Mackenzie Zacharias

Mackenzie Zacharias
Curler
Zacharias at the 2022 Players' Championship
Born (1999-06-08) June 8, 1999 (age 25)
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Team
Curling clubAltona CC,
Altona, MB[1]
Curling career
Member Association Manitoba
Hearts appearances3 (2021, 2022, 2023)
Top CTRS ranking3rd (2022–23)
Medal record
Women's Curling
Representing  Canada
World Junior Curling Championships
Gold medal – first place 2020 Krasnoyarsk
Representing  Manitoba
Scotties Tournament of Hearts
Silver medal – second place 2023 Kamloops

Mackenzie Zacharias (born June 8, 1999) is a Canadian curler from Altona, Manitoba.[2] She skipped her Manitoba rink to a gold medal at both the 2020 Canadian Junior Curling Championships and the 2020 World Junior Curling Championships.

Career

Zacharias represented Manitoba at the 2016 U18 International Curling Championships and skipped the rink to gold medal, defeating the other undefeated team New Brunswick's Justine Comeau in the final.[3] She also represented Manitoba the following year at the 2017 Canadian U18 Curling Championships where they finished with a 4–4 record.

Zacharias won her first Manitoba junior title in 2019. She skipped her rink to a fifth-place finish at the 2019 Canadian Junior Curling Championships. The following year, she and her sister Emily Zacharias brought on Karlee Burgess and Lauren Lenentine to the team. They would win the Manitoba juniors once again and represent Manitoba at the national championship. They would not have any loses at the 2020 Canadian Junior Curling Championships, completing a perfect 11–0 week by defeating Alberta's Abby Marks in the final. At the world junior championships, they defeated South Korea's Kim Min-ji to claim the gold medal.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, many provinces had to cancel their provincial championships, with member associations selecting their representatives for the 2021 Scotties Tournament of Hearts. Due to this situation, Curling Canada added three Wild Card teams to the national championship, which were based on the CTRS standings from the 2019–20 season.[4] Because Team Zacharias ranked 11th on the CTRS[5] and kept at least three of their four players together for the 2020–21 season, they got the second Wild Card spot at the 2021 Scotties in Calgary, Alberta.[6] At the Hearts, Zacharias led her team to a 3–5 round robin record, failing to qualify for the championship round.[7]

Team Zacharias won their second event of the 2021–22 season, going undefeated to capture the Mother Club Fall Curling Classic.[8] They later had a semifinal finish at the Stu Sells Toronto Tankard after losing to eventual winners Team Hollie Duncan. Because of their successes on tour, Team Zacharias had enough points to qualify for the 2021 Canadian Olympic Curling Pre-Trials.[9] At the Pre-Trials, the team finished the round robin with a 4–2 record.[10] This qualified them for the double knockout round, where they lost both of their games and were eliminated.[11] Elsewhere on tour, the team reached the quarterfinals of the Red Deer Curling Classic and won the MCT Championships in November 2021.[12] At the 2022 Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts in December 2021, Team Zacharias finished with a 3–2 record in their pool, enough to advance to the championship pool. They then won three straight games to finish first overall and earn a bye to the provincial final.[13] In the final, they faced the Kristy Watling rink which they defeated 7–5, earning the right to represent Manitoba at the 2022 Scotties Tournament of Hearts.[14] At the Hearts, Zacharias led her team to a 5–3 record.[15] This qualified them for a tiebreaker against the Northwest Territories' Kerry Galusha, which they lost 8–6 and were eliminated.[16] Team Zacharias played in their first Grand Slam event at the 2022 Players' Championship. There, they posted a 2–3 record, missing the playoffs. They wrapped up their season at the 2022 Best of the West event where they lost in the semifinals to Corryn Brown.

On March 17, 2022, Team Zacharias announced that they would be joining forces with Jennifer Jones for the 2022–23 season. Jones would take over the team as skip, with the four Zacharias members each moving down one position in the lineup.[17] The newly revised Jones lineup found immediate success on tour, winning the 2022 Saville Shoot-Out after an undefeated run.[18] The team then competed in the 2022 PointsBet Invitational single elimination event where they won all four of their games to claim the title.[19] They had three semifinal finishes in a row at the 2022 Curlers Corner Autumn Gold Curling Classic, 2022 Stu Sells 1824 Halifax Classic and the DeKalb Superspiel, losing to Michèle Jäggi, Christina Black and Nancy Martin respectively. At the 2023 Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts, Team Jones went undefeated to win their first provincial title as a new squad.[20] This qualified the team for the 2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts where after an opening draw loss, they went on a ten-game winning streak to qualify for the final where they faced the three-time defending champions in Team Kerri Einarson. Tied 2–2 in the fifth, Jones pulled up light on her final draw which gave Team Canada a steal of two. In the ninth, Jones missed a pivotal freeze which left Einarson with an open hit to count five to secure the win.[21] In Grand Slam play, Team Jones reached the playoffs in four of six events but never made it past the quarterfinal round.

