Cory and Korey are one step closer
After an extra-end victory in game one, Thiesse and Dropkin won game two of the best-of-three final series in a much more decisive manner, 6-3 over Sarah Anderson and Andrew Stopera.
The wins capped a strong week at Rock Creek Curling in Lafayette, Col., site of the Olympic Trials for mixed doubles.
The Duluth-based duo were forced to a single point in the opening end, and immediately followed by putting on the pressure in end two. Thiesse threw a guard on her last stone to take away a hit to score at least one point, and Anderson needed to hit the pin to score. Her draw was heavy, giving up a steal of two.
Thiesse and Dropkin looked much like they did all week, putting on relentless pressure without hammer and forcing opponents into difficult shots. After they dropped their first game of the week, the 2023 MD world champions won their next 11 games, many in convincing fashion.
Up 6-3 with hammer going into the final end, they were able to run Anderson and Stopera out of rocks, and the celebration was on.
Thiesse and Dropkin shared a huge embrace, with Thiesse shouting “We did it!” If there were any demons remaining following last year’s loss in the national championship final, those seem to have been exorcised.
The pair are on the doorstep of representing the United States at the 2026 Olympics, but there is still work to do.
After the U.S. finished in 10th place at the 2024 worlds, Thiesse and Dropkin will need a strong performance at the 2025 edition in Fredericton,N.B. in Canada to secure the nation an Olympic berth.
Failing that, there’s still World Curling’s Olympic Qualifying Event in December, site location still to be announced.
While the Massachusetts-born Dropkin has never been to a Winter Olympic Games, Duluth-native Thiesse went to PyeongChang as an alternate for Nina Roth’s squad in 2018 games. Unfortunately, she never saw any time on the ice.
Cory and Korey teamed up just three years ago, and they have quickly risen to the top of the national rankings and proven to be one of the best teams in the world.
In that short time, they have had a lot of ups. They have had a few very devastating downs. But on Sunday in Colorado, the emotional stress, the blistered hands, and all the hard work became worth it.
Cory Thiesse and Korey Dropkin are now Team USA. In a few months, they hope to add “Olympians” to their growing list of accomplishments.