The Eau Claire Curling Club's Team Hebert has solidified its status as a junior curling dynasty, capturing gold at the USA Curling Junior U20 National Championships in Bismarck, North Dakota. This victory marks their second consecutive national title, a testament to their relentless drive and skill on the ice.
Just one month after their triumphant gold medal performance at the 2026 Junior World Curling Championships, the quartet of Caden Hebert, Jack Wendtland, Benji Paral, and Jackson Bestland returned to the top of the podium. They secured the championship with a decisive 5-2 victory over Team Grabow, earning the right to represent the United States once again at the 2027 World Junior Curling Championships.
"Being back-to-back champions feels amazing, but there is also a sense of relief that we get to defend our world championship next February," said coach Mike Peplinski, capturing the team's mix of pride and renewed focus.
The players echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the unique pressure of being the team to beat. "Every team was there to beat us, it felt like. We got everyone’s best game," said skip Caden Hebert. "To bring our team back to worlds and to have a world championship to look forward to is incredible."
This national crown is the latest achievement in an incredible run of form for the young squad. Since breaking through for their first junior national gold last year, they have collected a silver at the 2025 World University Games, won the 2025 World Junior-B Championships, and even competed at the 2025 Olympic Trials. Benji Paral added another accolade, winning the Junior Mixed Doubles National Championship last month with teammate Ella Wendling.
Despite their pedigree, the path in Bismarck wasn't without its challenges. The team admitted to feeling the weight of expectations and a bit of fatigue from their grueling schedule. "It took us a couple games to get back into our rhythm," noted Jackson Bestland. They dropped only one match all week, finding their championship gear just in time to defend their title and continue building their legacy in the sport.