O’Neill, along with rinkmates, Daniel Bruce, Andrew Bruce and Nathan King, defeated Alex Philips of St. John’s 11-6.
Though they were down 3-0 after the first end, the O’Neill rink fired back with five points in the seventh, three in the sixth, two in the second and one in the third.
Philips put up a pair in the fifth and a single point in the fourth.
The McNeil-Lamswood rink, meanwhile, downed Greg Blyde of St. John’s by an 8-4 score.
McNeil-Lamswood, curling alongside, Craig Laing, Jordan Carter and Matthew English, registered three points in the seventh, along with deuces in the first and third and a single point in the fifth.
Blyde replied with two in the second and single points in the fourth and sixth.
Play in the U18 women’s bracket gets underway today.
U16 Men’s Curling Championship
Corner Brook’s Marcus Ford stands at 1-1 after first day competition at the U16 championship in Gander.
The Ford rink — also consisting of Devon Knight, Andrew Luther and Daniel O’Neill — rocked Gander rink Alex Shea 12-0 in their second game of the tournament.
Ford had five points in the third end, three in the fourth, and deuces in the first and second.
Earlier in the day, Ford was edged 7-6 by Samuel Pittman of Gander.
Ford had built a 6-0 lead on the strength of three in the first and singles in the second, third and fourth ends, but Pittman fired back with a huge six points in the fifth, then a single in the sixth to take the game.
Adam Kendall of the Caribou Curling Club was 0-1 after play on Thursday, dropping a 6-2 decision to Ryan Pryor of Gander.
Kendall, with rinkmates Andrew Duffett, Cameron Caines and Jonah Drake, mustered two points in the second end.
Pryor scored two in the third, with singles coming in the first, fourth, fifth and sixth ends.
U16 women’s play begins today.