WINNIPEG -- Jennifer Jones zipped up her red jacket with the word Canada on the front of it and couldnt stop smiling. The veteran Winnipeg skip finally earned the right to represent Canada at the Olympics in Sochi, Russia next year with an 8-4 victory over Sherry Middaugh in the Canadian Curling Trials final Saturday night. "Its pretty cool," Jones said with a laugh when asked what it was like to wear the jacket. "Love it. Yup, yup, cant wait for more." The 39-year-old has curled for 28 years, winning four Canadian championships and gold at the 2008 worlds and bronze in 2010, but never came close to wearing the maple leaf at the biggest sporting event. This was her third Trials event, and the first time she even made the playoffs. "This is one of the best, if not the best, moments of our curling careers," Jones told the partisan crowd of 8,565 at MTS Centre during the medal presentation. Jones is supported by third Kaitlyn Lawes, long-time second Jill Officer, Dawn McEwen and alternate Kirsten Wall. "We worked so hard for three years and its one game and it comes down to a couple of shots here and there and today we made them," Jones later told reporters. "Its hard to believe. But my team played outstanding." Officer and Jones began curling together in 1992, with Officer taking a four-year break to go to school and move to Brandon. "Its pushing 20 years," a teary-eyed Officer, who curled 99 per cent, said. "Absolutely, were totally like sisters. " "Its just so amazing to share it with her and to share it with Kaitlyn and Dawn, too. We just have such great dynamics on this team. We just love playing with each other." McEwen joined the rink in 2008 and Lawes in 2010. Middaugh, 47, who curls out of Coldwater, Ont., hasnt finished higher than third at a Scotties Tournament of Hearts national championship, but did win one of five Canada Cup events. Her rink includes third Jo-Ann Rizzo, second Lee Merklinger, lead Leigh Armstrong and alternate Lori Eddy. Jones had defeated Middaugh 9-7 in this weeks Roar of the Rings round-robin play. While Jones ended the round robin 6-1 and earned a bye into the final, Middaugh opened 1-3 and then finished 4-3, beating Winnipegs Chelsea Carey in a tie-breaker and then reigning Canadian champion Rachel Homan of Ottawa 10-4 in the semifinal. "The final itself isnt a highlight, obviously, but the week itself was, considering that we werent considered one of the favourites," Middaugh said. In the final clash of veterans, Jones scored two three-enders. For her first triple points, Jones capitalized on a Middaugh mistake in the second end. Middaugh was heavy on a draw and went through the house. Jones then used her last rock to make a double takeout. "We put it in a good spot and Jennifers probably forced to take one and then it could be a totally different game," Middaugh said of the end. Middaugh made a hit and roll for two in the sixth, needing a measurement for the second point to close the gap 4-3. But in the seventh end, with Middaughs last rock sitting on the button, Jones used the hammer for a hit for three to go up 7-4. Jones curled 91 per cent, while Middaugh was 78 per cent. The long-time curlers are also connected off the ice. Jones is a lawyer for National Bank Financial and her partner, Brent Laing, is second for Glenn Howards rink. She and Laing are parents to a one-year-old daughter, Isabella. Middaugh is a bookkeeper and married to Wayne Middaugh, the third for Howards rink. Jones started to choke up when she talked about her mother, Carol, looking after Isabella all week as the little one was sick. Laing said theyll get the logistics figured out so he can support Jones in Russia. "Its super exciting," Laing said. "Nobody deserves it more than these four girls. And nobody works harder than they do and nobody has prepared better than they have. "Ive been a part of it for the last two years and I can honestly say that Ive never met a curling team that worked so hard at the game on and off the ice. "Sometimes you get what you deserve and thats always fun to see. And these girls got today what they deserved." Cheryl Bernard represented Canada at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, winning a silver after a loss to Sweden. On the mens side of the Trials, an Olympic dream moved a step closer to reality for John Morris, as he handed his former skip a ticket home. And Kevin Martin said he had no one to blame but himself. Morris and Brad Jacobs will square off in the mens final Sunday. "Either my first or second one in six, that was the game-breaker," said Martin. "We force them to one there, weve got all the momentum going into seven." Instead, Martin lost 7-5, letting Morris score a deuce in six and another in eight, then losing the hammer in nine when he failed to blank on an open hit. It was a sweet win for Morris, who took over as skip this year on Jim Cotters B.C. rink with the Olympics in his sights. Cotter moved to third, although he still throws fourth rocks. "It feels great, its been a real grind of a year . . . We seem to be playing our best curling right now and Im just real proud of the guys," he said. He gave full marks to Cotter. Martin said he was surprised at the shots Cotter made. As the strategist, Morris watched his former skip all week and put a rock in the one spot in nine where Martin had nosed one earlier in the round robin. Martin, who was trying for his fourth trip to the Olympics, kept his composure but said this will be his last trials. A frustrated Marc Kennedy, Martins second, couldnt hide his feelings as he smashed his broom into shards in the hallway after he left the ice. Lead Ben Hebert said Martin kept them in the hunt all week (they lost only once to Jacobs). "Kevin was the best player here all week, standing on his head just to keep us in it, thats the reason we were 6-1, and he didnt play good today," he said, adding that he isnt giving up on a return trip to the Olympics, after winning gold with Martin in 2010. "The game should have been over after five or six and we let them off the hook." Morris, who was also part of that 2010 gold-medal team, said they knew they werent favoured to win. "We didnt mind the underdog tag and we knew what we were capable of." As for the future of the team if they dont beat Jacobs Sunday, Cotter said that remains up in the air. "Weve talked about the future and who knows," he said. "Were focusing on this moment here and now and what our game plan is going to be tomorrow. Were just going to go out and try and play our best game." Their best game will be needed