2020 United States Men's Curling Championship

The 2020 United States Men's Curling Championship was held from February 8 to 15, 2020 at the Eastern Washington University Recreation Center in Spokane, Washington.[1] The event was held in conjunction with the 2020 United States Women's Curling Championship. John Shuster claimed his seventh United States Championship, defeating Rich Ruohonen in the final.[2]

2020 United States Men's
Curling Championship
2020 United States Men's Curling Championship
Host citySpokane, Washington
ArenaEastern Washington University
Recreation Center
DatesFebruary 8–15
WinnerMinnesota Team Shuster
SkipJohn Shuster
ThirdChris Plys
SecondMatt Hamilton
LeadJohn Landsteiner
FinalistMinnesota Rich Ruohonen
« 2019
2021 »

Since Team Shuster met certain prerequisites in terms of world ranking points (60 points year-to-date or ranked 70th or higher) they would have represented the United States at the 2020 World Men's Curling Championship,[3] which was scheduled to be held in Glasgow, Scotland from March 28 to April 5, 2020 but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] The United States Champions also earn a spot at the final Grand Slam of the season, the Champions Cup,[5] which was also cancelled due to the pandemic. Team Shuster's qualification will instead carry over to the 2021 Champions Cup.[6]

Qualification

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There were three ways for teams to qualify for the championship:

Challenge round

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Sixteen teams competed at the 2020 United States Men's Challenge Round, held at the Grand Forks Curling Club in Grand Forks, North Dakota, from January 2 to 5.[8] Through a triple knockout competition the top four teams secured a spot at the National Championship.[9] Jed Brundidge was the first to secure a spot, defeating Dominik Märki in the 'A' bracket final. Märki then dropped down to the 'B' bracket final and had another opportunity to play for a spot in the Nationals, but this time lost to Kyle Kakela who took the second Nationals berth. In the 'C' bracket Märki finally earned their spot when they defeated Steven Birklid's team. On the other side of the 'C' bracket Luc Violette defeated Nicholas Connolly for the fourth and final Nationals berth.[10] Steven Birklid's team finished the Challenge Round as the alternate team.

Teams

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Ten teams participated in the 2020 national championship.[11]

Skip Third Second Lead Alternate Locale
Korey Dropkin Tom Howell Mark Fenner Alex Fenson Joe Polo   Chaska, Minnesota
Todd Birr Andrew Stopera Hunter Clawson Tom O'Connor   Ham Lake, Minnesota
Jed Brundidge Evan Workin Jarl Timothy Wagner Cameron Rittenour   West St. Paul, Minnesota
Scott Dunnam Alex Leichter Cody Clouser Andrew Dunnam Daniel Dudt   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Kevin Kakela Kyle Kakela Timothy Hodek JP Munich Owen Sampson   Rolla, North Dakota
Rich Ruohonen Greg Persinger Colin Hufman Phil Tilker Kroy Nernberger   Minneapolis, Minnesota
John Shuster Chris Plys Matt Hamilton John Landsteiner   Duluth, Minnesota
Dominik Märki Stephen Dropkin Shawn Banyai Erik Quistgaard Jason Smith   Chaska, Minnesota
Steven Birklid Sam Galey Matt Birklid Chris Bond Daniel Plys   Mountlake Terrace, Washington
Chase Sinnett Sam Strouse Eli Clawson Ethan Sampson Trevor Marquardt   Medfield, Massachusetts

Round-robin standings

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Final round-robin standings

Key
Teams to playoffs
Skip W L
  John Shuster 9 0
  Rich Ruohonen 7 2
  Dominik Märki 5 4
  Chase Sinnett 5 4
  Steven Birklid 4 5
  Korey Dropkin 4 5
  Scott Dunnam 4 5
  Todd Birr 3 6
  Kevin Kakela 3 6
  Jed Brundidge 1 8

Round-robin results

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All draw times are listed in Pacific Standard Time (UTC−08:00).

