SIOUX FALLS — Team Danny Casper won the day on Thursday at the U.S. Olympic Trials and with it a spot opposite John Shuster’s rink in the best-of-three finals to determine which American rink continues to have a chance at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Casper, a native of New York state now based in Chaska, Minnesota, and his team of Luc Violette (Edmonds, Washington), Ben Richardson (Issaquah, Washington) and Aidan Oldenburg, defeated Korey Dropkin’s rink 10-6 on Thursday afternoon in a pivotal match at Denny Sanford Premier Center.

It was 6-6 after eight ends when Casper scored two with the “hammer” (last-shot advantage) in the ninth, then scored a steal of two without it to clinch the victory.

Casper’s team then sent Team Caden Hebert home without a win in six attempts in an 8-5 decision

See Full Page