Stop #2 on the Tiger Florida Tour this past weekend (Feb. 18-19) edged Stephanie Mitchell up to #2 in the early 2023 season rankings, just below Kaylee McIntosh, whom she defeated in the finals of the event. Once the event moved from its double elimination origin to single elimination, the possibility of a mother/daughter (Debbie versus Kaylee) final loomed in a three-round distance that failed to materialize. The $1,000-added event drew 30 entrants to Stixx Billiards in Oldsmar, FL.
Mitchell’s visit to the loss side of the bracket didn’t last long. After an opening round bye, Mitchell downed Danielle Fee 7-5 and ran into the Pink Dagger, junior competitor Sofia Mast, who sent her to the loss side 7-5 for a single match from which she would return.
Mast, who’d defeated Sharlee Norq and Michell Monk before sending Mitchell to the loss side,was one of four who advanced to the single elimination bracket from the winners’ side. Joining Mast in her wait for the loss side to send its four finalists to single elimination were: Kimberly Housmann, who’d defeated Jeannie Seaver, Tiara Pfeife and another junior competitor, Gianna Fiore to advance; Debbie McIntosh, who’d gotten by Denise Reeve, Margie Soash and Jessica Barnes to move into single elimination and Kaylee McIntosh, who’d defeated Tiffany Culn, Miranda Oran and Kim Caso to join the winners’ side group.
On the loss side, Jessica Barnes played a single match, meeting up with Jeannie Seaver, who’d won two on the loss side, including her sister, Vanessa, to reach her. Barnes eliminated Jeannie 5-3 to join the single elimination bracket, facing Kaylee McIntosh. Monk, who’d given up only two racks in 11 loss-side games downed Gianna Fiore 5-3 to join the eight quarterfinalists and square off against Mast. Kim Caso defeated Deanna Laney, double hill, to join the quarterfinalists, and meet up with Debbie McIntosh. Mitchell became the last one, downing Mimi McAndrews 5-2 and facing Housman in the first single elimination round.
Mother and daughter proceeded to do their part in advancing the possibility of their potential match in the finals. Mom, Debbie, defeated Kim Caso, as daughter Kaylee eliminated Barnes, both 7-4. Mast moved into to the semifinals with a 7-2 victory over Monk, while Mitchell downed Housman 7-2.
Kaylee furthered the cause in the semifinals by eliminating the Pink Dagger 7-5. Mitchell spoiled the family finals festivities by defeating Debbie 7-3 in their semifinal matchup.
Mitchell then assured that mother and daughter would at least end up next to each other in 2nd and the two-way tie for 3rd place by defeating Kaylee in the finals 7-4. McIntosh maintained her position at the top of the tour standings, ahead of Mitchell, Jeannie Seaver, Kimberly Housman and Sofia Mast.
Tour director Mimi McAndrews thanked the ownership and staff at Stixx Billiards for their hospitality, along with title sponsor Tiger Products, Boynton Billiards, AZBilliards.com, Stitch It To Me Embroidery, Brutal Game Gear, Simonis Cloth, The Corner Pocket and Brewlands Billiards. Stop #3 on the Tiger Florida Tour, scheduled for Saturday, March 25, will be hosted by Brewlands North in Lakeland, FL.
Helene Caukin, Kaylee McIntosh, Stephanie Mitchell (room owner), ; Michell Monk and Jeannie Seaver
At the 14th Annual Cues for the Cure breast cancer awareness fundraiser, held under the auspices of the Tiger Florida Tour’s season finale this past weekend (Oct. 15-16), it was important to keep one’s eye on the ball, so to speak. While the event signaled the end of the tour season, with the determination of its Tour Champion and the marquee matchups on the modified double elimination bracket on the line, it was important to remember that the event had other benefits going on. It would provide benefits to the Florida chapter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation in its ongoing attempt to fund breast cancer research and services to communities all across the country. That was the ‘ball’ that the 36-entrant, all-female field at the event were keeping their eyes on as they spent their time trying to drop real balls into holes to win games, matches, tour rankings and a cash deposit into their Christmas shopping account. The $1,500-added event was hosted by Corner Pocket in Largo, FL, owned by one of the competitors, Stephanie Mitchell.
So before, during and after fund-raising activities that included raffles with themed mystery baskets (among other things) and an opportunity to guess at the number of M & Ms and Hershey’s Kisses in containers (both won by Dixie Sutton, who guessed the closest number of Kisses in a pumpkin jar and the exact number of M & Ms in a vase; 2,741), the ladies played some pool.
There was a possible scenario emerging from this Tiger Florida Tour’s season finale that would have seen Stephanie Mitchell crowned as the tour’s 2022 champion. It could have happened if Jeannie Seaver had not competed and Stephanie did, finishing among the event’s final eight. Neither of those two things happened. With both of them competing, Stephanie had to finish well ahead of Jeannie to pass her in ranking points. That didn’t happen either. What also didn’t happen was a repeat of the 2021 Cues for the Cure event in which a mother and daughter (Debbie and Kaylee McIntosh) competed in the finals. Both mother and daughter competed this year, with daughter defending her title.
