It乌鸦传媒檚 a familar story for John Morris and his Okanagan teammates, only they乌鸦传媒檙e hoping for a different ending this time around.

Four years ago, Morris, Vernon乌鸦传媒檚 Jim Cotter and Kelowna乌鸦传媒檚 Tyrel Griffith went through the pre-trials to qualify for the 2017 Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings in Winnipeg, and made it all the way to the final before losing to eventual Olympic gold-medallist Brad Jacobs of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

Sunday at Credit Union Place, that trio乌鸦传媒攚ith new second Catlin Schneider on board in place of Rick Sawatsky, along with coach Jody Epp乌鸦传媒攖ook care of the first order of business, winning the men乌鸦传媒檚 A-side qualifying game of the 2017 Home Hardware Road to the Roar Pre-Trials, shading Edmonton乌鸦传媒檚 Brendan Bottcher 4-3.

With the victory, Morris, Cotter, Schneider, Griffith and Epp have booked their tickets for the 2017 Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings, beginning Dec. 2 in Ottawa乌鸦传媒攖he city in which John Morris grew up, and to which he still has many ties.

乌鸦传媒淚t feels awesome, to get back to an Olympic trials is quite a process, it takes a few years, so to get back there feels absolutely phenomenal,乌鸦传媒� said Cotter, who abdicated last-rock duties to Morris on Friday, and the team went on to win three of its final four games with the juggled lineup.

乌鸦传媒淎bsolutely, (the 2013 trials final loss to Jacobs) is a motivator. To get that close lights a fire under you, and you definitely want to put yourself back in that position. To be that close just makes you that much more hungry.乌鸦传媒�

This is 2017-18!

乌鸦传媒� Mardoqueu Targino (@fd_mardoqueu)

Morris, who won Olympic gold in 2010 playing third for Kevin Martin, said this team learned a lesson from the 2013 run to the final that it will put into play in Ottawa.

乌鸦传媒淲e were sure determined in 2013, and I actually visualized playing my old team (Martin) in the final, and we actually played them in the semis,乌鸦传媒� said Morris, who will be playing in his fifth consecutive Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings. 乌鸦传媒淭here were just a lot of emotions in that game, and I think we let off the gas pedal a bit and we weren乌鸦传媒檛 at our sharpest in the final. So, we乌鸦传媒檙e going to prepare for a grind for the entire event and we won乌鸦传媒檛 let up one inch until the very last rock is thrown. That will be the biggest difference.乌鸦传媒�

And while the team has been inconsistent at the beginning of the 2017-18 season, Morris has no doubt that his team is ready to put on the Maple Leaf and travel to Pyeongchang, South Korea, for the 2018 Winter Olympics.

乌鸦传媒淵ou bet,乌鸦传媒� he said. 乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檝e been ready from the start of the season, and we乌鸦传媒檙e just starting to put it all together right now. We乌鸦传媒檙e a hundred per cent ready.乌鸦传媒�

The Home Hardware Road to the Roar is the final qualifying event for teams to reach the Tim Hortons Roar of the Rings, Dec. 2 to 10 in Ottawa, where Canada乌鸦传媒檚 four-player curling teams for the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, will be decided.

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