Advantage Bottcher in Alberta playdowns

WESTLOCK Did Brendan Bottcher just win Alberta?

Did the Sherwood Park skip, with a steal in the 10th end to win 6-5 over Mick Lizmore in the all Edmonton ‘A’ event final Thursday, just become the first skip not named Randy Ferbey, Kevin Martin or Kevin Koe since 1999 to win the men’s provincial curling championship?

For the first six years and for seven of the last nine under the current triple-knockout format, the team that won the ‘A’ event final was presented the Boston Pizza Cup.

Until Martin won ‘A’ event, but lost the final to Kevin Koe in 2014, history said it’s all over. Hand Bottcher, Darren Moulding, Brad Theissen and Karrick Martin each a purple heart and a plane ticket to St. John’s, N.L., for the Brier.

Until 2014, not only did the team that won ‘A’ event win Alberta, it ran the table every season. And it happened again in 2015.

Last year, however, Charley Thomas won ‘A,’ won the 1-2 playoff, but lost to Koe in the final.

So there’s still a chance for the other 11 teams here. But make no mistake. This is now Bottcher’s to win.

“I think it’s great. Winning through ‘A’ really sets you up. It gives you some time off. It gives you the hammer in the 1-2 game Friday and it gives you a lot of control,” said Bottcher who leads the tournament in putting up deuces on the scoreboard with eight.

In ‘B’ event games, Thomas battled from behind to put Jeremy Harty’s young Calgary team away 9-6, Thomas Scoffin’s U of Alberta Golden Bears won 10-6 over Ted Appelman and James Pahl of Edmonton, on his 47th birthday, beat Aaron Sluchinski of Calgary 6-3.