Team Peterson wins gold at United States curling team trials

SIOUX FALLS - In front of a couple hundred loud, boisterous supporters, Team Peterson moved one step closer to another trip to the Olympics.

Playing with focus, precision and determination, the team skipped by Tabitha Peterson beat Team Cousins 8-4 on Saturday to win the gold medal at U.S. curling team trials at the Denny Sanford Premier Center.

“It feels really good,” said Tara Peterson, Tabitha’s sister. “We are playing well. We just have got to continue that momentum and that mojo and keep it going.”

If they can duplicate their form this week, during which they won seven of eight matches, they should qualify for the Olympic Games, which will be held in February in Milan-Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. It would be Tabitha’s third Olympics and Tara’s second. Both are from Eagan and hail from the St. Paul Curling Club.

But this week’s trials are not the final step. Team Peterson goes to Kelowna, British Columbia, Dec. 6-20 to take part in the final Olympic qualification event. They will compete with eight other nations for one of the two remaining spots in the field.

“This is much closer to our goal,” Tabitha Peterson said.

It would cap a remarkable cycle for the Petersons, who both stepped away from the sport to have children. Tara’s was born in September 2024; Tabitha’s was born around Thanksgiving. Both have managed motherhood while returning to training and looked on top of their games this week.

Team Cousins is skipped by Elizabeth Cousins out of Nashua, N.H. But Annmarie Dubberstein, Cousins’ third, attended the University of Minnesota. Her laughing and occasional dancing were a hit with fans all week.

Team Cousins did well to reach the best-of-three finals but ran into a superior Team Peterson on a mission, losing both games by 8-4 scores.

Cousins’ two-pointer on Saturday brought them within 5-4 through seven ends. But Allison Howell of Team Cousins saw her shot in the eighth end slide through the house without connecting. Tabitha Peterson had the hammer, and her deuce restored a two-point lead.

In the ninth, Cousins needed to tap her own rock to nudge it to the button, but missed everything. Team Peterson got the one-point steal. Cory Thiesse’s takeout with the 11th throw of the 10th made it impossible for Team Cousins to rally. Four times on Saturday, Team Cousins shot through the house without hitting a rock.

Team Peterson shot a sizzling 91% for the game to 76% for Team Cousins. Thiesse, who joined the team for this Olympic cycle, shot 99% to lead everyone.

“And I’ve just had so much fun with these girls the last four years, and we’ve worked really hard to get where we’re at today, and I think we’re just going to continue working hard through Kelowna and hopefully through the Olympics.”