Casey wins
Casey rink eyes Olympic pre-trials event in Summerside
Adam Casey’s rink captured the Saskatchewan Tankard on Sunday and will be heading to Newfoundland to the brier again.
It was a storybook ending for the Adam Casey rink.
The team that could do no right earlier this season, could do no wrong when it counted the most. The foursome from the Highland Curling Club in Regina capped a remarkable run to the Saskatchewan Tankard provincial men’s curling championship in convincing fashion.
“It’s kind of been a whirlwind year,” said Casey, who is from Seven Mile Bay but now resides in Winsloe. “We were so bad at the start of the year, it was frustrating.
“We didn’t know if it was a good idea (to be curling together).”
However, the team stuck together and shuffled some positions before finding its groove. “It was getting to know each other more, and we generally started throwing the rock better,” said Casey. “We found the right roles for the team.” Team Casey went 7-1 (wonlost) in the Saskatchewan Tankard. Two of those victories were against defending-champion Steve Laycock, including an 11-3 eight-end decision in Sunday’s final.
“If you look at the way we were playing this week compared to September and October, we were a completely different team,” said Casey. “It’s really a testament to the guys’ Seven Mile Bay native Adam Casey will appear in his sixth straight Tim Hortons Brier Canadian men’s curling championship in St. John’s, N.L., from March 4 to 12. Casey will skip the Saskatchewan entry. stick-to-it kind of attitude, because we were leaking money everywhere early.”
Casey, who punched his ticket to the final with an 8-5 win over Laycock in the one-versus-two Page playoff game Saturday, took control of the final with a three-ender in the first end. “One thing we did a really good job of was controlling our emotions, and our weight control was key in setting up that first end,” said Casey, a product of the Silver Fox’s junior program in Summerside.
Sixth appearance
Casey, who will be making his sixth straight appearance at the Tim Hortons Brier in St. John’s, N.L., from March 4 to 12, also becomes the fifth player to represent three provinces or territories in the Canadian men’s curling championship. He played second stone with Brad Gushue’s Newfoundland and Labrador rink for three years, and skipped P.E.I. the last two years.
After his P.E.I. rink split following last season, and teams in Saskatchewan allowed one player who does not reside in the province, Casey accepted an invitation from third stone Catlin Schneider, second stone Shaun Meachem and lead Dustin Kidby.
“To be honest there wasn’t a whole lot of people calling my number,” admitted Casey. “I have said before, ‘If I am going to play, I want to play all out and try to get to the (Olympic qualifying) pre-trials, and ultimately the trials.”
Casey is optimistic the Tankard win, along with earning points at the Brier, will solidify a spot at the Road to the Roar Pre-Trials event in Summerside in November.
“That is big, because I really want to play in that event in Summerside,” said Casey. “I think we should be assured a spot there now, and if we’re not we are going to play our hardest in St. John’s to try and be assured we do get it.”
“If you look at the way we were playing this week compared to September and October, we were a completely different team. It’s really a testament to the guys’ stick-to-it kind of attitude, because we were leaking money everywhere early.”
Adam Casey