What did happen was that Jeannie Seaver went undefeated to claim the 2022 tour champion title, downing Michell Monk in the finals. Stephanie Mitchell, who finished in the tie for 17th/24th at the event, finished second in the tour rankings, with Jeannie Seaver’s older sister, Vanessa (finishing 13th/16th) in third place and junior competitor, Sofia Mast, not in attendance, finishing in 4th place.
The modified double elimination bracket whittled the field of 36 down to four players on each side of the bracket and then, entered a single elimination phase of eight playing a single match to advance as far as they could. The younger Seaver’s path to the winners’ circle went through Jennifer Merritt 5-3 and then ran into big sister, Vanessa. A double hill, live version of sibling rivalry ensued, after which Jeannie moved on to defeat Sonya Chbeeb 5-1, advancing to become one of the winners’ side’s final four.
Michell Monk earned her way to the winners’ side final four as well, winning three matches by an aggregate score of 15-1 against Kimberly Housman (0), Margie Soash (0) and Carrie Vetrono (1). Two of the three winners’ side matches Lisa Perez played to be among the final four went double hill; her opener against Danielle Marie Fee and the match against Helene Caukin that put her in the final four. Autumn French fell 5-3 in the middle. The last to join the winners’ side advancement was defending champion and junior competitor Kaylee McIntosh, who, like Monk, gave up only a single rack to one of her first three opponents; Lyn Remsen (0), Mimi McAndrews (1) and Jessica Barnes (0).
Two of the four people who’d failed to make the winners’ side list in the last deciding match on that side of the bracket came back from the loss side to join the cash-generating single elimination phase and have a second shot at claiming the title. Sonya Chbeeb faced and defeated her one loss-side opponent, Kim Caso, 5-3 and would face Kaylee McIntosh in the first single-elimination round. Helene Caukin moved over, eliminated Jessica Karamia Human 5-3 and came back for a second shot against Lisa Perez. Keeping aspirations for a second straight mother/daughter final alive, Debbie McIntosh, who’d lost her second match to Carrie Vetrono, won two on the loss side before downing Jessica Barnes 5-3 to be among the loss side’s final four.Jeri Bouvette, who’d been shut out by Barnes in the second round, won two on the loss side and then shut out Carrie Vetrono. Moving out of the frying pan into the fire, she faced Jeannie Seaver in the opening, single-elimination round.
Daughter advances to final four against Seaver, Mom falls to eventual runner-up, Michell Monk
Winners in the quarterfinals that followed advanced to the semifinals by an aggregate score of 20-5. Had the McIntosh family advanced together, they would not have faced each other in the semifinals and might have realized the potential for a second straight mother/daughter final. Daughter Kaylee downed Chbeeb 5-1 and advanced to the semifinals against Jeannie Seaver, who’d eliminated Bouvette 5-1. Mom Debbie fell 2-5 to Michell Monk, who advanced to take her spot in the semifinals versus Caukin, who’d won her rematch against Perez 5-2.
One match shy of her second straight appearance in the Cues for Cure final, Kaylee McIntosh was downed by Jeannie Seaver 5-3. Monk joined Seaver in the finals after eliminating Caukin 5-1. Seaver completed her undefeated run (the tour championship title already in her pocket), with a 5-3 victory over Monk in the finals.
With a request to direct your (the reader’s) attention to the ‘ball’ that was the cornerstone of this event, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, tour representatives hope that you’ll take time to read through this list of people who made it all possible. In addition to all of the players and spectators who came out in support of this event, tour representatives thanked Stephanie Mitchell and her Corner Pocket staff for their hospitality and continuing support of the Tiger Florida Tour and the Cues for the Cure event. They also thanked title sponsor Tiger Products and Tony Kalamdaryan, Larry Wood with Boynton Billiards for donations and continued support of the tour, Stitch It To Me (Nicolle Cuellar; for event t-shirts, and raffle gifts), Brutal Game Gear (Michell Monk; gift certificates), Dixie and Rick Sutton and Estates by Dixie (designer basket donation and pizza for all), Rob Charles for tech help, Texas Roadhouse Grill (St. Petersburg; gift buckets), Deanna Laney (raffle help), Josh Arnold (running a smooth tournament), Andy Cloth and AZBilliards.
