Kevin Koe has been down to his last life for three games now, but he’s still alive in his bid to defend his Alberta men’s curling championship.
The No. 1 seed in the 12-team, triple-knockout Boston Pizza Cup has advanced to Sunday’s 9:30 a.m. semifinal against 11th-seeded Aaron Sluchinski of Airdrie, while 11-time provincial champ Kevin Martin awaits the winner in the 2 p.m. final at the Leduc Recreation Centre.
Koe’s team of Pat Simmons, Carter Rycroft and Nolan Thiessen appeared to be firing on all cylinders when it trounced Charley Thomas of Calgary 11-3 in Saturday’s Page Playoff 3-4 game at the Boston Pizza Cup at the Leduc Recreation Centre while Martin dispatched Sluchinski 7-3 in the Page 1-2 game.
“(Sunday) is going to be a tough day,” said Simmons. “We’re going to have two tough games and we have to play like we did tonight or we’re not going to win.”
Koe stole two in the second end to take a 3-0 lead over Thomas, then made a double-raise takeout for five in the fourth end and an 8-1 lead.
He also made a slash triple-takeout to pick off Jamie King’s shot rock buried behind lots of cover, and then drew the four foot with his final shot, for an 8-7 win in a C Event final on Saturday afternoon. Koe had a 6-2 lead after five ends but King’s St. Albert squad tied the score 7-7 with a three-ender in the ninth and had Koe in trouble in the 10th.
Koe has rebounded with three straight wins since a shocking 10-7 loss to Sluchinski in the B Event semifinals on Friday afternoon and falling within one more loss of elimination.
Martin is unbeaten in four games, including a 6-5 victory over Koe in the A Event final on Thursday, and 14-1 since he returned in mid-January from hernia surgery.
Meanwhile, Martin second Marc Kennedy was voted the winner of the Bo Davidiuk award, which is awarded to the front-end player who best demonstrates sweeping prowess, team support and sportsmanship.
