  Skip Kevin Koe delivers a rock as Alberta plays Northwest Territories/Yukon at the Tim Hortons Brier in Halifax Thursday, March 11, 2010. (REUTERS/Shaun Best) |
HALIFAX – It wasn't that enjoyable for Alberta's Kevin Koe to beat his brother Jamie 8-3 in the Thursday morning draw at the Tim Hortons Brier.
The loss left Jamie Koe record at 1-9 – the one win came when he took the night off to go to St. Mary's University to write his certified general accountants exam. Jamie Koe is skipping the team representing the Northwest Territories/Yukon.
On the other hand, it kept Kevin Koe in position to earn a spot in the 1-2 game of the Brier's Page playoff system. The winner of that game goes directly to Sunday's final but the loser stays alive, dropping to Saturday's semifinal.
Since the system came into use in 1995, no team has come out of the 3-4 game, the sudden-death game between the third- and fourth-place teams, to win the Brier.
Alberta's Koe ran his record to 8-2, with only tonight's game against undefeated Glenn Howard of Ontario remaining on his schedule.
Meanwhile, surprising Brad Jacobs of Northern Ontario also moved to an 8-2 record by beating 2006
Olympic gold-medal winner Brad Gushue of Newfoundland 8-4 in the morning draw. Gushue fell back to 7-3 with the loss.
Manitoba stayed mathematically alive with a 9-3 win over Nova Scotia. Jeff Stoughton's Buffalo Boys have a 6-4 record.
Four-loss Quebec plays Northern Ontario this afternoon and Newfoundland tonight. Manitoba goes against Saskatchewan this afternoon and Ontario attempts to remain undefeated with a game against the Territories.
terry.jones@sunmedia.ca