Debbie McIntosh, Kaylee McIntosh, Sofia Mast and Stephanie Mitchell
Kaylee McIntosh won her first event Saturday October 2nd at the Tiger Florida Tour’s annual “Cues for the Cure” at The Corner Pocket in Largo, Florida. This $1700-added event drew forty women who came to have a good time, friendly competition and raise money for breast cancer awareness. All funds raised benefit Susan G. Komen Florida. McIntosh, who finished second last year in this even, was not about to let this one escape. Hot off an impressive finish in her first professional WPBA event, McIntosh confirmed that she belongs at the top!
In this modified double-elimination format, the women played down to four on each side, and redrew onto a final single-elimination board.The four finalists from the winner’s side included room owner Stephanie Mitchell, Shanelle Lorraine, Carrie Metz, and Sofia Mast. The one-loss side sent Michell Monk, Debbie McIntosh, Jessica Human and Kaylee McIntosh back to the Final Board.The final match had Debbie McIntosh playing Kaylee McIntosh (yes, they are related) with Kaylee taking the win, title, money and trophy!
This event was a blast with a variety of other headlines that would have been appropriate in addition to Kaylee’s first win. For example, this was the first mother-daughter final on the TFT!Yes, Debbie McIntosh is Kaylee’s mother and Debbie came in second place!
Another headliner was the fantastic finish by Sofia Mast.Mast is not even old enough to get a learner’s permit.She can’t drive at her age but wow, this girl’s got game!Mast sent Kaylee to the one-loss side earlier in the day in a double-hill match, making it to the Final Board undefeated.Finishing 3rd/4th was Mast’s best finish on the FTF.
John Hake, Chad Kosier, Josh Arnold and Rollie Dixon
And the other headline grabber was the outrageous men in pink – pink bras!The participants – John Hake, Chad Kosier, Josh Arnold and Rollie Dixon – made fancy bras that the players and spectators stuffed with money throughout the day!Josh Arnold raised the most money and won a bar tab at the room.All of the guys were great sports and the bra contest added great fun to the day!
All players received Cues for the Cure T-shirts. The players also won prizes playing bingo and in the raffle. Jacob Mast had the winning number of Hershey Kisses in the apothecary jar, and Krystalann Williams guessed the closet number of M&Ms in the three glass buffet jars! All monies raised through the day benefitted Susan G. Komen Florida.
We thank everyone enough for their support and contributions to this worthy event!We want to thank and recognize Nicolle Cuellar (Stitch It To Me) who made the event T-shirts; thank you to Michell Monk and Rollie Dixon (Brutal Game Gear) for the gift certificates for the raffle! Thanks, always to good friend, player and supporter Janice Sessions (Florida Coastal Ladies Tour) for adding money to the prize fund. Thanks also to Dixie Sutton and Estates by Dixie and the Bay Area APA. A huge shout out to Deanna Laney for her amazing help with the bingo and raffle. Of course, we couldn’t run the tournament without Jerry Sotelo and Josh Arnold – the smoothest-run Cues for the Cure tournament! And most importantly, the event would not be the same without Stephanie Mitchell and The Corner Pocket and staff, and Stephanie’s support of the TFT and the Cues for the Cure! And last but not least, thanks to all of the players and spectators who came out to participate, posted your photos and contributed to the success of this event!
As ALWAYS we thank and appreciate our title sponsor, Tiger Products and Tony Kalamdaryran, Larry Wood with Boynton Billiards, Simonis Cloth and AZ Billiards.
A new face emerged as the one to beat at Tour Stop 2 of the Tiger Florida Tour at Boulevard Billiards in Ocala. Debbie McIntosh came from the one loss side to win this $500-added, modified double elimination format. Debbie is relatively new to the Tour and played only a few times last year. Most players are more familiar with her teenage daughter, Kayee, who also plays on the TFT and who is emerging as one of the top junior players in the country. Kaylee finished 5th-6th.
Debbie McIntosh surprised many, winning over newcomer Gwen Sharpton (7-1), taking the hill-hill match from top TFT player Stephanie Mitchell, before losing on the hill to “Mike” Fitzgerald. On the one-loss side, McIntosh challenged another top player, Michell Monk (5-2), earning her way back to the single elimination board. McIntosh drew Fitzgerald again, but this time McIntosh prevailed (7-5) to take on Nicolle Cuellar in the finals.
Cuellar’s path to the finals started by sending Margarita Makeeva to the one-loss side (7-2), followed by CameRon Cook (7-1), and then meeting Kaylee McIntosh in a lengthy double-hill match. Once on the single elimination board, Cuellar ended the day for Mitchell in another lengthy double hill match in the semi-finals. Cuellar’s match in the finals with McIntosh wasn’t easy, and a few mistakes cost Cuellar the win against McIntosh, who was playing lights out.
Thanks to the players who turned out for this event. We thank our title sponsor Tiger Products; and sponsors Great Lakes Billiards, Ultimate Chalkers, Boynton Billiards, AZ Billiards and Discount Mugs. Thank you to room owner Donald Krischer and everyone at Boulevard Billiards for being great hosts!
