Skip Jim Cotter led his team to a 9-4 win over Team Montgomery Sunday morning (Feb. 3) in the 2019 B.C. Men鈥檚 Curling Championships in Quesnel to earn a trip to his eighth Brier.
Team Cotter, who plays out of Vernon and Kamloops, was up 6-1 after five ends, but Victoria鈥檚 Team Montgomery stormed back in the second half of the game, scoring one unanswered point in each of the sixth, seventh and eighth ends to come within two points. Team Cotter secured the victory with three unanswered points in the ninth.
Cotter says his team鈥檚 bond is probably one of their biggest strengths.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just remarkable 鈥� we鈥檙e really close on and off the ice, and I think that that鈥檚 what brings success,鈥� he said right after the win. 鈥淐urling鈥檚 a unique sport in that you only have four individuals, and if you have one loose cog on the wheel, it鈥檚 going to be real tough. So that鈥檚 probably our biggest strength, our team, how we get along so well.鈥�
Cotter describes Team Montgomery, whom he faced for the third time this week, as a 鈥渇abulous鈥� team.
鈥淲e knew they were going to come in hard,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ometimes getting an early lead isn鈥檛 necessarily a good thing, but you know what, we hung on there, and it was just a shot here or there.
鈥淣one of us got too worked up, I know I wasn鈥檛 anyway 鈥� you鈥檙e just playing the scoreboard at that point.鈥�
As winners of the 2019 B.C. Men鈥檚 Curling Championships, Cotter, lead Rick Sawatsky, second Tyrel Griffith, third Steve Laycock and fifth Brad Wood will represent the province at the 2019 Tim Hortons Brier March 2-10 in Brandon, Man.
鈥淥h, it never gets old; it feels great,鈥� Cotter says of returning to the Brier. 鈥淭he guys played fabulous all week, and [we] couldn鈥檛 be happier right now.鈥�
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