Jenn Hanna stunned Rachel Homan 10-8 to capture the Ontario Scotties Tournament of Hearts title Sunday in Brampton.
Hanna returned this season after a hiatus from competitive curling and will be making her third trip to the Scotties Tournament of Hearts, but her first in over a decade.
She served as the alternate for Sherry Middaugh’s team in 2004 and won the provincial crown the following year where she finished runner-up to Jennifer Jones for the Canadian championship.
The all-Ottawa rink matchup was a tough one right from the start for Homan, a two-time Canadian champion, as she opened the game with the hammer and looked to blank the first end, but her shooter stuck around to bite the top of the 12-foot circle and counted for one.
Hanna scored three in the second end and Homan countered with a deuce in the third end to tie it 3-3.
After Hanna settled for a single in the fourth, Homan added another pair of points in the fifth end to take a 5-4 lead.
The game swung dramatically in the second half after Hanna made a tap for one in the sixth to knot it back up. Homan’s last in the seventh slid through the house giving up a steal of two and the lead. Hanna then swiped three more points that all but iced the game when Homan’s heartbreaking final shot in eight overcurled and wrecked on one of her own.
Homan hit and stuck for two points in the ninth and she had three in the house during the 10th but without any guards or the hammer, Hanna made the takeout to secure the victory.
Earlier Sunday, Hanna stole two in the final end to edge Jacqueline Harrison 6-5 in the semifinal.
Team Homan have been the top team on tour this season winning seven titles including the Canada Cup and a record three consecutive Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling championships. They topped the Ontario Scotties round robin with an 8-1 record, falling to Middaugh, however they did need to steal a point in the extra end to get by Hanna.
Homan defeated Harrison 9-5 in the page 1 vs. 2 playoff Saturday to advance straight to the final while Hanna earned a 7-3 victory over Julie Tippin of Woodstock in the 3 vs. 4 game.
The Scotties Tournament of Hearts runs Feb. 20-28 in Grande Prairie, Alta.