Draw 1

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Saturday, February 8, 7:30 pm

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Korey Dropkin   2 2 0 1 0 0 2 0 X X 7
  Kevin Kakela 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 X X 3
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Final
  Todd Birr 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 1 1 1 0 7
  Scott Dunnam   0 3 0 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 8
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Rich Ruohonen   4 2 0 3 3 X X X X X 12
  Jed Brundidge 0 0 1 0 0 X X X X X 1
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  John Shuster   0 2 0 2 0 1 0 3 X X 8
  Dominik Märki 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 X X 3
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Chase Sinnett 1 0 2 0 1 0 3 1 0 X 8
  Steven Birklid   0 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 X 5

Draw 2

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Sunday, February 9, 12:00 pm

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  John Shuster   5 0 4 1 X X X X X X 10
  Steven Birklid 0 1 0 0 X X X X X X 1
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Jed Brundidge 0 0 0 1 0 X X X X X 1
  Dominik Märki   3 2 2 0 3 X X X X X 10
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Chase Sinnett   1 0 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 2 7
  Todd Birr 0 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 6
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Scott Dunnam 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 5
  Korey Dropkin   0 2 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 7
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Kevin Kakela   1 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 X 5
  Rich Ruohonen 0 3 0 1 0 2 0 2 1 X 9

Draw 3

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Sunday, February 9, 8:00 pm

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Scott Dunnam   2 0 2 1 2 0 0 2 X X 9
  Chase Sinnett 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 X X 4
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Rich Ruohonen   1 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 X 4
  John Shuster 0 0 0 1 1 0 3 1 1 X 7
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Steven Birklid   0 1 0 1 0 0 3 1 0 0 6
  Dominik Märki 1 0 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 3 9
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Todd Birr   0 0 2 0 5 0 5 X X X 12
  Kevin Kakela 0 3 0 1 0 1 0 X X X 5
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Korey Dropkin 0 1 0 1 1 0 3 0 0 1 7
  Jed Brundidge   2 0 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 6

Draw 4

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Monday, February 10, 10:00 am

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Rich Ruohonen   1 1 0 0 0 3 2 X X X 7
  Dominik Märki 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 X X X 1
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Chase Sinnett   2 0 0 1 1 3 0 1 X X 8
  Korey Dropkin 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 X X 2
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Scott Dunnam   0 0 1 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 6
  Kevin Kakela 0 2 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 2 7
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Steven Birklid   0 0 1 1 0 1 1 2 1 X 7
  Jed Brundidge 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 X 3
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Todd Birr   1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 X 4
  John Shuster 0 2 0 4 1 0 0 0 1 X 8

Draw 5

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Monday, February 10, 7:00 pm

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Jed Brundidge   1 0 2 2 1 2 X X X X 8
  Todd Birr 0 0 0 0 0 0 X X X X 0
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Kevin Kakela 1 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 X 4
  Steven Birklid   0 3 0 0 0 1 2 1 3 X 10
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Korey Dropkin   2 0 1 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 9
  John Shuster 0 2 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 3 10
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Chase Sinnett 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 X X X 1
  Rich Ruohonen   2 1 0 2 0 1 1 X X X 7
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Scott Dunnam 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 X X 3
  Dominik Märki   3 2 1 1 0 0 0 1 X X 8

Draw 6

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Tuesday, February 11, 2:00 pm

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Steven Birklid   1 0 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 7
  Korey Dropkin 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 3 0 6
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Scott Dunnam   1 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 5
  Rich Ruohonen 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 0 4
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Jed Brundidge 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 1 X 5
  Chase Sinnett   2 0 0 1 0 2 0 2 0 X 7
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Dominik Märki   2 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 7
  Todd Birr 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 2 1 0 8
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  John Shuster   1 0 2 0 3 0 2 1 X X 9
  Kevin Kakela 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 X X 3

Draw 7

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Wednesday, February 12, 9:00 am

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Chase Sinnett 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 X X 3
  John Shuster   1 0 1 0 0 5 0 1 X X 8
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Dominik Märki   0 1 1 0 0 2 0 2 0 X 6
  Kevin Kakela 3 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 2 X 10
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Todd Birr 2 0 3 0 2 0 2 0 1 X 10
  Steven Birklid   0 1 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 X 5
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Jed Brundidge 0 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 X 4
  Scott Dunnam   0 1 0 1 0 1 1 3 1 X 8
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Rich Ruohonen   3 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 X 7
  Korey Dropkin 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 X 4

Draw 8

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Wednesday, February 12, 7:00 pm

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Todd Birr 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 X 4
  Rich Ruohonen   2 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 2 X 8
Sheet B Final
  John Shuster   W
  Jed Brundidge L
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Dominik Märki 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 X 5
  Korey Dropkin   0 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 X 4
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Kevin Kakela 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 X 4
  Chase Sinnett   5 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 2 X 10
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Steven Birklid 0 0 1 1 1 2 0 1 0 1 7
  Scott Dunnam   1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 2 0 6

Draw 9

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Thursday, February 13, 2:00 pm

