Elite 10 Teams in 10 Days: Koe

Over the course of 10 days, we’re profiling all 10 teams set to compete in the Princess Auto Elite 10. Day 8: Team Koe.

SKIP	THIRD	SECOND	LEAD
Kevin Koe	Marc Kennedy	Brent Laing	Ben Hebert

Koe’s crew from Calgary returned to the Tim Hortons Brier this year with the Team Canada auto-berth and finished runner-up to Newfoundland and Labrador’s Brad Gushue. Koe trailed 5-1 at the fifth-end break and rallied with a three-ender in six followed by a steal in seven to erase the deficit. The teams split singles in eight and nine and Koe sat two counters in the 10th, forcing Gushue to make a draw into the eight-foot circle for the win.

Koe completed a comeback to defeat Manitoba’s Mike McEwen in the semifinal, stealing in the extra end, to guarantee his team a spot on the podium again.

Team Koe was victorious at the Shorty Jenkins Classic earlier this season to earn a spot to the season-ending Humpty’s Champions Cup.

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The members of Team Koe have won a combined 40 Pinty’s Grand Slam of Curling titles. They captured their first all together at the 2015 Tour Challenge starting their banner season with Canada Cup, Brier and world titles to follow.

Kennedy and Hebert took the National in Port Hawkesbury, N.S., with skip Kevin Martin during the 2006-07 season. When the event returned to Port Hawkesbury later that year for the following season, Laing spared for Kennedy to help Team Martin successfully defend the title. Coincidentally, Martin defeated Koe in the final both times.

The Princess Auto Elite 10 starts Thursday and runs through to Sunday at the Civic Centre in Port Hawkesbury, N.S.