Jonathan Pinegar (Photo courtesy Super Billiards Expo)
Davis tops largest SBE field of 1,024 to win Amateur Open
In its multi-discipline, varied-skill format that, with some overlap among 11 events, drew over 3,000 pool players to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks, PA over the weekend of March 28-31, the Super Billiard Expo’s Pro Am Bar Box Championships has always existed as something of a challenge. In 2018, they used the challenge in promoting the event, asking potential participants a simple question – How good do you really think you are?
Open to all levels of competitors, without restriction, its field is capped at 32 players, who play a ‘best of three set’ format with races to 6 in each set (all other Amateur events utilized the same format, although with races to 5 in each set). While encouraging and expecting a wide variety of players from the amateur to the pro, this year’s ProAm Bar Box Championships featured a field that was tipped somewhat toward the amateur end of things. Not completely, because it was won by 20-year veteran Jonathan Pinegar, who’s been winning and cashing in amateur and semi-pro events for nearly 20 years. Known throughout most of his career as “Hennessee from Tennessee,” Pinegar has, in recent years, been signing on to events with his given name. At this year’s SBE, he signed in as John Pinegar. This year’s runner-up was Demetrius Jelatis.
The posted brackets on the SBE Web site for all of the amateur events (including the ProAm Bar Box) do not indicate the scores of the individual sets, which masks the give and take of game-by-game scoring. Instead, each player is seen to have won their individual matches by only one of two possible outcomes; 2-0 or 2-1. There is no way of knowing, therefore, a given player’s game-winning percentage, only his or her set-winning percentage.
Pinegar won 10 of 12 sets he played over five matches. He opened with a 2-1 win over Alex Olinger, went 2-0 against Kevin West and allowed Scott Haas a single set in the third round, which brought him to a semifinal matchup against Justin Espinosa. Jelatis, in the meantime, won eight of the 12 sets he played over five matches. He opened with two straight 2-0 set victories over Shane Clayton and Alan Rolan, before giving up a set to Ryan McCreesh. This set him (Jelatis) up against Jorge Rodriguez in the other semifinal. Rodriguez is another one of those competitors who’s been competing at the semi-pro and pro-level for years.
Pinegar got into the finals with a 2-0 set victory over Espinosa. Jelatis joined him after a 2-1 set victory over Rodriguez. Pinegar completed his undefeated (in sets) run with a 2-0 victory over Jelatis.
Davis goes undefeated in his individual bracket, advances to win Amateur Open
In the largest field of the SBE, the Amateur Open, 1,024 entrants initially split up into 16 brackets of 64 players each. Each of those brackets delivered a single player to a Final 16 bracket. Phil Davis didn’t lose a single set (best of three sets in races to 5) in his initial bracket, going 2-0 against Chris Garrett, Matt Clatterbuck, Mark Alicea, Paul Swinson, Richard Anderson and in his bracket’s finals, Jason Balas. He gave up his first set in the opening round of the single-elimination final 16 bracket, going 2-1 against Joe Wright. He went back to his 2-0 pattern against Mark Nanashee in the second round, which moved him into the semifinals against Julio Burgos.
Raed Shabib, in the meantime, gave up his first set, in the opening round of his 64-player bracket, to Christopher Balderson. He didn’t give up another one until his bracket finals, having gone 2-0 against Abel Rosario, John Hoge, Bill Mason and Randy Tate. He took the bracket final 2-1 over James Adams. He opened the Final 16 portion of his run with a 2-1 victory over George Crawford and then downed Brett Stottlemeyer 2-0, to arrive at a semifinal against Chris Bruner.
Davis and Shabib advanced to the finals with identical 2-1 set victories over Burgos and Bruner, respectively. Davis completed his undefeated run with a 2-1 victory over Shabib in the finals.
Amateur highlights
The next highest attended Amateur tournament was the Open Seniors event (for 50+), which drew 384 entrants. Originally split into eight preliminary brackets, yielding a single winner, the event was won by Bobby Connor. He advanced through the Final 8 field with set wins over Oscar Bonilla and Dennis Spears, both 2-1. He was met in the finals by Efrain Morales, who’d defeated Joe Armeni 2-1 and Chuck Ross 2-0. Connor didn’t give up a set in claiming the Open Seniors title.
