Compton Takes Dough in 9-Ball Challenge and 9-Ball Open Singles Launches with a Bang BCAPL Nationals

Sandra Badger

The first two titles were awarded at the 35th Annual BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships. In the 9-Ball Challenge, bar table specialist Jason Kirkwood lost a close one for the hot seat to the young Chip Compton but went on to defeat Canadian Brady Gollan by a score of 7-1 earning himself a chance at sweet redemption against Compton. Kirkwood would continue his streak with a 7-2 victory in the first set. Compton broke and ran the first two racks but found few opportunities after that.

In the second set, the players exchanged racks until Compton was on the hill 6-5. A few costly scratches toward the end, from both players, switched the momentum a few times but finally, Compton finished the set 7-5. "This is the first tournament I've ever won in Vegas!" said the elated 23-year-old from Oklahoma City. The 9-Ball Challenge is a pro-am event open to all players.

On the amateur side, the Men's and Women's Open 9-Ball divisions invited only the Open players to compete. It was single elimination, no masters or grand masters allowed, best two of three sets, race to four for the women and race to five for the men. In the women's division, Sandra Badger from Canada defeated Michele Li from New York in a two-set final score of 4-2, 4-2. The ladies played back-to-back matches all day and were both pretty exhausted by the end. Badger has multiple league championship titles while Li is a member of the winning 2009 BCAPL Women's Open Team, Kiss of Death.

The men's division of the 9-Ball Open Singles had a full field of 256 players. The finals will take place between Jordan Grubb from Charleston, West Virginia and Michael Miller. Grubb has been making a splash on the Viking and Great Southern Billiard Tours. The finals will be scheduled for later this week.

To view the complete bracket of the BCAPL 9-Ball Singles events visit www.ctsondemand.com.

CueSports International is dedicated to creating more choices for all players. CSI is the parent company of the BCA Pool League and the USA Pool League. CSI also produces independent events such as the U.S. Bar Table Championships, the Jay Swanson Memorial, the U.S. Open One Pocket Championship and the U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship. Visit www.playcsipool.com, www.playbca.com and www.playusapool.com for more information about CSI and its divisions.