The playoffs opened in the Original 16 Cash League on Wednesday night with eight games hitting the ice at the Moose Jaw Ford Curling Centre.

The top-ranked Penny Barker rink, which went 14-1 during the regular season, kicked off the playoffs with an 11-5 win over Shaunna Fritzler to advance into the ‘A’ bracket.

The Joel Jordison rink, which finished second with a 13-2 record, won a close 3-1 game over Barb Wallace.

Warren Marcotte finished third in the regular season standings with an 11-4 record, but they were upset in the opening round. The Marcotte rink lost 6-5 to the Patrick Ackerman rink, which went 3-12 during the regular season.

The fourth ranked Stan Barnsley rink (10-5) also lost its opening game, falling 5-4 to the Joe Gunnis rink (4-11). Gunnis scored one in the eighth to pick-up the win.

Ryan Wenarchuk’s fifth place rink (10-5) scored three in the sixth to pick-up a 7-4 win over Wade Gray (4-11) to advance into the ‘A’ side.

Bob Desjarlais and his sixth place rink (9-6) rolled to an 8-2 win over Donna Ackerman (5-10). A run of three straight steals to end the game was the difference for Desjarlais.

The seventh place Lorraine Arguin rink (9-6) dropped a 5-4 game to the 10th place Ralph Courtnage rink (6-8). Courtnage scored a deuce in the third to take control and despite allowing Arguin to score in three straight ends after that, secured the win with singles in the seventh and eighth.

The Ben Gamble rink, which finished eighth after going 9-6, used a four-point seventh end to roll to a 9-2 win over Murray Stroeder’s ninth place rink (8-7).

The playoffs continue next Wednesday with eight more games hitting the ice at 7:30 p.m.