Defending champion Kelly Scott and Jennifer Jones of Manitoba clinched playoff berths Wednesday at the Tournament of Hearts.

Both rinks boast 8-1 records through 14 draws at the Enmax Centre in Lethbridge, Alta.

Alberta's Cheryl Bernard slows the sweepers Wednesday at the Hearts.
(Paul Chiasson/Canadian Press)

"We're kind of in control of our own destiny," said Scott, who defeated Jones 8-6 in last year's championship final.

Pending tiebreakers, the top four rinks at the conclusion of the round-robin advance to Friday's Page playoffs, which pit the No. 1 playoff seed against No. 2 with the winner advancing directly to the final.

The loser of the 1-2 playoff faces the winner of the 3-4 playoff in the semifinal.

"Obviously, making the 1-2 game is huge," Scott said. "We're not done yet.

"We still have a few jobs to do to be where we want to be. [But] I really feel like, OK, we're ready for the playoffs."

Scott's Team Canada scored three points over the final two ends to defeat New Brunswick's Sandy Comeau 8-5 in afternoon play.

The Kelowna, B.C., foursome then blitzed Saskatchewan's Jan Betker 8-2 in just eight ends to earn a share of first place with Jones.

Betker, who began the day by beating Comeau 8-1 in seven ends, stands 7-2 overall and is guaranteed at least a tiebreaker, if necessary.   

Jones, who won the Hearts in 2005, clipped Ontario's Krista Scharf 8-5 and annihilated Alberta's Cheryl Bernard 10-3 in seven ends.

"I actually feel like we have a good handle on the ice now," Jones said. "We're getting better with each game and, hopefully, we'll just keep that going."

Four rinks at 5-4

Bernard, who lost the 1996 Hearts final to Marilyn Bodough, surged back into contention by winning four straight games before she was jolted by Jones.

Bernard is 5-4 overall and tied with Scharf, Heather Strong of Newfoundland and Labrador and British Columbia's Kelley Law in the battle for the remaining playoff spots.

Law, who won national and world titles in 2000, erased a 6-3 deficit by rallying for nine points over the final three ends in a 12-7 victory over Kerry Koe of the Northwest Territories and Yukon in Draw 12.

Law later lost 8-7 in an extra end to Strong and, one sheet over, Scharf fell 5-4 to Bernard.

Quebec's Chantal Osborne and Suzanne Gaudet of Prince Edward Island have identical 4-5 records.
 
Koe is 2-7 followed by Nova Scotia's Jill Mouzar at 1-8.

Comeau remains winless at 0-9.

CBC Sports will televise Saturday's semifinal (2:30 p.m. ET) and Sunday's final (1:30 p.m. ET).

With files from the Canadian Press