APA Awards $350,000 in Cash and Prizes at National Singles Championships

LAKE SAINT LOUIS, MO (May 21, 2008) — More than $350,000 in cash and prizes was awarded to APA members at the APA National Singles Championships held May 1-3 in Las Vegas at the Riviera Hotel & Casino. The National Singles Championships consisted of both the 8-Ball Classic and 9-Ball Shootout Singles Championships and the Jack & Jill Doubles Championship.

The final round of the 9-Ball Shootout featured three championship matches, one for each skill level tier, with two shooters in each match competing for $10,000 in cash and prizes.

The finals of the Green Tier (Skill Levels 1 - 3) pitted Laura Vancura of Austin, Texas, versus Janie Duncan of Wylie, Texas. Vancura took the match 25-15 for the championship. Vancura advanced to the finals after a semifinal round victory over Krisanne Lynch-Young of Greenville, N.Y. Duncan advanced to the finals after defeating Kathleen Kaszuba of Brooklyn, N.Y.

Aaron Welter of Sorrento, Fla., defeated Michael Quizon of Los Angeles, 38-23 in the finals of the White Tier (Skill Levels 4 - 5) for the championship. Welter defeated David Pender of Tampa, Fla., in the semifinal round to advance to the finals. Quizon advanced to the finals by defeating William Gleason of Bayonne, N.J.

The finals of the Black Tier (Skill Levels 6 - 9) featured Roger Lites of Belcher, La., against Jerry Lin of Northridge, Calif. Lites defeated Lin 55-60 (Lin needed 75 points to win based on skill level). Lin advanced to the finals after defeating Dave Heuett of Sumner, Wash., in the semifinals. Lites advanced to the final round match after a victory over William Grubbs of Bluff City, Tenn., in the semifinal match of the Black Tier.

Each of the three Champions received a prize package worth $10,000. Runners-Up in each tier took home a prize package worth $5,000.

Nearly 13,000 amateur shooters attempted to qualify for the 2008 APA 9-Ball Shootout Singles Championship in their local league area. More than 1,800 poolplayers made it to the regional level of the 9-Ball Shootout before the field was whittled down to 145 men and women competing for 9-Ball crowns in each of three skill level tiers.

More than 33,000 shooters attempted to qualify for the 2008 8-Ball Classic. Nearly 4,800 poolplayers made it to the regional level before the field was narrowed to 362 men and women competing for 8-Ball crowns in each of three skill level tiers.

In the finals of the 8-Ball Classic, three champions each took home a prize package worth $15,000 for their performances.

In the Blue Tier (Skill Levels 2 - 3) of the 8-Ball Classic, it was Teresa Spencer of Mooresville, N.C., defeating Susan Wise-Frayer of Collinsville, Ill., 2-0 in the final match. Spencer defeated Charlene Martin of Arlington, Texas, in the semifinals to advance, while Wise-Frayer defeated Rachael Lundgren-Towler of Austin, Texas.

The finals of the Yellow Tier (Skill Levels 4 - 5), saw Bob Smith of Kankakee, Ill., defeat Lauren Haley of Temple, Texas, 5-0 in the finals. Smith advanced to the finals by defeating Michael Bruno of Howell, N.J., earlier in the day in the semifinal round. Haley defeated Jaylene Mattocks of Oklahoma City, Okla., in the semifinals.

The finals of the Purple Tier (Skill Levels 6 - 7) pitted Christopher Miller of Lafayette, La., against Jack Reid of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada. Miller defeated Reid in the finals 5-1. Reid defeated Shannon Wangler of Bethleham, Ga., in the semifinal round. Miller advanced after defeating Shannon Schroeder of Bartlett, Ill.

First place winners received cash and prizes worth $15,000. Each Runner-Up received cash and prizes worth $9,000.

In the annual Jack & Jill Doubles Championship, held in the MiniMania Room during the Singles Championships, Chris Russell and Josie Patini of Toronto, defeated Robert Lawrence and Vicki Highsmith of Newport News, Va. Russell and Patini took home $5,000, while Lawrence and Highsmith received $3,000 as Runners-Up.

Sportsmanship Awards were presented to Dan Rogers of Port St. Lucie, Fla., and Chris Lockridge of Helena, Ala., for their outstanding conduct throughout their matches in the 9-Ball Shootout and 8-Ball Classic, respectively.

The APA, based in Lake Saint Louis, Mo., sanctions the world's largest amateur pool league, known as the APA Pool League throughout the United States, and as the Canadian Pool League in Canada. More than 265,000 members compete in weekly 8-Ball and 9 Ball league play. The APA is generally recognized as the Governing Body of Amateur Pool, having established the official rules, championships, formats and handicap systems for the sport of amateur billiards.

The APA produces three major tournaments each year—the APA National Team Championships, the APA National Singles Championships and the U.S. Amateur Championship—that, together, pay out nearly $1.5 Million in cash and prizes annually!

The APA and its championships are sponsored by Cuetec Cues, Aramith Billiard Balls, Valley Teflon Ultra Cloth by Championship, and Valley Tables.

For more information on the APA, visit www.poolplayers.com.