While loud themselves, the biggest cheers this week at the WFG Masters in Saskatoon haven’t been for Team Gushue, Team Koe or Team Edin.
Instead, they’ve been reserved for the lone Saskatchewan-based rink seeking a Grand Slam of Curling title on home ice.
“It’s really special playing in front of a big crowd,” said Team McEwen lead Dan Marsh. “Especially when it’s the home town, three of us live here. So it’s super special to see family and friends in the crowd cheering us on.”
Curling out of Saskatoon, Team McEwen captured their first victory of the week on Thursday by a 7-3 final in seven ends over Team Dropkin with the fans inside Merlis Belsher Place giving the local rink a hearty send-off as they left the ice.
It’s a level of support which has permeated all three games the Saskatchewan squad has played so far.
“You don’t get to play in a Saskatoon Grand Slam or Brier atmosphere every event,” said second Kevin Marsh. “So it’s really special; you kind of get some goosebumps when everyone starts cheering, too.”
The newly-formed rink is in the midst of their first season together, formed from the ashes of the Colton Flasch foursome which parted ways with third Catlin Schneider at the end of last year.
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Flasch and the Marsh brothers subsequently added seven-time Grand Slam champion Mike McEwen as the team’s new skip, joining the trio after stints with Team Manitoba and Team Ontario.
“I played out of Ontario last year and I had a couple of teammates retire,” said McEwen. “So I was very fortunate, actually, in the timing where Kevin, Dan and Colton decided they wanted to inject a new guy into their team.
“Right place at the right time.”
An eight-time qualifier for the Brier, McEwen won bronze with Team Manitoba in 2017 and is a two-time winner of the Masters event in 2010 and 2015.
With McEwen’s addition, Flasch elected to move from skip to third and has become the team’s lead sweeper in the process.
While it’s a major positional change for the Biggar product, it’s one which he’s adapted to quickly.
“It’s a new position for me,” said Flasch. “I never actually played third since juniors, it’s been fun. I still feel like a front-ender because I’m sweeping all of the rocks. Honestly with the five-rock rule whether you play second, third or skip, you got to make every shot.”
While Flasch is third on the team, it’s been primarily Kevin who has collaborated with McEwen in the house and has been the one to line up his skip’s throws.
It’s a unique but successful set up for the team which was decided on ahead of the 2023-24 curling season.
“There’s no egos on this team,” said Kevin. “Colton is definitely our strongest sweeper and we really want him being able to sweep those rocks in those key moments.”
Competing in eight events already this year, Team McEwen is expected to be one of the favourites vying for the provincial tankard in early February with the winner getting the rare opportunity to represent Saskatchewan in Regina at the 2024 Brier.
McEwen, who curled with the hosts when London, Ontario hosted the Brier last year, knows what that feeling is like and is determined to experience it again as a member of Team Saskatchewan.
“Yes, I’m a Manitoba boy but I’m Prairie proud,” said McEwen. “Playing in a Regina Brier wearing a green jacket would be very exciting for me and I know how much it means to the guys to potentially have that opportunity. I want nothing more than to go out in Regina and hopefully get people believing in our team.”
Still in the hunt for playoffs on the weekend, Team McEwen (1-2) will wrap up the round-robin on Friday morning at 11:30 am against Alberta’s Aaron Sluchinski rink (0-3).
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