Singles Champions Anchor Team Champions at ACS Midwest 8-Ball

The Richfield Chalet in Hubertus, Wisconsin (a suburb of Milwaukee) has proved to be a perfect fit for the annual ACS Midwest 8-Ball Championships in its first three years.  Warm, comfortable surroundings, plenty of seating space around the twenty competition tables provided by Dr. Pool Promotions, and a huge bar and staff to cater to the food and drink needs of the masses complete the appeal.  A large elevated stage also accommodates the tournament staff for an event that is quickly gaining numbers and success among the ACS stable of events.  While every division had its share of close competition, it was coincidental that the champion in each singles division went on to anchor the champion in each team division!
 
Women's Open Singles champion Heather Lavin (Frankfort, IL) marched undefeated to the title via victories over Chris Flint (Braidwood, IL) 4-1, T.J. Meyers-Jansky (West Allis, WI) 4-3, Donna Whitcomb (Bettendorf, IA) 4-2, Debbie Rodriguez (Pekin, IL) 4-2 in the winner's bracket finals and Donna Whitcomb 4-1 in the first set of the tourney finals!  Eventual Men's Open Singles champion Jay Slonske (Waukesha, WI) suffered a loss in his trip to the crown, first beating Tim Fitzpatrick (Valparaiso, IN) 5-0, Ron Crom (West Allis, WI) 5-3, Mike Green (Peoria, IL) 5-3, Andrew Stephenson (Peoria, IL) 5-1 and Scott Kugel (Mequon, WI) 5-2 before being whitewashed by William Mueller (Milwaukee, WI) 0-5 in the winner's bracket finals.  Slonske recovered to eliminate Dean Foster (Braidwood, IL) 5-1, rewarding Jay with a final's appointment with William Mueller.  This time Slonske succeeded in two sets 5-1 and 5-3 for the championship!  Women's Master Singles champion Kelly Haffner lost no matches in her journey to the division title, clipping Pam Patton (Milwaukee, WI) [forfeit], Judy Ninke (West Bend, WI) 6-1, Laura Link (Oak Creek, WI) 6-3 in the winner's bracket finals; and repeating her performance over Link 6-3 in the tourney finals!
 
“Rockstars Only” (IL) won the Women's Open Team division, but it did not come easy. They outpointed Miller Time Girls (IA) 6-5, Trifecta (IL) 6-4 and Pour House (WI) 6-2 before being drummed by Flanagan's (WI) 2-6.  “Rockstars Only” (Heather Lavin, Karolina Quigley and Tracy Mallet) recovered to win the loser's bracket, eliminating Trifecta (IL) 6-3.  Having to defeat “Flanagan's” two sets for the title, “Rockstars Only” was up to the task, eclipsing “Flanagan's” 6-1 in set #1 and 6-5 in set #2!  The Men's Open Team division was dominated by “Flanagan's Jaybirds” (WI) [Jay Slonske, John Gonzales and Ron Crom], as they defeated for the title every opponent they faced convincingly: T.H.U.D. (IN) 7-3, River City Billiards (IL) 7-4, Flanagan's Killers (WI) 7-1, Dead Stroke (IL) 7-1 and Dead Stroke again in the tourney finals 7-1!  The six teams in the Women's Master Teams played triple-elimination, and “Main Inn” (IL) [Amy Latzko, Lenore McCarthy and Kim Mickulas] emerged in the hot seat, but it was “Logistically Challenged” (MN) [Kelly Haffner, Beth Fondell and Jessica Frideres] that
took the honors via a win over Flanagan's PB&J (WI) 8-5, a loss to Main Inn 4-8 and then running the table over Tripped Up (IL) 8-2, Flanagan's PB&J 8-4 and Main Inn twice in the finals 8-5, 8-5 for the title!
 
The ACS would like to thank sponsors Schuler Cue, Wild Eyes Creations and Nick Varner Signature Cues and Cases, whose multi-World Champion namesake took on all challengers throughout the event.  
 
Final Results:
 
Women's Master Singles
1st                 Kelly Haffner (St. Joseph, MN)                   $500
2nd          Laura Link (Oak Creek, WI)                           $300
3rd           Beth Fondell (Owatonna, MN)                   $215
 
Men's Open Singles
1st           Jay Slonske (Waukesha, WI)                       $600     
2nd                William Mueller (Milwaukee, WI)             $400
3rd           Dean Foster (Braidwood, IL)                          $275
4th           Scott Kugel (Mequon, WI)                           $200
5-6th       James Stricker (Hales Corners, WI)           $150
                Tony Gong (Chicago, IL)
7-8th       Mike Frisch (New Berlin, WI)                      $100
                Jim Ruettiger (Elwood, IL)
9-12th     Andrew Stephenson (Peoria, IL)               $50
                Greg Rintelman (Ashippun, WI)
                Tom Radawitz (Colgate, WI)
                Tim Krouse (Watertown, WI)
 
Women's Open Singles
1st           Heather Lavin (Frankfort, IL)                       $350
2nd          Donna Whitcomb (Bettendorf, IA)           $250
3rd           Debbie Rodriguez (Pekin, IL)                       $150
4th           T.J. Meyers-Jansky (West Allis, WI)          $100                                                                      
5-6th       Patty Anderson (Davenport, IA)                $35
                Jennifer Freeman (Peoria, IL)
                 
Women's Master Teams
1st           Logistically Challenged (MN)                       $1,000    
2nd          Main Inn (IL)                                                      $500
3rd           Flanagan's PB&J (WI)                                     $340
 
Men's Open Teams
1st           Flanagan's Jaybirds (WI)                               $1,000
2nd          Dead Stroke (IL)                                               $600
3rd           Flanagans 1-800-Run-Out (WI)                   $400
4th           Flanagan's Killers (WI)                                    $240
5-6th       Bare Down (IL)                                                  $100
                Red Shoes (IL)
 
Women's Open Teams
1st           Rockstars Only (IL)                                           $700      
2nd          Flanagan's (WI)                                                 $400                      
3rd           Trifecta (IL)                                                         $200
4th           Pour House (WI)                                              $120