Last weekend (January 8), Mike Davis got into the hot seat on the Tiger Southeast Open 9-Ball Tour and was defeated in the finals by Tommy Kennedy. This week, on January 14, Davis took a different route, to a different, preferable outcome. It was Davis this time who was sent to the semifinals, from whence he returned to defeat hot seat occupant, Justin Hall, in the finals. The $1,000-added event drew 22 entrants to Hammerheads in Holiday, FL.
Davis and Kennedy met in this one, as well; among the winners’ side final four. Davis sent Kennedy west 9-6 and advanced to the hot seat match against Hall, who’d defeated James Roberts 9-3. Hall got into the hot seat on the heels of a decisive 9-2 victory over Davis in their first of two.
Kennedy moved over to face Jason Richko, who’d gotten by Mark Walthen 7-3 and shut out Bill Delisle to reach him. Roberts picked up Louis Altes, who’d defeated Jose Del Rio 7-4 and Art Seamen 7-3. Kennedy and Altes moved into the quarterfinals with identical 7-3 victories over Richko and Roberts. Altes then prevented a Kennedy/Davis rematch with a 7-3 defeat of Kennedy in those quarterfinals.
Davis allowed Altes only a single rack in a semifinal victory that gave him a second shot at Hall. Hall took an early, three-game lead, 5-2, before Davis settled in to win eight in a row to reach the hill first in the extended, race-to-11 finals. Davis scratched on the subsequent break, opening the door to a three-game run by Hall. An unforced error by Hall in the 19th rack, though, gave Davis the chance he needed. He finished the rack to capture the event title.
Hammerheads Billiards Lounge, Holiday Florida hosted the Fl State Amateur championships weekend of 11,19,2011 57 players showed up for $2000 Added main event and 29 players for the 2nd chance $500 added. The $2500 Added FL State Open Championships will be held December 10th-11th at the same venue.
Florida’s Chris Gentile would prove to be the man to beat as he went about his business on winner’s side with strong wins over Jason Sheerman 7-6, Poison Amateur tour player of the year Jim Sandaler 7-3, Walter Blacker 7-3, Bryan Davalos 7-5 and then Mark Wathen 7-2 to find himself in the hotseat match where he would meet 2009 Fl Amateur state champion David Uwate. Uwate made his way to the hotseat match with wins over Valerie Dukic 7-0, Louis Altese 7-3, Julio Del Pozo 7-2, Jarred Schlauch 7-4 and then Paul Mullins 7-4 to set up the hotseat match with Gentile. The hotseat match would not disappoint with both players keep the pressure on bye trading racks all the way to 6-6, at this point Uwate was looking in control until a position error from 7 to 8 would leave him too tough on the 8 with a miss leaving Gentile with a tap in 8 and 9 to take the Hoteseat.
While all this was going on 2010 US Amateur Champion Raymond Linares was wreaking havoc on the one loss side after a 1st round loss to Jarred Schlauch 7-6, Linares would go onto defeat Wesley white, Bill Delisle, Dan Whitten, Prescott Buckwold, Bryan Davalos, then very strong wins over Paul Mullins 7-0, Jeff Mabry 7-6, David Uwate 7-0 would see him make it to the final.
Linares run of 9 matches on the one loss side would come to an end with Gentile looking fresh and strong to take his 1st and biggest title on the Poison Amateur tour and be crowned 2011 Fl Amateur State Champion and take the $1000 first place prize money. Please note that this is not the Chris Gentile that finished 2nd in the US open one pocket.
Brett Lykins would go onto win the 2nd chance event which came down to a 1 rack shootout with Jason Sheerman.
The Poison Tour would like to thanks Hammerheads room owner Peter Shabo and his staff for hosting these great events. If you are interested in playing the Fl State Open Championships contact Tony Crosby @ tonyc9ball@yahoo.com for more info. Also a big thank you to Poison bye Predator cues out title Sponsors.
