Dustin Coe, sitting in the hot seat during the June 4-5 event on the Q City 9-Ball Tour, might well have assumed that to win the title, he'd have to beat his hot seat opponent, Jonathan Ailstock, a second time. As it turned out, he faced a friend of Ailstock's, Mike Hancock, who'd won seven on the loss side, and won the opening set of the true double elimination final. Coe took the second set and won the event that had drawn 56 entrants to Borderline Billiards in Bristol, TN.

 

Coe and Ailstock squared off in the hot seat match, once Coe had sent Darren Musser to the loss side 5-5 (Musser racing to 7), and Ailstock had shut out Cole Parsons. Coe chalked up a second 5-5 win (Ailstock, as well, racing to 7), and sat in the hot seat, waiting on Hancock.

 

Sent to the loss side by Jordan Grubb, Hancock defeated four opponents, including Jody Musselman and Daniel Adams, both 6-3, to draw Musser. Parsons, in the meantime, picked up Scott Roberts, who'd gotten by Dwain Barberie 7-3 and survived a double hill fight versus Dakota Harris to reach him.

 

Hancock survived a double hill match against Musser, and in the quarterfinals, faced Parsons, who'd defeated Roberts 5-4 (Roberts racing to 7). Over the next three matches, Hancock gave up a total of four racks; two in winning the quarterfinal match against Parsons, none in the semifinal matchup against his friend, Jonathan Ailstock, and two, in the opening set of the true double elimination final versus Coe.

 

Coe reversed his fortunes in the second set. He allowEd Hancock only a single rack and claimed the event title with a 5-1 win.

 

Although Borderline Billiards' owner, Janet Atwell, was in Virginia, competing in the National Pool Tour's 10-Ball Women's Invitational Tour, director Herman Parker thanked her and her staff, as well as sponsors Viking Cues and Delta-13 Racks. The next stop on the Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for June 11-12, will be hosted by Brass Tap Billiards in Raleigh, NC.

In a field that featured a high percentage of younger players (18 and under), one of whom (Peter Abantangelo; age 14) reached the semifinals, David Strum went undefeated during a Q City 9-Ball Tour stop on the weekend of April 23-24. The event drew 43 entrants to Brown's Billiards in Raleigh, NC.

 

Strum had to get by 18-year-old Cole Parsons twice to claim the title (Cole's brother, Ethan, age 11, was in the field, as well). They met first in the hot seat. Strum sent Daniel Jones to the loss side 7-2, while Parsons was working on a 5-1 victory over Solomon Pope. Strum claimed the hot seat over Parsons 7-2 and waited on his return.

 

On the loss side, Abantangelo, sent to the loss side in his opening match against Pope, was at work on his eight-match, loss-side streak that would take him as far as the semifinals. He chalked up wins #5 and #6 against Randy Hodges 5-3 and AJ Hertzog, double hill to draw Jones. Pope picked up Jody Musselman, who'd eliminated Daniel Adams 7-2 and Jordan Grubb 7-5.

 

Abantangelo earned his way to a quarterfinal re-match against Pope with a 5-2 victory over Jones. Pope eliminated Mussleman 7-1. Abantangelo wreaked his vengeance on Pope 7-5, but had his loss-side streak ended in a youth semifinal against Parsons. Parsons prevailed 5-2 for a second shot against Strum.

 

Strum repeated his hot seat performance. He completed his undefeated run with a second 7-2 victory over Parsons to claim the event title.

 

Tour director Herman Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Brown's Billiards, as well as sponsors Viking Cues, Delta 13 racks, AZBilliards, Professor Q Ball, and Bet Somethin Apparel. The next stop on the Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for April 30-May 1, will be hosted by The Clubhouse in Lynchburg, VA.