The victory represents a major milestone for both King and the Tillsonburg Curling Club.
The Tillsonburg Curling Club will be represented on the national curling stage after Jayden King captured the men’s title at the 2026 Ontario Tankard.
King, who is originally from Courtland, led his Tillsonburg-based team to a 9–6 victory over defending champion Sam Mooibroek of the Whitby Curling Club in the championship final. With the win, Team King claimed the Ontario men’s championship and earned a berth at the 2026 Montana’s Brier, marking the team’s first appearance at Canada’s national men’s curling championship.
The final was decided in dramatic fashion during the 10th end. Holding an 8–6 lead, King faced pressure with Mooibroek holding hammer and multiple stones in play. King delivered a key final shot — a double takeout that rolled into a protected position — forcing Mooibroek into a difficult attempt to score two and extend the game. Mooibroek’s final stone caught a guard, ending the contest and securing the Tankard title for Team King.
Team King advanced to the playoffs by winning the A Event and maintained steady control throughout the championship round. King is joined by vice Dylan Niepage, second Owen Henry, and lead Victor Pietrangelo, forming a young and competitive lineup with an average age of just 22.
The victory represents a major milestone for both King and the Tillsonburg Curling Club. Two years earlier, King came within a single point of winning the Tankard, losing 8–7 in the final. That experience proved valuable this time around, as the team displayed composure in a high-pressure environment against one of Ontario’s top curling squads.
Now, as Ontario champions, Team King will travel east to compete at the Montana’s Brier, scheduled for February 27 to March 8, 2026, in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Representing the Tillsonburg Curling Club on the national stage, the team enters the Brier as one of the youngest in the field — and as a legitimate contender in Canadian men’s curling.
