In the photo: Kamloops native Jim Cotter with mom Pat following Team B.C.’s semifinal win over Alberta. The victory, which was aided in large part by a number of crucial Cotter shots down the stretch. B.C. advances to Sunday’s final, which will take place at Interior Savings Centre at 4:30 p.m. Allen Douglas photo/KTW
A packed Interior Savings Centre witnessed Jim Cotter put on a performance for the ages at the Tim Hortons Brier on Friday, March 7, as B.C. defeated Alberta 9-5 in nine ends.
The victory catapults the host province into the Sunday, March 9 final, where they will have the opportunity to become the first team from B.C. to win the Brier since Greg McAulay and his team did it in 2000.
“I’ve never been in a Brier final myself, so I think we’re still just soaking it in right now,” Cotter said. The 2014 Brier is his fifth appearance at the Canadian national championship.
“It means a lot,” he said.
The game was never in doubt for B.C., which from the outset. Each time Kevin Koe and Team Alberta managed to tear the momentum away from Cotter and Co., the B.C. boys were equal to the task.
“It’s one of those games,” Koe said. Alberta now awaits the winner of Saturday’s 3 vs. 4 game, involving Manitoba and Quebec.
“He made some good shots, for sure,” Koe continued. “I mean, he’s been doing that all week. It’s not really too much of a surprise.”
“They made a lot of great shots and were pouring it on,” Cotter said. “We were managing to make that big shot back, which you have to do. All of these are great teams and the Koe team is a phenomenal team – we know we’ve got to make all our shots to beat them.”
For the Kamloops-born Cotter, it was a special night, and not just because his play was incredible. More than 4,300 fans were in attendance for the playoff game, with the B.C. chants exploding each time Cotter made a shot.
“Jimmy made a couple real good highlight-reel shots and there was just a great buzz in there tonight,” B.C. skip John Morris said.
“That’s the most packed house we’ve seen all week and Jimmy being the hometown, the Kamloops boy, there’s just such a great vibe in there. It’s something that was pretty special to be a part of.”
It was an eventful day for B.C., a team that looked like it would be heading to the 3 vs. 4 game on Saturday when the final round-robin draw began.
But Alberta’s loss to Quebec in the morning put B.C. in the 1 vs. 2 game and now they await their opponent in the final.
“Got a little fortunate this morning, had some help la belle province, our friends in la belle province. Merci beaucoup,” Morris said with a smile.
“We’re starting to really come together as a team here and it’s really great to see.”
B.C. got its first pair in the first, with Cotter drawing in with his final stone after Koe was heavy with a draw and ended up at the back of the eight-foot.
In the second, B.C. added a steal of one, with Cotter throwing a near-perfect draw, in behind cover, with his final stone. Koe attempted to follow the same path, but came up an inch shorter, rubbing Cotter’s stone on the way by to fall behind by three.
Cotter’s final rock in three forced Alberta to settle for a single, as Koe faced four opposition stones with his final rock.
Cotter’s incredible night continued in the fourth, with a raise double takeout that sent the crowd into a frenzy and left B.C. sitting three. After Koe threw a draw that ended up at the top of the button, Cotter made another runback, removing Koe’s stone to go ahead 6-1.
Koe showed some life in the fifth, scoring a deuce to bring Alberta within three, but after removing only two of three stones on a triple takeout attempt in six, Cotter made an open draw for a pair of his own and an 8-3 lead.
In seven, Koe made a double takeout with his last stone, but his shooter rolled out and he was forced to settle for a single.
He managed to steal a single in eight and put the pressure on Cotter with a hit and roll to the button off a rock in the 12-foot, but Cotter drew to the button for a single and sealed a 9-5 victory.
Manitoba and Quebec will now face off in Saturday’s 3 vs. 4 game, with the winner advancing to face Kevin Koe in the semi-final. The winner of that semi-final will face B.C. on Sunday at 4:30 p.m.
