Jacobs rink in must-win territory at latest Grand Slam of Curling event

Sault Ste. Marie’s Brad Jacobs and his team from the Community First Curling Centre locally is facing a must-win scenario at the latest Grand Slam of Curling event, the National, being held this week in Chestermere, Alta.

The Jacobs rink dropped a 6-4 decision to Penetanguishene, Ont.’s Glenn Howard on Thursday at the six-day, triple knockout event.

To advance to the playoff round, the Jacobs rink, which includes third Marc Kennedy, second E.J. Harnden, and lead Ryan Harnden, will need to pick up a pair of wins in the C Pool of the tournament.

Team Jacobs is set to return to action on Friday morning at 10 a.m. (Sault time) against Winnipeg’s Mike McEwen. A win in that game will mean the Jacobs rink would need a second win on Saturday morning to advance into playoff round action.

McEwen enters Friday’s game needing a win as well.

The Winnipeg-based rink opened the event with back-to-back losses before avoiding elimination on Thursday night thanks to a win over Toronto’s John Epping.

Against Howard on Thursday morning, a pair of steals by the Howard rink turned into the difference for Team Jacobs.

Holding a 3-2 lead through four ends, Howard stole one in the fifth before stealing another in the sixth to take a 5-2 lead.

After Jacobs cut the lead to 5-4 with a pair in seven, Howard sealed the win with a single in the final end.

The loss to Howard was the second consecutive defeat for the Jacobs rink, who dropped a 7-2 decision to Peter de Cruz of Switzerland on Wednesday afternoon.

With the game tied at two, de Cruz scored a single in the fifth to take the lead before stealing three in the sixth and one more in the seventh to cap off the scoring.

Jacobs opened the tournament with a 6-4 extra end win over Braden Calvert, who curls out of the Deer Lodge Curling Club in Winnipeg.

After Calvert opened the scoring with a pair in the third end, Jacobs came right back with a pair of his own in the fourth.

Jacobs took a 4-3 lead thanks to a pair in the seventh before Calvert forced the extra end with a single in the eighth end.