Defending champion Jim Cotter of Vernon is looking to make it a repeat at the Canadian Direct Insurance B.C. Men’s Curling Championships this weekend in Parksville.
Cotter, backed by third Kevin Folk, second Ty Griffith and lead Rick Sawatsky, brushed back New Westminster’s Jay Peachey 7-2 to take the B event Friday afternoon and advance to Saturday’s page playoff quarterfinals. The Vernon-Kelowna rink met Brent Pierce of New Westminster, the winner advancing to today’s final (5 p.m.). Pierce went 4-0 to win the A final.
The loser dropped down to face either New Westminster’s Chris Baier or Delta’s Sean Geall in a semifinal showdown Saturday night.
Cotter finished preliminary play at 5-1 after grounding Ken McArdle’s New Westminster rink 6-4 Thursday night, followed by an 8-7 extra-end win over Baier Friday morning.
Vernon’s Darren Heath – third Dave Belway, second Darin Laface and lead Darrell Houston – finished at 2-3.
After shading Kimberley’s Tom Buchy 10-9 in an extra end Thursday morning, Heath dropped two straight, falling 8-2 to Baier that night, and 6-3 to Brian Windsor of Kamloops Friday morning.