Sheet A 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Kevin Kakela   0 3 3 0 1 0 1 2 X X 10
  Jed Brundidge 1 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 X X 5
Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Korey Dropkin   2 3 0 1 2 2 X X X X 10
  Todd Birr 0 0 2 0 0 0 X X X X 2
Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  John Shuster 0 1 1 1 0 3 0 0 1 X 7
  Scott Dunnam   2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 X 4
Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Rich Ruohonen   0 3 0 0 0 4 0 2 0 2 11
  Steven Birklid 2 0 2 1 3 0 1 0 1 0 10
Sheet E 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Final
  Dominik Märki   1 0 3 0 0 2 0 2 0 0 1 9
  Chase Sinnett 0 2 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 1 0 8

Playoffs

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1 vs. 2

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Friday, February 14, 12:00 pm

Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  John Shuster   1 0 1 0 2 0 4 X X X 8
  Rich Ruohonen 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 X X X 2
Player percentages
  Team Shuster   Team Ruohonen
John Landsteiner 87% Kroy Nernberger 91%
Matt Hamilton 80% Colin Hufman 68%
Chris Plys 86% Greg Persinger 79%
John Shuster 90% Rich Ruohonen 81%
Total 86% Total 79%

3 vs. 4

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Friday, February 14, 12:00 pm

Sheet B 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Dominik Märki   0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 X 2
  Chase Sinnett 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 X 6
Player percentages
  Team Märki   Team Sinnett
Erik Quistgaard 76% Trevor Marquardt 83%
Stephen Dropkin 78% Ethan Sampson 88%
Dominik Märki 77% Sam Strouse 89%
Jason Smith 78% Chase Sinnett 89%
Total 77% Total 87%

Semifinal

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Friday, February 14, 7:00 pm

Sheet D 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  Rich Ruohonen   0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 4 1 9
  Chase Sinnett 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 5
Player percentages
  Team Ruohonen   Team Sinnett
Phil Tilker 90% Trevor Marquardt 87%
Colin Hufman 67% Eli Clawson 84%
Greg Persinger 84% Sam Strouse 71%
Rich Ruohonen 72% Chase Sinnett 78%
Total 78% Total 80%

Final

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Saturday, February 15, 5:00 pm

Sheet C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Final
  John Shuster  1 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 1 1 8
  Rich Ruohonen 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 2 0 0 6
Player percentages
  Team Shuster   Team Ruohonen
John Landsteiner 95% Phil Tilker 86%
Matt Hamilton 79% Colin Hufman 65%
Chris Plys 79% Greg Persinger 57%
John Shuster 83% Rich Ruohonen 85%
Total 84% Total 73%
2020 United States Men's Curling Championship
 
John Shuster
7th United States Championship title

References

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  1. ^ Gewirtz, Jason (Nov 1, 2018). "Spokane to Host 2020 USA Curling National Championship". Sports Travel Magazine. Retrieved Jan 13, 2020.
  2. ^ Schneider, Angela (2020-02-15). "John Shuster caps unbeaten run through USA Curling Nationals with win over Rich Ruohonen in final". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  3. ^ a b "First nine teams qualify to 2020 Nationals". USA Curling. Dec 4, 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-12-27. Retrieved Jan 13, 2020.
  4. ^ "Canadian curling continues to get hammered by novel coronavirus cancellations". The Star. Mar 14, 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-03-15. Retrieved Apr 27, 2020.
  5. ^ "Ruohonen Joins Shuster in Top Page Game". USA Curling. 2020-02-12. Archived from the original on 2020-02-13. Retrieved 2020-02-13.
  6. ^ "2020 Humpty's Champions Cup teams to keep spots for next season". Grand Slam of Curling. Mar 18, 2020. Archived from the original on March 20, 2020. Retrieved Apr 27, 2020.
  7. ^ "2020 Nationals field nearly complete". USA Curling. Jan 5, 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-01-14. Retrieved Jan 13, 2020.
  8. ^ "Challenge Round on tap after New Year". USA Curling. Dec 19, 2019. Archived from the original on 2020-01-14. Retrieved Jan 13, 2020.
  9. ^ Miller, Tom (Jan 2, 2020). "Former Minnesota Viking Jared Allen's curling experiment playing out in Grand Forks". Duluth News Tribune. Archived from the original on 2020-01-03. Retrieved Jan 13, 2020.
  10. ^ "2020 USA Men's Challenge Round – C Event". CurlingZone. Retrieved Jan 13, 2020.
  11. ^ "Qualified teams, 2020 USA Curling National Championships". USA Curling. Archived from the original on 2020-01-14. Retrieved Jan 13, 2020.
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