The Sixth Annual Senior One Pocket Championship was held this past weekend at Bogies in Houston, TX. PoolActionTV.com & Bogies added $3000 to this double elimination event.
To qualify for this event, players had to turn 65 before the end of this year. They came from around the country and ponied up their $200 entry fees. Races were to four on the winners side and to three on the one loss side.
After the players meeting and a rousing players auction, play began.
First round saw Houston’s own James Christopher defeat Jim Tomassoni, 2019’s runner-up Ike Runnels beat the always tough Robert Newkirk and veteran Hall of Famers Nick Varner and Efren Reyes battled it out to a 4-3 finish – Reyes took the win.
Second round matches included Tom Wirth, author of One Pocket: A Game Of Controlled Aggression, eking out a 4-3 victory over defending champ James Davis Sr. and 2019’s third place finisher John Palmore sending Christopher to the west side.
Wirth squeaked out another 4-3 win over Palmore while Runnels sent Gabby Pouncey packing in the third round.
In fourth round action, Wirth’s luck ran out as Runnels sent him to the one loss side and Reyes mercilessly skunked Wayne Catledge. Both Runnels and Reyes advanced to the hot seat match.
Meanwhile, on the west side of the chart, Gabby and James Sr. were duking it out to see who would play the loser of the hot seat match. It was close but James Sr. prevailed 3-2.
The hot seat match saw Efren defeat Ike 4-2 sending him over to play James Sr. Both men fought hard to get into the finals but when it was all over, James Sr. had won 4-2.
Since this format was true double elimination, James Sr. would have to defeat Efren twice to claim the title. James Sr. rocketed out to a 3-0 lead & it looked like he would claim the first set. Efren, however, was having none of it and clawed his way back to tie it up at three apiece! It looked like the match was almost over and then Efren faltered on his out ball! James leaped out of his seat to win the final game and forced a second set.
Looking like he was a little hot under the collar after failing to lock up the title in the previous match, Efren took dead aim and BOOM!!! Eight and out for the first game, claimed the second game and finally won the last game, set and title!
Both players played exceptionally well and left us all wanting for more! Congratulations, Efren! Great job, James Sr.!
We’d like to thank our own Ray Hansen & his able assistant, Adam Cooper, for doing a great job keeping the tournament running smoothly. We’d also like to thank Cody Parrish and his staff for taking such good care of all the players and fans.
Also deserving praise were commentators Jeremy Jones, Larry Schwartz, Nick Varner, Tom Wirth and OnePocket.org’s Steve Booth.
And, of course, we can’t forget to thank our fans and sponsors. They include Lomax Custom Cues, JB Cases, Hanshew Custom Cues, Aramith, Simonis, Durbin Custom Cues, Diamond Billiard Products, The Action Palace of Dayton, OH and Fort Worth Billiards Superstore of Fort Worth, TX.
Our next event is at Big Dog Billiards in Des Moines, IA for the Midwest Billiards & Cue Expo – dates are July 14th-18th! Hope to see you there!
Gabby Pouncey, Aaron Springs, Will Felder, Gabriel Rivas, Pete Charles and Justin Espinosa
Competing in their first Poison Lone Star Billiards Tour pool tournament, “Gabby” and Jason Hunt went undefeated to win the open and amateur 9-ball divisions, respectively. After stifling a field of 61 players, Gabby defeated Aaron Springs in the open final, 6-3, while Hunt denied Will Felder in the amateur final, 5-3.
On April 24th-25th, 2021, sponsors Poison by Predator Cues, Predator Cues, APA of North Harris County, Alamo Billiards, Outsville Billiards, Team StraightPool Eye, Southern Streaming, and Slick Willies Family Pool Hall (5319 Westheimer) in Houston, Texas, facilitated another successful event for Tour players. This event was $1,000 added and drew nearly 70 players, with 24 ladies in the Gulf Coast Tour Event, paying out almost $11,000 in prize money. As always, Slick Willies provided premium amenities, which included twenty-three, Brunswick 8’ Tables, in a smoke-free environment. Predator Arcos II Pool Balls and Accu-Racks by Outsville Billiards were provided for each table.
