By Jonathan Brazeau
MEDICINE HAT, Alta. — It was a shot right out of the ol’ Koe playbook.
During the fifth end of the Jr. GSOC U21 women’s final, Calgary skip Lila Koe lined up a double takeout and, to borrow a phrase from another Calgarian, the shot was the excellence of execution.
Analyst Brad Gushue then said to colour commentator Darren Dupont on the broadcast, "Have to be honest, Darren, I'm kinda sick of watching Koe make doubles over the course of my career."
Like father, like daughter.
Gushue saw plenty of doubles — and other electrifying highlight-reel shots, usually with only seconds left on the clock — while playing against Kevin Koe, the two-time world and Brier champion who has also won six titles in the Grand Slam of Curling presented by Molson Canadian.
But on Championship Sunday, it was his daughter Lila’s time to shine under the spotlight. Her team from the University of Calgary — featuring Kaycee Johnston, Andie Ingram, and Ella Cardinal — captured the U21 women’s title, defeating Alena Yurko’s Edmonton rink 6-1 in the Battle of Alberta final at Co-op Place.
The game took place two sheets over from the main event, the P&H Masters women’s final, with Sweden’s Team Isabella Wranå winning 11-2 over Japan’s Team Miku Nihira. After the hardware was handed out, Team Koe and Team Wranå celebrated together for a group photo.
“It feels amazing,” Lila said. “We're really happy. We were just happy to even be able to play on the ice, but being able to win it and get to have the ceremony next to all the professionals is really cool.”
Kevin watched from the stands and joined the team’s supporters on the ice for a photo as well. He said it was hard to put into words how he was feeling.
“Very super proud,” he said. “They're a really good team. They work hard. They've lost some big games in the past to get to some nationals or Canada Games and stuff. To see them pull it out like they did, just happy for the whole team.”
After taking a single in the first, Team Koe stole two in the third and one in the fourth to establish a 4-0 lead. Team Yurko picked their lone point in the fifth, with Koe adding another in the sixth and stealing one more in the seventh.
Having played on a sheet her dad had curled on earlier in the week during the P&H Masters, Lila now gets her name etched on a Grand Slam of Curling trophy, too.
“It's very cool,” Lila said. “We were very excited.”
As the saying goes, it’s sometimes harder to watch than it is to play in moments like these, but not this time.
“Yeah, it's different. That game was actually relatively stress-free just because they played so good,” Kevin said. “They weren't in a lot of trouble and just controlled the game. I mean, it's still never easy, but they had a great week. I’m happy for them all.”
This is the second season the Grand Slam of Curling, owned and operated by The Curling Group, has held a Jr. GSOC tournament. The first three days of the competition took place at the Medicine Hat Curling Centre before moving to the big house for the championship finals.
Japan’s Team Kaito Fujii won the Jr. GSOC U21 men’s title with an 8-4 win over Team Owen Jaeger of Kelowna, B.C., earlier Sunday.
Kevin gave kudos to The Curling Group and CEO/co-founder Nic Sulsky and called the event “next level.”
“For them to get out on this ice when the Grand Slam finals are happening, and in an arena and in front of quite a few people, will only help them,” he said. “Just to give kids those opportunities, I think it's amazing, and it's one of the best things the Slams and The Curling Group and all the organizers, Nic and everyone, have done. It's fun to watch.”
