New Westminster's Pierce a win away from playing for provincial curling title

Royal City Curling Club's Brent Pierce has advanced to the 1-2 page playoff game at the 2012 B.C. men's curling championship in Parksville which puts him and his team a win away from being in the provincial final.

MARIO BARTEL/NEWSLEADER FILE

Royal City Curling Club's Brent Pierce has clinched the first playoff berth at the 2012 B.C. men's curling championship in Parksville.
Pierce won four consecutive games to win the A event in the 16-team championship. He will meet B event winner Jim Cotter of Kelowna Saturday morning in the 1-2 page playoff with the winner advancing to Sunday's final. The loser will take on the C event winner in a semifinal to determine the other final participant.
Pierce started with a 9-3 victory over Waylie Eden of Penticton on Wednesday afternoon. He followed that up with an extra-end steal to defeat Tom Buchy of Kimberley 8-7 in the evening.
On Thursday, Pierce beat Royal City club mate Ken McArdle 8-6 and Victoria's Jay Tuson 12-6, finishing in a flourish with a four-ender in the ninth. Pierce was supported by third Jeff Richard, second Kevin Recksiedler and lead Grant Dezura.
Cotter downed another Royal City skip, Jay Peachey, 7-2 in the B final Friday afternoon. Peachey reached the final with a 6-5 extra-end victory over Tuson on Friday morning. Cotter got there by edging Chris Baier of Royal City 8-7, also in an extra end. Peachey was to play Sean Geall, a former Royal City skip, Friday evening in the C event. Baier remained also alive in the C event after beating Jody Epp of Victoria 10-8 Friday afternoon to set up an encounter with Tuson in the evening draw.
Prior to Friday morning's games, Peachey scored victories over Cotter, 8-4, Tom Shypitka of Creston, 10-6 and Epp, 6-3, while losing to Baier 4-3. Baier also beat Ron Vanderstar from Smithers, 5-2, and Vernon's Darren Heath 8-2, but lost to Tuson 5-2.
Before losing to Pierce, McArdle downed Heath 7-2 and former Royal City skip Sean Geall 7-6. After his loss to Pierce he dropped a 6-4 decision to Cotter and then was eliminated when Victoria's Neil Dangerfield scored two in the 10th end to edge McArdle 8-7 Friday morning.
Follow the results at www.playdowns.com.