Johnny Archer and Jonathan Pinegar
Johnny Archer put a stop to a nine-match, loss-side winning streak by Jonathan Pinegar to go undefeated and win the Side Pocket 9-Ball Open Championship on the weekend of October 25-26. The $2,000-added event, held three times a year in the final weeks of October, February, and June, drew 80 entrants to Side Pocket Billiards in Shreveport, LA. A 16-entrant Ring Game on Friday night was won by Gary Abood, with Charlie Bryant and Joe Barnes finishing second and third, respectively.
Archer and Zack Sanderson faced off in the hot seat match of the main event, after both had chalked up 7-5 wins over C.J. Wiley and Charlie Bryant, respectively. Sanderson put up a fight in the struggle for the hot seat, and forced a deciding game, which was won by Archer.
Over on the loss side, 'Hennessee from Tennessee' Pinegar was hard at work on his long trek back to the finals. He'd been awarded a bye in the opening round of play, and then defeated Jerry Moore, before Shawn Putnam sent him to the losers' bracket 7-5. On the loss side, he eliminated Derek Cantu, Clint Freeman, Yang Yim and Chris Brown to advance into the money rounds (9-12). Victories over Wesley Barnes (7-5) and Tony Barrington (7-4) set him up to face Bryant, coming over from the winners' side semifinals. Wiley drew Joe Barnes, who'd gotten by Gary Abood 7-3 and spoiled Pinegar's hopes for a re-match, with a 7-5 win over Putnam.
It was Wiley and Pinegar who advanced to the quarterfinals; Wiley 7-4 over Barnes, and Pinegar 7-5 over Bryant. Pinegar took the quarterfinal match 7-4 over Wiley, and got a shot at Archer with a 7-5 victory over Sanderson in the semifinals. Archer, though, known to be never more dangerous than he is with a finish line in sight, took the opening set of a potential true double elimination final, giving up only three racks and claiming the event title.
