On Sunday evening of the 2021 U.S. Mixed Doubles National Championship, the final two teams of the event, Bear/Stopera and Persinger/Plys met in the final.  

As expected in a contest between the top two mixed doubles teams in a field of 24, the score remained close as both teams exchanged high-level shot making.

Persinger/Plys had a strong opening end of the Championship game, scoring three points with last rock advantage.

In the second end, Bear/Stopera answered with a deuce before forcing Persinger/Plys to a single in the third end.

Another two points scored by Bear/Stopera with hammer in the fourth end evened the score at 4-4 at the halfway mark.

Facing two Bear/Stopera stones in the four-foot when throwing the last rock of the second end, Vicky Persinger drew the pin, scoring a single to start the second half.

Persinger/Plys returned the favor in the sixth end, applying pressure as two of their red rocks sat in the four-foot for Madison Bear’s final stone. Having to throw on a wider line to navigate around a guard, Bear/Stopera managed to outcount only one of the Persinger/Plys stones, resulting in a steal of one.

Trailing by two points in the seventh, Bear/Stopera played an aggressive end in an attempt to generate a multiple score.

Persinger/Plys guarded the heap of stones on the four-foot to eliminate any shot Bear/Stopera could’ve had to score more than a single point. Without a shot on the last stone of the end, Persinger/Plys successfully forced Bear/Stopera to a single point.

Leading by one with hammer in the final end of the game, Persinger/Plys elected to use their power play.

A center guard thrown by Madison Bear provided Bear/Stopera the landscape needed to steal the end as Vicky Persinger’s tick attempt nosed the guard and bumped Madison’s stone to the back of the four foot.

An open takeout on Chris Plys’ last rock of the end positioned Persinger/Plys to sit shot rock halfway in the back of the four-foot.

Needing to steal a point in the final end to send the game into an extra, Bear/Stopera attempted to throw an out-turn draw into the four-foot but came up light, resulting in a National Championship victory for Vicky Persinger and Chris Plys.

Plys and Persinger have grown familiar with the feeling of winning a national championship with their men’s and women’s teams over the past several seasons, but the 2021 U.S. Mixed Doubles National Championship marks their first gold medal as a duo.  

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