grey power players’ championship A Ferbey tale story, no less

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This article was published 20/04/2009 (6347 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. — Randy Ferbey doesn’t know what’s better — having earned the fourth and final direct berth to the 2009 Canadian Olympic Trials or not having to answer questions relating to it anymore.

The relief in his eyes and smile on his worn face said it all Sunday afternoon after Ferbey defeated Glenn Howard 10-7 in the final of the Grey Power Players’ Championship.

The win gives Ferbey’s team of last-rock thrower Dave Nedohin, second Scott Pfeifer and lead Marcel Rocque a berth in the Olympic trials — dubbed the Roar of the Rings — set for Rexall Place from Dec. 6-13.

“Whoever thought that after three years of trying to get to the Trials it would come down to the last shot of the last game of the year to secure that, that’s unbelievable,” said Ferbey, who joins fellow Edmonton-based skips Kevin Martin and Kevin Koe, and Howard, of Coldwater, Ont., as the first four teams in the Trials.

It’s an incredible story, considering that Ferbey’s team was almost left for dead two months ago and was likely going to have to attempt to qualify for Edmonton through the pre-Trials, scheduled for Nov. 10-14 in Prince George, B.C.

A fairy tale — or Ferbey tale — of sorts.

Ferbey’s crew did it the hard way, having to win the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling championship event outright and get some help. The team’s route was a struggle that included must-wins against all three previous Olympic Trials qualifiers in Howard, Koe and Martin. Ferbey had to beat the latter twice, once in the A Event qualifier and then again in the semifinals. Both were 6-5 victories.

“He didn’t have any free spaces on the bingo card,” said Howard, who watched Nedohin deliver a last-shot takeout to score three in the eighth end for a 10-7 win.

Ferbey opened up a 5-2 advantage in the third end after a clutch Nedohin double takeout that squirted two Howard stones out of the four-foot to count four.

Howard came right back with three in the fourth end to tie the game at 5-5 and it remained tied, after the teams exchanged deuces, heading into the final end.

“That’s incredible. Three years of dedication and working our butts off and it all comes down to one shot after three years,” said Nedohin. “It’s such an amazing feeling.

“Coming in, we knew we were certainly behind the eight-ball. We needed some help from some of the other teams and, at the end of the day, we also knew we needed to win this event. It was an uphill battle, but we came through.”

“We came back and finished strong and, if we play like that, we’re capable of winning it all in Edmonton,” said Pfeifer, whose 90 per cent efficiency ranked first among all seconds at the Players’ Championship.

“That’s our main goal. But it’s such a relief to get there.”

Rocque shared the feeling.

“It’s almost surreal, because coming in here, you almost give up already,” said Rocque. “We’ve had so many opportunities over the last few years to take care of things.

“For everything to work out this weekend, I would have never bet on it. All the teams needed to do what they did — (Jeff) Stoughton having to lose, (Wayne) Middaugh having to lose, Koe as well. Obviously, all the stars had to line up for us.”

Four more teams will join Ferbey, Martin, Koe and Howard through the 12-team pre-Trials event. Winnipeg’s Stoughton, Kerry Burtnyk, Daley Peters and Mike McEwen have qualified for the pre-Trials.

— Canwest News Service