Strathroy, Ont.-born Jake Higgs leads Team Nunavut to first-ever Brier win
Global News
With the crowd inside Budweiser Gardens firmly on their side, locals Jake Higgs and Brady St. Louis led Team Nunavut to a historic win at the Tim Hortons Brier Saturday afternoon.
With the crowd inside Budweiser Gardens firmly on their side, locals Jake Higgs and Brady St. Louis helped lead Team Nunavut to a historic win at the Tim Hortons Brier Saturday afternoon.
Nunavut secured its first-ever win at the men’s national curling championship by defeating Nathan Young’s Newfoundland and Labrador 7-4.
After the game, Higgs said he was emotional at getting not only the territory’s first-ever win but the first win for any of the team members, including himself.
“The crowd support was so great, and it just makes me want to tear up thinking about it,” said Higgs.
Since joining the Brier as its own team in 2018, Nunavut had previously gone 0-38 in round-robin play.
The back-and-forth game was closer than what the final score would tell. Newfoundland and Labrador jumped out to an early lead with a steal in the first end before Nunavut took two in the second to get their first lead of the game.
Second thrower St. Louis and third Sheldon Wettig both made critical shots throughout the game to keep Nunavut in it, with lead Christian Smitheram offering up some key guards when with the hammer.
The two teams – both playing their opening games – would trade singles for six straight ends, setting up a 5-4 lead for Nunavut entering the ninth end.