Following the 2022–23 season, Zacharias announced she would be stepping back from competitive curling.[22] She did compete in one event during the 2023–24 season, however, the 2024 Manitoba Scotties Tournament of Hearts where she was the alternate for the Kate Cameron rink.[23] The team finished 6–2 through the round robin and championship round. This qualified them for the semifinal, where they lost 8–4 to Beth Peterson.[24]

Personal life

Zacharias is currently a Kinesiology student at the University of Manitoba and is a fitness trainer at 9Round Kickboxing Fitness.[25]

Grand Slam record

Key
C Champion
F Lost in Final
SF Lost in Semifinal
QF Lost in Quarterfinals
R16 Lost in the round of 16
Q Did not advance to playoffs
T2 Played in Tier 2 event
DNP Did not participate in event
N/A Not a Grand Slam event that season
Event 2021–22 2022–23
The National DNP QF
Tour Challenge DNP Q
Masters DNP QF
Canadian Open N/A QF
Players' Q Q
Champions Cup DNP QF

Year-by-year statistics

Year Team Position Event Finish Record Pct.[a]
2016 Zacharias Skip Manitoba Juniors 3rd 6–3[26] –
2016 Zacharias (ACC) Skip Manitoba STOH T12th 1–6[27] –
2016 Manitoba (Zacharias) Skip U18 International 1st 7–0[28]  –
2017 Zacharias Skip Manitoba Juniors 3rd 6–3[29] –
2017 Manitoba (Zacharias) Skip Canadian U18 6th 4–4 63[30]
2018[b] Zacharias Skip Manitoba Juniors 3rd 7–2[31] –
2018 Zacharias (ACC) Skip Manitoba STOH T5th 4–3[32] –
2019 Zacharias Skip Manitoba Juniors 1st 9–1[33] –
2019 Manitoba (Zacharias) Skip Canadian Juniors 5th 6–4 77[34]
2020 Zacharias Skip Manitoba Juniors 1st 9–0[35] –
2020 Manitoba (Zacharias) Skip Canadian Juniors 1st 11–0 85[36]
2020 Canada (Zacharias) Skip World Juniors 1st 9–2 80[37]
2021 Wild Card #2 (Zacharias) Skip 2021 STOH T12th 3–5 68[38]
2021 Zacharias Skip COCT – Pre T5th 4–4 77[39]
2022[c] Zacharias (ACC) Skip Manitoba STOH 1st 7–2[40] –
2022 Manitoba (Zacharias) Skip 2022 STOH 7th 5–4 75[41]
2023 Jones (SVCC/ACC) Second Manitoba STOH 1st 9–0[42] –
2023 Manitoba (Jones) Second 2023 STOH 2nd 10–2 82[43]
Scotties Tournament of Hearts Totals 18–11 76

Teams

Season Skip Third Second Lead
2015–16[44] Mackenzie Zacharias Morgan Reimer Emily Zacharias Jenessa Rutter
2016–17 Mackenzie Zacharias Morgan Reimer Emily Zacharias Jenessa Rutter
2017–18 Mackenzie Zacharias Gaetanne Gauthier Emily Zacharias Ashley Groff
2018–19 Mackenzie Zacharias Lauryn Kuzyk Emily Zacharias Caitlyn Labossiere
2019–20 Mackenzie Zacharias Karlee Burgess Emily Zacharias Lauren Lenentine
2020–21 Mackenzie Zacharias Karlee Burgess Emily Zacharias Lauren Lenentine
2021–22 Mackenzie Zacharias Karlee Burgess Emily Zacharias Lauren Lenentine
2022–23 Jennifer Jones Karlee Burgess Mackenzie Zacharias Emily Zacharias/Lauren Lenentine

Notes

  1. ^ Round robin only
  2. ^ Event occurred in the 2017 calendar year, but was billed as the 2018 edition.
  3. ^ Event occurred in the 2021 calendar year, but was billed as the 2022 edition.

