Sault Ste. Marie’s Brad Jacobs is off to a good start competing in the Ashley Homestore Curling Classic, a tournament that opened on Friday in Penticton, BC.
The Jacobs rink, which includes third Marc Kennedy, second E.J. Harnden, and lead Ryan Harnden, opened the event with a 5-4 win in an extra end over Edmonton’s Karsten Sturmay in the opening draw.
With the hammer to start, Jacobs blanked the opening end but fell behind after Sturmay stole one in the second end and another in the third.
Jacobs tied the game with a pair of his own in the fourth end.
After the teams traded singles in the subsequent two ends, Jacobs took a 4-3 lead thanks to a steal of one in the seventh.
Sturmay forced the extra end with a single in the eighth end.
The Jacobs rink beat Penticton’s Brad Wood 7-1 in five ends in the third draw.
Jacobs scored a pair in the opening end with the hammer to take an early lead. After Wood scored one in the second end, the Jacobs rink scored three in the third before capping off the win with steals of one each in the fourth and fifth ends.
Jacobs returns to action on Saturday against American John Shuster in the first of two games on the day.
The team will also face Brad Gushue of St. John’s, Nfld. in Saturday’s evening draw.
The event features 24 teams split into four pools. Playoff round action begins on Sunday with semifinal and final action set for Monday.