B.C.’s run at Brier stopped short by Koe

SPORTS — Trouble came in threes for B.C. tonight, ending hopes of a Tim Hortons Brier win on home territory.

Alberta’s Kevin Koe scored three three enders enroute to a 10-5 victory over John Morris in the final, earning the gold medal and a trip to Beijing for the world curling championships.

It was a bad night for Morris and third Jim Cotter, who throws skip rocks. Things started going wrong in the second end when Morris sent an intended freeze though the house, allowing Koe his first three-ender of the night, and a 3-2 lead.

Morris blanked the third but in the fourth, Cotter missed a takeout clean. Koe drew a second counter and forced Cotter to take one.

The bad news kept on coming in the fifth end when Morris missed a raise takeout. Alberta third Pat Simmons reciprocated with two misses of his own but Cotter rolled out with a takeout that would have left him sitting two.

Instead, Koe got another three ender and led 6-3 at the half-time break.

B.C. took another single in the sixth when Cotter failed at a chance for a deuce, then missed another chance to put the pressure on and Koe ended up getting yet another three.

To add self-inflicted insult to personal injury, Morris threw a draw through the rings in the eighth and B.C. came away with only another single.

B.C. ran out of any hopes of making a game of it in the ninth. As Cotter delivered his last stone of the Brier, someone shouted, “Thanks for the ride, Jimmy!”

His draw was perfect, but all Koe had to do was execute one of his patented takeouts and that was it.

Koe, Simmons, second Carter Rycroft, and lead Nolan Thiessen, alternate Jamie King and coach John Dunn will head for the world men’s curling championships in Beijing starting March 29.

Morris, Cotter, second Tyrel Griffith and lead Rick Sawatsky thrilled spectators at the Interior Savings Centre all week long and had a great run but they just picked the wrong night to have a bad game.

Manitoba’s Jeff Stoughton took a 7-0 lead and coasted to a 9-5 win over Jean-Michale Menard of Quebec to take the bronze in a morning game.