Brier heads back to Alberta

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This article was published 15/03/2010 (5895 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

HALIFAX — Alberta flexed its mighty curling muscles for the third straight year and seventh time in the last 10 as Kevin Koe wrestled away the 2010 Tim Hortons Brier championship in spectacular, gritty fashion.

The Edmonton Saville Centre foursome, which includes third Blake MacDonald, second Carter Rycroft and lead Nolan Thiessen, proved most curling fans and critics wrong, upsetting previously undefeated Glenn Howard 6-5 in an extra-end thriller Sunday night at the Halifax Metro Centre.

Koe drew a piece of the button for the victory and joins back-to-back victor Kevin Martin (the last two years) and four-time winner Randy Ferbey, who also both hail from the Saville Centre, as national champions from Alberta since 2000.

Koe also became the first Brier rookie to win the title since Manitoba’s Vic Peters managed the feat in 1992.

“It’s awesome for this team. It’s been a long time coming to just get to a Brier,” said a relieved Koe. “To come through in our first one and win it and to beat Glenn Howard, one of the best teams in the world, just makes it feel that much better.”

After a shaky start in which he flinched first, allowing two in the first when he flashed on a Howard counter that was half exposed, Koe rebounded nicely with some spectacular shotmaking, none better than his hit and freeze in the 10th end that forced Howard into one and the extra end.

“We were dead all end there and we were lucky to even have a shot to get out of that end,” admitted Koe. “It was a tough one and we made it and just gave us hope for the extra end.”

Then he made the clutch draw in 11, with a little help from his front end, Rycroft and Thiessen, and MacDonald making the call.

“A draw to the button to win the Brier is pretty good. We’re known more for being bangers out there,” chuckled Koe, who was named the most valuable player in the playoffs. “You don’t realize how much pressure is on the sweepers there. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t heavy and gave them a chance, and they swept it beautifully. I liked my chances.”

Koe did it the hard way, becoming the first team to win the Brier qualifying out of the Page 3 vs. 4 game since the playoff format was instituted in 1995. That meant three sudden-death victories to earn his crown, which allows the rink to represent Canada at the world championship in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, from April 3-11.

It was also the first extra-end win since Manitoba’s Jeff Stoughton stole one from Kevin Martin to win 8-7 in 1996 in Kamloops, B.C.

In this one, Koe’s weight seemed to abandon him early. Trailing 3-1 after the break, he got a miss on an attempted Howard raise takeout and drew the four-foot for three to turn the game around, suddenly up 4-3. The teams traded singles in eight and nine as Alberta held a 5-4 lead but lost last-rock advantage. Koe then forced Howard into one in the 10th with the brilliant hit and freeze and the cool Alberta skip then drew the button for the win.

Howard, who won seven of the previous eight matchups against Alberta crews since 2006, lost the final for the fourth time in the last five years.

“I’m not a very happy camper right now,” he said. “We had one bad end and it looked like we were going to make the comeback and… damn.”

It wasn’t a Shore Thing, as the tournament slogan suggested, but it was sure fun for Koe.

The final drew 7,233 fans for a total of 107,242 for the 21 draws.

— Canwest News Service