Sudbury curlers encountered few if any issues while navigating their way through round robin play last weekend at the U25 NextGen Classic in Edmonton (Alberta).

Quarter-final action, however, proved to be another story altogether.

The women's team of Emma Artichuk, Megan Smith, Jamie Smith and Lauren Rajala (all but Artichuk hail from Sudbury) as well as the Mixed Doubles tandem of Kira Brunton and Jake Horgan combined to post a record of 10-0 in pool play at the event.

Awfully impressive, to say the least.

Unfortunately, Team Artichuk would be felled 4-2 by Gracelyn Richards (Edmonton) in the round of eight while the Brunton / Horgan duo would be sent packing by Zoe Cinnamon/Johnson Tao, also of Edmonton, in a closely contested 6-5 battle.

Prior to that, the northern pairing had worked their way to the top of the standings with victories over Hayley Gushue/Spencer Tipple (9-1), Emily Neary/Dylan Hancock (1-0), Mackenzie Arbuckle/Aaron Macdonell (8-4), Cailey Locke/Simon Perry (7-0) and Kaylee Raniseth/Evan Crough (8-7).

As for Team Artichuk, the local women with the Ottawa-based skip cruised their way to a 5-0 record thanks to triumphs over Holly Hafeli from Kamloops (8-3), Allyson MacNutt from Halifax (7-5), Serena Gray-Withers from Edmonton (6-5), Myla Plett from Airdrie (6-5) and Julia Markle from Ottawa (5-2).

This coming weekend finds Manitoulin Island native Jordan Chandler and the John Epping rink that includes Sudbury siblings Tanner and Jake Horgan competing at the Stu Sells Oakville Tankard, with the Krysta Burns rink (Jestyn Murphy, Sara Guy, Laura Masters) joining Team Artichuk on the women's side of the draw.

Also in attendance are Danielle Inglis from Ottawa (with Kira Brunton at vice) as well as the Lauren Mann North Bay foursome that includes lead and Collège Notre-Dame graduate Stephanie Barbeau.