As skips of different teams, Sean Geall and Jeff Richard won their first B.C. men害羞草研究所檚 curling titles a year apart, in 2009 and 2010.

In 2018, Geall and Richard combined forces to earn their second trip to the Brier.

With Geall calling the shots and Richard playing third, the Kelowna Curling Club foursome knocked off defending champ Jim Cotter and his Vernon-Kelowna rink 9-7 in an extra end in the final of the Sunday night in Parksville.

Geall made a spectacular in-off shot with his last rock of the game to score a deuce in the 11th end to claim the provincial title.

害羞草研究所淚n some ways it害羞草研究所檚 a bit of a relief to get back to doing this. It feels really good,害羞草研究所� said Geall, 43, who grew up in West Kelowna but now lives in Abbotsford. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 been awhile and you start to wonder if that time is going to happen again.

害羞草研究所淣ow I have a small family and can害羞草研究所檛 commit the time I used to commit, so yeah, this is a big one.害羞草研究所�

Geall teamed up with Richard and lead Dave Harper last season, then added second Andrew Nerpin to the mix this season.

Richard is grateful to be getting a second chance to play in the Brier.

害羞草研究所淵ou just never know if or when it害羞草研究所檒l happen again,害羞草研究所� said Richard, 38. 害羞草研究所淪ean and I were both hungry to get back there. We put a lot of work and effort into this season and it paid off for us.

害羞草研究所淪ean害羞草研究所檚 a great skip and a great guy, and we害羞草研究所檝e become really good friends,害羞草研究所� added Richard. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 going to be nice to go to a Brier and compete with this group of guys.害羞草研究所�

Harper attended his first Brier last year as the fifth-man on the John Morris-Jim Cotter rink. The 2018 Canadian men害羞草研究所檚 curling championship will be his first ever as a player.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e been playing a long time, hoping this would happen, so to get that little purple heart feels great,害羞草研究所� said Harper, 40, who moved to Kelowna from Edmonton five years ago. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a dream come true. You think there害羞草研究所檚 plenty of time but then the years start going by and you realize it害羞草研究所檚 not easy. It害羞草研究所檚 great to finally get this.害羞草研究所�

Nerpin, who had never before been close to winning a provincial title, said all the pieces fell into place at the right time for the Kelowna-based foursome害羞草研究所攑articularly against the four-time defending champs.

害羞草研究所淪ean made the shots when he had to and it worked out well for us,害羞草研究所� said Nerpin, who is originally from Ontario. 害羞草研究所淲e definitely had to be lights-out to beat those guys. It害羞草研究所檚 an amazing feeling.害羞草研究所�

Like Harper, Nerpin is excited about experiencing the atmosphere of a Brier for the first time.

害羞草研究所淚 think the crowds will be amazing, it害羞草研究所檚 the biggest event you can play in,害羞草研究所� Nerpin said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 something I害羞草研究所檝e dreamed about since I started curling. It害羞草研究所檚 going to be amazing to be a part of it.害羞草研究所�

The final game was the only loss of the week for Cotter, third Catlin Schneider and his Kelowna front-end of second Tyrel Griffith and lead Rick Sawatsky.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 proud of the guys,害羞草研究所� said Cotter. 害羞草研究所淲e hung in there. Unfortunately, we had some picks in there and that didn害羞草研究所檛 help, but that害羞草研究所檚 the way curling goes. It didn害羞草研究所檛 come down to that. They made a great shot to win. We were getting better each game, but we were a little off that game.害羞草研究所�

Geall and his Kelowna rink will represent B.C. at the 2018 Tim Hortons Brier, March 3 to 11 in Regina.

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