, Brody Weichmann, Ethan Macomber, Joe Dobbs) by a final score of 8-4, while Minnesota’s Team Johnson (Allory Johnson, Gianna Johnson, Morgan Zacher, Bailey Vaydich, Coach Chris Johnson) earned the medals by with an 8-4 victory over Wisconsin’s Team Wendling (Ella Wendling, Emily Rubenzer, Savannah Koch, Adriana Fisher, Coach Lori Kawlewski)

Tracie Moore attended on behalf of the Chris Moore Legacy Fund. The fund honors Chris Moore, a longtime promoter of youth curling and former USA Curling Chair who passed away in 2009. Not only has this financial support been critical to the growth of the U18 Nationals, but the 2024 champions will receive funding to attend a Junior Slam Series event during the 2024-25 season.

In her remarks during the closing ceremony, Moore commended the high level of play and said that she was, “…thrilled to see how this championship has grown.”

Mason Guentzel, skip of Team Guentzel, was named the winner of the Garland Legacie Sportsmanship Award. Honoring the late Garland Legacie, a longtime USA Curling Ice Technician and competitor who was known for his embodiment of The Spirit of Curling, this award is voted on by the competitors and recognizes the player who embodies the Spirit of Curling.

Rock Creek Curling was once again a terrific host for this championship, and USA Curling is truly grateful for the energy that Mimi and Sean Stevinson bring to this event each year. The organization and Rock Creek will work together on this event through 2026.

More information about the 2024 U18 National Championships can be found here.

Photos by: Dan Mandle

Competing Boy’s Teams

• Team Skaggs: Tyler Skaggs, Dylan Skaggs, Coleman Martin, Aidan Lazarus

• Team Laufer: Daniel Laufer, Jaime Christopher Vidaurrazaga, Dylan Ciapka, Jack Guerin

• Team Fitzgerald: Aiden Fitzgerald, Jackson Askew, Carter Mitchell, Jake Ring

• Team Marcin: Peyton Marcin, Jacob Luce, Evan Dauernheim, Zack Meyer

• Team Rose: Caiden Rose, Avery Wilson, Brock Sando, Tate Reeder-Holman

• Team Guentzel: Mason Guentzel, Stuart Strack, Will Podhradsky, Leighton Hines

• Team Breen: Bryce Breen, Evan Carlson, Luca Johnson, Sawyer Owens

• Team Hellman: Tucker Hellman, Carter Hellman, Cecil Lynn, Braden Hanson

• Team Meyer: Charlie Meyer, Zach Thompson, Tanner Holmes, Oliver Chally

• Team Lannoye: Matthew Lannoye, Brody Weichmann, Ethan Macomber, Joseph Dobbs

• Team Dial: Calvin Dial, Martin Fleming, Jackson Ledesma, Kiren Penzkover, Adam Small

• Team Hebert: Caden Hebert, Jackson Bestland, Benji Paral, Jack Wendtland, Shane Nelson

Competing Girl’s Teams

• Team Richards: Melissa Richards, Charlie Clark, Melanie Richards, Ainsley Persinger

• Team Neil: Ivy Neil, Jillian Segel, Kalina Petrova, Lily Marzullo

• Team Pekowitz: Julia Pekowitz, Megan Stopera, Addison Neill, Alexa Pekowitz

• Team Black: Demerie Black, Molly Anderson, Lily Rokke, Claire Kozojed

• Team Schroden: Alana Schroden, Eli van der Leij, Kate Stevenson, Kyria DeGrow, Lindsay Hofmeister

• Team Hollands: Natalie Hollands, Jersey Hollands, Lillian Molitor, Ella Stagner

• Team Biesecker: Zoe Biesecker, Lila Farwell, Ella Riley, Scarlett Wilson

• Team Hagenbuch: Bella Hagenbuch, Heidi Holt, Rilee Kraft, Mae Hagenbuch

• Team Johnson: Allory Johnson, Gianna Johnson, Morgan Zacher, Bailey Vaydich

• Team Berg: Gracia Berg, Brooklyn Saiger, Solveig Berg, Raelynn Trask, Nia Berg

• Team Keshwani : Nisa Keshwani, Karina Treynor, Alexis Kong, Krisha Umashankar, Srihasini Malladi

• Team Wendling: Ella Wendling, Emily Rubenzer, Savannah Koch, Adriana Fisher

About USA Curling

Founded in 1958 and headquartered in Eagan, Minnesota, USA Curling is the National Governing body for the Olympic sport of curling and the Paralympic sport of wheelchair curling in the United States. The mission of USA Curling is to grow, strengthen, and advocate for the Olympic and Paralympic sport of curling in the United States by prioritizing accessibility and programmatic development from grassroots to podium. USA Curling is sponsored by Columbia Sportswear, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Training HAUS, Toyota, Thorne, ISS (Ice, Sports & Solar), Rock Solid Productions, Jet Ice, and Laurie Artiss. USA Curling is a proud member of the World Curling Federation and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. To learn more, visit usacurling.org.