References

  1. ^ "Mackenzie Zacharias Profile". Curling Canada. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  2. ^ "2021 Scotties Tournament of Hearts Media Guide" (PDF). Curling Canada. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 15, 2021. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  3. ^ "2016 U18 International Curling Championships". CurlingZone. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  4. ^ "Three wild-card teams added to Scotties, Brier". TSN. January 13, 2021. Archived from the original on February 9, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  5. ^ "2019–20 CTRS Standings". Curling Canada. Archived from the original on February 22, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  6. ^ "Wild Card teams set!". Curling Canada. February 1, 2021. Archived from the original on February 8, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  7. ^ "Scotties Tournament of Hearts: Scores, standings, schedule". Sportsnet. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021.
  8. ^ "Weagle/Epping clinch!". Curling Canada. September 20, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  9. ^ "2021 Trials proceess revised". Curling Canada. February 4, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  10. ^ "Still in the chase!". Curling Canada. October 29, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  11. ^ "Qualified!". Curling Canada. October 30, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  12. ^ "Zacharias and Wiebe win Manitoba tour titles". thecurler. November 28, 2021. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  13. ^ Clayton Dreger (December 18, 2021). "Team Zacharias Advances to Provincial Scotties Final". PembinaValley. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  14. ^ Jonathan Brazeau (December 19, 2021). "Mackenzie Zacharias to represent Manitoba at Scotties Tournament of Hearts". Sportsnet. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  15. ^ "2022 Scotties Tournament of Hearts: Standings, schedule and results". Sportsnet. January 28, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  16. ^ "Playoff quest realized!". Curling Canada. February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
  17. ^ "Jennifer Jones announces the new curling team she will join". CTV News Winnipeg. March 17, 2022. Retrieved June 21, 2022.
  18. ^ "Jones edges Homan to capture Saville Shoot-Out, first win with new team". TSN. September 11, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  19. ^ "Jennifer Jones, Reid Carruthers win PointsBet curling titles". CBC Sports. September 25, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  20. ^ "Jennifer Jones returns to Canadian women's curling championship in Manitoba colours". CTV News Winnipeg. January 30, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  21. ^ "Team Einarson use five-ender to crush Manitoba's Jones, win fourth straight Scotties". TSN. February 27, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  22. ^ "M. Zacharias taking "step back" from Team Jones next season". TSN. April 10, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
  23. ^ "2024 Scotties Tournament of Hearts presented by Rocky Mountain Equipment – Team Cameron". Curl Manitoba. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  24. ^ "Lawes, Peterson, Cameron advance to Scotties Playoffs". Curl Manitoba. January 27, 2024. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  25. ^ "2022 Scotties Tournament of Hearts Media Guide" (PDF). Curling Canada. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
  26. ^ "Zacharias 6–1 at 2016 Manitoba Canola Junior Women's". CurlingZone. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  27. ^ "Zacharias 1–6 at 2016 Manitoba Scotties". CurlingZone. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  28. ^ "Zacharias 5–0 at 2016 Optimist U18 Women's International". CurlingZone. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  29. ^ "Zacharias 6–1 at 2017 Manitoba Canola Junior Women". CurlingZone. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  30. ^ "2017 Canadian U18 Girls Curling Championship: Reports: Cumulative Statistics By Team". Curling Canada. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  31. ^ "Zacharias 6–1 at 2018 Manitoba Canola Junior Women's Provincials". CurlingZone. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  32. ^ "Zacharias 4–3 at 2018 Manitoba Scotties". CurlingZone. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  33. ^ "CHAMPION: Zacharias Wins 2019 Manitoba Canola Junior Provincials". CurlingZone. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  34. ^ "2019 New Holland Canadian Juniors—Women: Reports: Cumulative Statistics By Team". Curling Canada. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  35. ^ "CHAMPION: Zacharias Wins 2020 Manitoba Telus Junior Women's Provincials". CurlingZone. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  36. ^ "2020 New Holland Canadian Juniors—Women: Reports: Cumulative Statistics By Team". Curling Canada. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  37. ^ "World Junior Curling Championships 2020: Women: Statistics". World Curling Federation. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  38. ^ "2021 Scotties Tournament of Hearts: Reports: Cumulative Statistics By Team". Curling Canada. Archived from the original on August 30, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  39. ^ "2021 Home Hardware Curling Pre-Trials – Women: Reports: Cumulative Statistics By Team". Curling Canada. October 29, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  40. ^ "CHAMPION: Zacharias Wins Manitoba Scotties". CurlingZone. Retrieved December 29, 2021.
  41. ^ "2022 Scotties Tournament of Hearts: Reports: Cumulative Statistics By Team". Curling Canada. February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  42. ^ "2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts Presented by Rocky Mountain Equipment: Teams: Jones". CurlManitoba. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  43. ^ "2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts: Reports: Cumulative Statistics By Team". Curling Canada. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  44. ^ "Mackenzie Zacharias Past Teams". CurlingZone. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2020.