Sault Ste. Marie’s Brad Jacobs and his team from the Community First Curling Club in Sault Ste. Marie continued to roll on Monday at the 2018 Tim Hortons Brier in Regina.
The Jacobs rink, representing northern Ontario, improved to 4-0 thanks to a 9-4 win over New Brunswick’s James Grattan of the Gage Golf and Curling Club.
Jacobs jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to a single with the hammer in the opening end before a steal of one in the second. After Grattan scored one in the third, Jacobs would add on two more in the fourth and steal one in the fifth.
Jacobs sealed the win with three in the seventh and a single in the ninth end.
Jacobs told Curling Canada that the northern Ontario regional playdowns prepared the team for the tournament well.
“I do think our provincial championship, and how tough and gruelling it was, how we had to come through tiebreakers and semifinals to win that championship, it prepared us very well for the Brier,” Jacobs said.
“We’re throwing the rock well. I like what I’m seeing from the three guys in front of me, so I’m happy with where we’re at.”
The Jacobs rink, which includes third Ryan Fry, second E.J. Harnden, lead Ryan Harnden and alternate Tanner Horgan, will return to action for a pair of games on Tuesday in the nine-day event.
Jacobs will face Steve Laycock of Saskatchewan in the morning draw Tuesday before facing Quebec’s Mike Fournier in the evening draw.
The new format has seen each of the two pools alternate each draw and Jacobs appreciated the new format.
“It’s really good for recharging, relaxing and coming out sharp for the next game. It really beats the old draw where you could play four games in a row and that was really gruelling. It’s really nice,” Jacobs said.
The Brier will see round robin action wrap up on Wednesday. The event features 16 teams, divided into two eight-team pools. The top four in each pool advance to a championship round that will proceed to narrow the field again to the four teams that will compete in the page playoff on the weekend.