The opening ceremony.

PHOTO: ADAM DAY

It was a crushing victory for the hometown boys at the Dominion Command Darts Championship held at the F.E. Butler Branch in Chester, N.S., May 4-5. The veteran team from Centennial Branch in Dartmouth, N.S., were raucous, overpowering and unflinching in their charge to take the 2013 national championship. And in singles there was a similarly masterful display for Ontario’s John Verwey, who closed out his championship match with three of the best darts this reporter has ever witnessed.

To begin, however, on Saturday morning the players readied themselves for action with a brisk parade around the branch. Local recording artist Amanda Riley sweetly led a rendition of O Canada. Dominion Command Sports Committee Chairman Ed Pigeau and Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command President Jean Marie Deveaux joined branch President Dave Hume in a wreath-placing ceremony.

As a measure of the quality of play at this year’s championship, it has to be said that there were no less than ten 180s thrown in the doubles competition. The Quebec team of Sebastien Gagnon and Jerry Hull from LaSalle Branch won the doubles with some ease, finishing with a total of 23 points. Some distance back in second place with 18 points were Darryl Chiasson and Steve Russell from Jubilee Branch in Calgary representing Alberta-Northwest Territories Command. In third with 16 points were Shane Patrick and Darryl Scott from Sir Sam Hughes Branch in Lindsay, Ont.

N.S./Nunavut’s Paul LaQuant throws a dart during team competition.

PHOTO: ADAM DAY

The singles competition on Saturday afternoon could hardly have been tighter. With a couple of matches remaining there were four players in contention. Ontario’s John Verwey from Blythe Branch was in the lead with 15 points but Nova Scotia/Nunavut’s Rod Snow from Centennial Branch, was right behind him with 14. Meanwhile, Saskatchewan’s Gerry Rorick from Rosetown Branch and Manitoba-Northwestern Ontario’s Scott Sansom from Selkirk, Man., Branch still had a shot as they were sitting at 12.

In a terrifically close final round, Snow managed to come from a big deficit in his final game to clinch an all-important point and tie Verwey for the lead, setting up a playoff for the championship.

With every player and spectator crowded around board five, Snow maintained his momentum in the first game, taking it quickly as Verwey faltered hard on the double-in. The second game went to a resurgent Verwey, setting up a climactic final. It was Snow’s turn to struggle with the double-in as Verwey sprinted to a lead.

Dominion Vice-President Ed Pigeau, team champions Jerry Myles, Paul LaQuant, Rod Snow, Chris Steiger and branch President Dave Hume.

PHOTO: ADAM DAY

Snow finally got his double, but Verwey was sitting 141 on the board. In an absolutely fantastic turn, Verwey hit a triple 20, a triple 19 and a double 12 to secure the national darts championship for 2013.

Verwey is no stranger to high-pressure darts competitions, having made the finals of the Canadian national championships in 2004 and making several trips to the world championships. He won the Legion singles championships in 2007, 2009 and 2012.

What made Verwey’s spectacular close all the more spectacular was that just a game before he seemed unable to even make the double-in to begin the match. “I was struggling with that all day,” said Verwey after winning. “I tried four or five times in that first game and it just wasn’t happening.”

As for his final display of darts, Verwey just smiled. “It was a load off my shoulders,” he said, “you might only get one chance to do it so let it go.”

While no stranger to national and even international competition, Verwey says the Legion contest is among his favourite tournaments. “It’s just about the camaraderie,” he said. “No bickering, no cheating.”

Before the highly anticipated team event on Sunday morning there was the small matter of the traditional East Coast surf-and-turf banquet held at the branch on Saturday night. It was, by all accounts, a tremendous success.

Ontario’s John Verwey wins the singles championships.

PHOTO: ADAM DAY

On Sunday morning, at just about the halfway point of the team event, Nova Scotia/Nunavut was in the lead and distinguishing itself with nearly flawless play, having won 17 out of a possible 18 points. The team from Centennial Branch had singles finalist Rod Snow leading the way for teammates Jerry Myles, Paul LaQuant and Chris Steiger.

Not too far behind, however, was the team from Sunny Brae Branch in Moncton, N.B.– Robert Fougere, Terry Fougere, Vic LeBlanc and Donald Vautour–with 13 points.

In the end, the Nova Scotians managed to keep up their high level of play and clinched the championship before the last round even began, standing as they were with 22 points. New Brunswick was still there in the hunt with 18, but with only three points to be scored per round, there was no way to make up the difference.

After all the prizes were handed out and the barbecue officially ignited for the final post-tourney party, Pigeau took a moment to reflect on a successful weekend. “The level of camaraderie and sportsmanship at the Dominion darts tournament, while it does not exceed others, is not exceeded by others,” he said. “Darts is certainly one of the premiere events in part because of the way it’s structured with singles, doubles and teams, the way the teams support each other and root for each other whether they’re opponents or not, whether they’re winning or losing.

“Darts is one of the most heavily played games in all levels of the Legion and I think many branches are supported by their darts player,” concluded Pigeau. “It’s a huge program overall.”

Results

Team: N.S./Nunavut (Centennial Br., Dartmouth) 23; N.B. (Sunny Brae Br., Moncton) 20; Ont. (Col. Alex Thompson Memorial Br., Mississauga) 16; Nfld.-Lab. (Channel Br., Channel-Port aux Basques) 15; Que. (LaSalle Br.) 15; Alta.-N.W.T. (Jubilee Br., Calgary) 11; Sask. (Moose Jaw Br.) 11; B.C./Yukon (Chemainus Br.) 10; P.E.I. (Charlottetown Br.) 8; Man.-N.W.O. (Elmwood Br., Winnipeg) 6.

Doubles: Que. (Sebastien Gagnon, Gerald Hull, LaSalle Br.) 23; Alta.-N.W.T. (Darryl Chiasson, Steve Russell, Jubilee Br.) 18; Ont. (Shane Patrick, Darryl Scott, Sir Sam Hughes Br., Lindsay) 16; Nfld.-Lab. (Guy Bobbett, Richard LeRiche, Channel Br.) 15; Sask. (John Brann, Curt Gamble, Moose Jaw Br.) 15; Man.-N.W.O. (Doug Dion, Ryan Tkach, West Kildonan Br., Winnipeg) 12; P.E.I. (Frank Cudmore, Peter Holden, Charlottetown Br.) 10; B.C./Yukon (George Mackin, Ken Wilson, West Point Grey Br., Vancouver) 10; N.B. (Kevin Bailey, Scott Tracy, Blacks Harbour Br.) 9; N.S./Nunavut (Seymour Dixon, Bruce Young, Stellarton Br.) 8.

Singles: Ont. (John Verwey, Blythe Br.) 20; N.S./Nunavut (Rod Snow, Centennial Br.) 19; Man.-N.W.O. (Scott Sansom, Selkirk Br.) 15; Alta.-N.W.T. (Gardner Poucette, Jubilee Br.) 15; Sask. (Gerry Rorick, Rosetown Br.) 13; N.B. (Terry McAuley, Oromocto Br.) 11; Que. (Kevin MacArthur, LaSalle Br.) 11; Nfld.-Lab. (Tom Brake, Channel Br.) 11; P.E.I. (Darren MacNevin, Charlottetown Br.) 11;  B.C./Yukon (Barry Davies, Nanaimo Br.) 10.