A first for Team Jacobs

On Sunday evening Brad Jacobs and his rink from Soo Curlers won their first ever Grand Slam of Curling event at the Players’ Championship in Toronto.

Team Jacobs, which includes third Ryan Fry, second E.J. Harnden and lead Ryan Harnden, defeated Team McEwen of Winnipeg, Manitoba 4-3.

It was a familiar scene on sheet C as Jacobs also faced McEwen back in November in the final game of the 2014 National Grand Slam event. McEwen defeated Team Jacobs 5-2 at the National that was held in Sault Ste. Marie.

With a point each after two ends and a blank in the third, McEwen would score a deuce in the fourth to go up 3-1 over Team Jacobs at the half way point of Sunday’s final.

Jacobs would draw to the button in the fifth for a deuce to tie the game 3-3. After a blank in the sixth and again in the seventh, McEwen went into the eighth and final end with the hammer. With Jacobs lying two, McEwen would be heavy on a draw to the button giving Jacobs a single point to win 4-3.

“It feels great,” Jacobs said. “This was really one of the accomplishments that was missing from our resume and it feels great. We forced McEwen’s team into a really tough shot. Fortunately for us we were able to get the win and it feels awesome.”

The Players’ Championship was the finale of Team Jacobs’ 2014-2015 curling season and the final event of this year’s Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling.

“It was a fantastic curling season for us, the best we’ve ever played on the cash spiel circuit,” said Jacobs. “I’m really proud of the way we played throughout the entire world curling events this year, throughout the Grand Slam series, and to pick up this last win is huge for us.”

The team plans to take a few months off to enjoy time with family and friends before beginning preparations for next season.

(Photo: Shaylan Spurway/SooToday)