Six Foothills teams are off to the Under-18 District Curling playdowns at the Calgary Curling Club this weekend.

Riley Helston, throws third stones for the Jacob Libbus rink out of the Oilfields Curling Club in Black Diamond.

He says after finishing second in Provincials last year, their incentive to go back this year is easy.

"The motivation of being able to play a similar season to last season. And coming out to perform and get better. It doesn't feel like a drag or a grind or anything."

The Oilfields rinks of Libbus and Jared Palaniuk practice together all the time, and are great friends, but Palanuik's third, Liam Purcell says when they hit the ice it's definitely "Friends Off!"

"It goes all out the door, and tensions get high. Yeah, there's a rivalry for sure."

The five men's and one women's teams from Oilfields, Okotoks and Claresholm hit the ice Friday January 20, starting at 4:15 P.M.

The top eight men's and women's teams qualify for the Southern Alberta playdowns next month in Lethbridge.

Okotoks Curling Club:

Gio Wright - Skip
Garrett Johnston - Third
Aaron Brown - Second
Hunter Kish - Lead

Michael Steele - Skip
Cailen Knopp - Third
Max Murchison - Second
Graham Barnouw - Lead

Claresholm Curling Club:

Robbie Hoffman - Skip
Nolan Wever - Third
Raymond Cox - Second
Dyson Lytwyn - Lead

Claresholm Ladies:

Kateri Blair - Skip
Brynn Torrens - Third
Courtney Slaughter - Second
Taylor Rae - Lead

Oilfields Curling Club:

Jacob Libbus - Skip
Riley Helston - Third
Pacen Anderson - Second
Tyler McWillie - Lead

Jared Palanuik - Skip
Liam Purcell - Third
Nicholas Warkman - Second
Ben Helston - Lead