In the open 9-ball division, on his way to the winners’ side, final four, Gabby defeated Luis Acosta, 6-1, Martin Ramos, 6-4, Sylver Hernandez, 6-3, and Pete Charles, 6-1. Will Felder tackled Richard Hutchinson, 6-1, Felix Galindo, 6-3, J.C. Torres, 6-2, and Albert Bustillos, 6-2. Aaron Springs bested Michael Pickering, Tim Jerkins, 6-2, Derek Fontenot, 5-0, and Gabriel Rivas, 6-2. Rounding out the final four, Justin Espinosa overcame Jason Hill, 6-2, Mike Anderson, Jose Mancillas, 6-5, and Jason Hunt, 6-2. On the west side, Kenney Nguyen was on a roll with wins over Erik Renteria, 5-1, Isaiah Arellano, 5-4, and Hernandez, 5-2, fell to Rivas, 5-4. After suffering a first round loss, Steve Lenz eliminated Acosta, 5-0, Wesley Escobar, 5-1, Brian Murphy, 5-1, Torres, 5-0, and Chris Ramoz, 5-1, until losing to Hunt, 5-3. Advancing to the final twelve, Mancillas denied Dennis Hadley, 5-4, and Bustillos, 5-1, while Fontenot shutout Javier Alienes, 5-0, losing in turn to Charles, 5-1. As the one-loss side played out, east side action was underway. Gabby overwhelmed Felder, 6-3, and it was Springs over Espinosa, 6-4. In the hot seat match, Gabby wasted little time on Springs, running away with it, 6-1. Back on the one-loss side, Rivas ended Hunt, 5-3, while Charles derailed Mancillas, 5-0. Advancing into the final four, Felder sent Rivas packing, and Espinosa advanced over Charles, by the same score, 5-3. Espinosa finished off Felder, 5-3, but was eliminated by Springs, 5-3. Springs earned himself a rematch Gabby, but that opportunity was short-lived, as Gabby ran away with the final set, 6-3. This was Gabby’s first time to compete, and his first win, on the Poison Lone Star Billiards Tour.
In the amateur 9-ball division, newcomer Jason Hunt earned his way into the winners’ side, final four, with victories over Brian Murphy, 5-2, Wesley Escobar, 5-3, Isaiah Arellano, 5-0, and J.C. Torres, 5-3. Javier Alienes dusted off Joe Gonzales, 5-1, Erik Renteria, 5-4, and Sylver Hernandez, 5-1.Jose Mancillas took down Ed Palacios, Jr., 5-0, Jason Hill, 5-3, Oscar Ramoz, 5-1, and Steve Lenz, 5-3. Wrapping up the final four, Will Felder dominated Eddie Pacheco, 5-1, Mike Anderson, 5-3, Jim Walker, 5-1, and Pete Charles, 5-2. On the one-loss side, and in the final sixteen, Chris Bagget took out Dennis Hadley and Hernandez, by the same score, 4-1, while Kenney Nguyen ousted Ramoz, 4-2, and Torres, 4-3. Elias Garza won five matches, including wins over Mike Anderson, 4-1, Gary Behrens, 4-1, Isaiah Arellano, Chris Ramoz, 4-1. One round from the final eight, Garza was eliminated by Steve Lenz, 4-1. After losing his first match, Chuck Adams bested Jim Shortell, Mo Morales, Aaron Springs, 4-2, Brian Sakuma, and Renteria, 4-1, but fell to Pete Charles, 4-2. The final eight was formed, and east side action ensued. Felder squeezed by Mancillas, 5-4, and Hunt shutout Alienes, 5-0. Hunt made quick work of Felder, 5-3, securing his first hot seat match in his first event.Back on the west side, it was Baggett over Nguyen, 4-3, and Mancillas, 4-3, while Lenz denied Charles 4-0, and Alienes, 4-3. Lenz secured his fourth win over Mancillas, 4-0, but was relegated to third place by Felder, 4-1. Once again, Felder faced off with Hunt, but Hunt would not be denied, and quickly defeated Felder in the first set of the true, double elimination final, 5-3. This was the first time Hunt competed on Tour, and this was his first win.
The Tour would like to acknowledge junior players Malachi Walker and Tyler Miller, who competed in amateur 9-ball division. Junior players, 17 and under, always receive a $5 discount, and are permitted to attend any event with a parent or guardian.
Finally, the Poison Lone Star Billiards Tour would like to welcome all the new players who attended this event, and invite them back at every opportunity.
The next event will be June 4th-5th, 2021, at Slick Willies Family Pool Hall, located at 5319 Westheimer, in Houston, Texas. For more information about the Poison Lone Star Billiards Tour, visit www.LoneStarBilliardsTour.com.
