After a hard fought week that saw Team BC make the playoffs at the 2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, skip Clancy Grandy and her crew have been eliminated.
With home team advantage on the ice, Team BC managed to find themselves with a record of five wins and three losses, stuck in a four-way tie for a playoff berth.
Coming out on top in their tie-breaker against Quebec's Laurie St-Georges by a score of 8-3, Team BC advanced to take on one of curlings best to ever do it, six-time Scotties winner Jennifer Jones of Manitoba.
With a solid season record against Team Jones, Team BC felt confident heading into the game. Unfortunately for Grandy and Co., Jones proved too tall a task, and BC was bounced from the playoffs with a final score of 9-4.
"We played them quite a bit this season, and we have a good record against them so we felt confident going into the game. We just weren’t quite able to execute on our end the way we know we can. We were chasing them and they executed very well," explained Grandy.
"But I’d expect nothing less from her, she's one of the best to ever play our sport. Especially in the playoffs, she thrives in those moments."
Despite shaking hands after eight ends of their first playoff game, Grandy says she's very proud of what her new team has accomplished through their first year together.
She says each player embraced the moment while supporting one another from start to finish. Keeping a level but confident team moral is something her team does well on a regular basis.
"When you get to an event like the Scotties, it’s a whole new level and atmosphere. The fact that we were able to hold true to that, says a lot about who my team is, our personalities, and I’m really proud we stuck to it this week.”
Headed back to Vancouver to reset for a few days before returning to the ice in preparation of the remainder of the season, Grandy says one thing her team will never forget was the incredible support from the crowd.
"There was an added layer to being the home team, not many people get to experience that, and I think that added factor did help us learn a lot," added Grandy.
“The first game we had, getting that first win and hearing the crowd, hearing them chant for Team BC was something I think our team will remember forever. And when I look back later in my career, that will be a very special moment for me, this whole experience is something I’ll never forget.”
Clancy tells Castanet she'll be keeping an eye on Jones through finals action on Sunday, as she's eager to get back out on the ice to play her again.
You can catch Clancy again on TV later in April as they get ready for the Player's Championship in Toronto.