against Brier winner Jacobs, who swept the field in the round robin, handing Martin his only loss, to move directly to the final. "We just need to keep doing what weve been doing," said Jacobs, who practised Saturday. "Everyone is throwing the rock great on this team . . . We just need to come out and perform like weve performed all week and let the chips fall where they may." Charlie Brown jersey . -- Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo is going to the Pro Bowl as a replacement for San Francisco 49ers linebacker Ahmad Brooks. Charlie Brown Hawks Jersey . Dirk Nowitzki scored 25 points, Shawn Marion had 22 and the Mavericks beat undermanned Philadelphia 124-112 Friday night, handing the 76ers their 10th straight loss. https://www.thehawkslockerroom.com/Josh-...Edition-Jersey/. -- At the beginning of training camp, Andrew Bogut set a goal to play all 82 regular-season games and regain his place among the NBAs best centres. Mike Bibby Jersey . According to TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie, the deal will pay Schenn $2.25 million in the first year and $2.75 million in the second year. In 82 games with the Flyers in 2013-14, Schenn scored 20 goals and added 21 assists. Ray Spalding jersey . The Wild, playing their first game since leading scorer Mikko Koivu broke his ankle Saturday at Washington, have won three straight for the first time since Nov. 1-5. Koivu underwent surgery on Monday and is expected to miss at least four weeks.ANAHEIM, Calif. -- C.J. Wilson doesnt throw a complete game very often. And both times he has, its been against the Tampa Bay Rays. The Los Angeles Angels left-hander scattered five hits in his second career shutout and Grant Green homered in a 6-0 victory Saturday night. Wilson threw 127 pitches, struck out five and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the seventh by inducing his third double-play grounder of the game. "I happened to throw a lot of pitches because I can manipulate my mechanics to take stress off here and there, try to change speeds and not throw every pitch as hard as I can," Wilson said. "I was throwing the ball harder in the eighth and ninth than I was in the sixth and seventh. You reserve a little bit in the tank, and then youre able to kind of let it loose." Two seasons ago, the Angels built an 8-0 lead for Wilson against Tampa Bay before he allowed seven runs in the fifth inning and ended up with a no-decision as the Rays won 10-8 at Angel Stadium. This time, there would be no comeback. "Theyre a weird team," Wilson said. "They swing the bats and theyre very aggressive -- but sometimes when theyre ahead in the count, they wont chase anything. So you have to throw really, really good strikes. "The guy that hits me really well is Ben Zobrist, and hes not in the lineup (because of a dislocated thumb), so I was a little excited about that. Ive made some bad pitches to him over the years. (Evan) Longoria hit a home run off me a couple of years ago -- and Im still chapped about that. So you remember some of the successes and failures against the individual guys." The two-time All-Star lefty has made 80 starts since his previous shutout and complete game, which was at Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sept. 6, 2011, while pitching for Texas. The former Rangers reliever was converted into a starter in 2010, and has gone the distance seven times in 149 career starts. "Id been campaigning for that for two years," Wilson said. "Id been knocking on the door and it finally opened, so I felt like I broke through. As a starter, youve got to be committed to being physically fit and also mentally prepared." Wilson (5-3), who came in leading the majors with 116.3 pitches per start, threw just 75 through the first six innings before singles by Longoria and Yunel Escobar and a walk to Logan Forsythe loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. But Rays RBI leader James Loney grounded into a double play on the next pitch. "I made a couple of pitches with guys on base to get out of jams, aand that was huge," Wilson said.dddddddddddd"But the defence really bailed me out more than anything. They made some really good plays behind me. And the offence gave me six runs to work with, which is plenty -- especially when its in the first three innings like that." Cesar Ramos (1-3) lasted only 35 pitches, getting charged with four runs and four hits through 1 1-3 innings in his seventh start since he was inserted into the rotation to replace the injured Matt Moore. Howie Kendrick, who entered with a .363 career average against Tampa Bay, opened the scoring in the first with an RBI single and Erick Aybar hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly two batters later. In the second, Ramos plunked No. 9 hitter Luis Jimenez just below the left knee with a pitch that bounced on the grass first. Collin Cowgill followed with a sharp single to the right of shortstop Escobar and continued to second on rookie centre fielder Kevin Kiermaiers throw to third. Manager Joe Maddon lifted Ramos at that point and brought in Brandon Gomes, who gave up a sacrifice fly to Mike Trout and an opposite-field ground-rule double by Albert Pujols that landed just inside the right field line. It was Pujols 535th career double, breaking a tie with Lou Gehrig for 34th place. It also ended an RBI drought of nine games and 39 at-bats by the two-time NL MVP since his run-scoring single against the Yankees Shawn Kelley on May 6 at Angel Stadium. "The bounced hit batter, I was kind of concerned about that -- and I thought it was really important to keep it where it was," Maddon said. "In general, we just have not been hitting lefties well. And if you look at Wilsons overall numbers against the guys in this particular lineup, I didnt see us scoring a whole lot of runs against him." Green, who came to the Angels last July in a trade that sent Alberto Callaspo to Oakland, made it 6-0 in the third with his homer to left-centre after a two-out double by Chris Iannetta. Green has two home runs in 174 career at-bats. The other one came on Sept. 2, 2013, a solo shot against Tampa Bays Josh Lueke at Angel Stadium as a pinch-hitter for Aybar. NOTES: Lueke was brought in to face Trout with the bases loaded in the sixth and struck him out. He then retired Pujols on a fielders choice grounder to short for the third out. ... Kiermaier, who was recalled from Triple-A Durham after CF Desmond Jennings went on the bereavement list following Friday nights loss, singled in the sixth for his first major league hit. ' ' '