Next up, with 192 entrants, was the Super Seniors (65+), who started in four initial brackets, yielding a very short final field of four. Ed Matushoneck downed Tom Acciavatti 2-1 to claim his spot in the finals, and was joined by Ronny Park, who’d defeated Nelson Rivera 2-1. Matushoneck claimed the Super Seniors title with a 2-0 win over Park.
The Amateur Ladies drew 188, just four less than the Super Seniors. Combined, those two events would have yielded an enormously entertaining field with just four less than the Open Seniors event. As it was, the 188 ladies, like the Super Seniors, started with four initial 64-player brackets (with a number of opening round byes) and ended with a final field of 4. Rachel Lang and Michelle Jiang advanced to the finals without giving up a set to either Marie-France Blanchette and Stacey Tonkin. Lang downed Jiang in the finals two sets to one.
In the 12 and under Juniors event, which drew 56 entrants, Parker Jakubczak downed 2018 11 & under Junior National Champion Kyle Yi in the finals 2-1. In the 17 & under category, which drew 76 entrants, two-time 14 & under National Junior Champion Nathan Childress defeated Ivo Linkin in two straight sets.
(l to r): Marvin Llamas, Anthony Meglino & Anthony Fisher
Anthony Meglino appears to be on-target to match and likely exceed his 2018 earnings at the table, which, according to our records, was his best earnings year since he began showing up in our database 12 years ago. He started 2019 out at the Derby City Classic where he cashed in five events; the One Pocket Mini (3rd), the 9-Ball Banks Mini (9th), One Pocket (10th), Banks (59th) and 9-Ball (65th). At a March 9-10 stop on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour (#3), he went undefeated to claim his first 2019 event title. The $750-added event drew 64 entrants to Boulevard Billiards in Ocala, FL.
Meglino had to get by another Anthony, Fisher, twice to claim the title; once, in the hot seat and again, in the finals. Meglino’s route to the winners’ circle went through Robert Batson, David Singleton, and Kyle Bova, before running into Tommy Kennedy in a winners’ side quarterfinal. A double hill match eventually sent Kennedy to the loss side and Meglino on to face Marvin Llamas in a winners’ side semifinal. Fisher, in the meantime, who was looking for his first major event victory, got by Rich Rushton, Gary Hale, James Adams and Dan Waskom, to arrive at the other winners’ side semifinal match against Che Mrvos.
Identical 7-4 victories over Llamas and Mrvos moved Meglino and Fisher on to the hot seat match. Meglino claimed the hot seat 7-3 over Fisher and waited on his return.
On the loss side, Llamas picked up David Grossman, who’d been defeated in the opening round of play by Justin McNulty and was in the midst of a seven-match, loss-side winning streak that was about to come to an end. He’d most recently eliminated Dan Waskom and Steve Foster, both 5-3 to face Llamas. Mrvos drew Kennedy, who, following his defeat at the hands of Meglino, had defeated Les Duffy 5-2 and shut out Justin McNulty.
Mrvos ended Kennedy’s short, loss-side trip 5-2. Llamas joined him in the quarterfinals after a 5-1 victory over Grossman. Llamas took the quarterfinal match 5-3, but had his own modest loss-side streak ended by Fisher in the semifinals 5-2.
In their second of two, Meglino picked up the pace against Fisher, just a bit. He’d given up three in the hot seat match and reduced that to two in the finals. He claimed the event title 5-2 in a shortened-by-approaching-dawn (and clocks that moved forward an hour) final match at approximately 4:30 a.m.
The top junior finisher in the event was Trenton White (25th). The top lady finisher in the event was Michel Monk (17th).
Tour directors Janene Phillips and Bobby Garza thanked Don Kreischer and his Boulevard Billiards staff for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Predator Cues, Cyclop Balls, Kamui, Diamond Products, USAPL, AZBilliards and Stitch It To Me Embroidery, as well as the Live Stream provided by Cue Sports Studios. The next stop on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour (#4), scheduled for the weekend of May 11-2, will be a $1,000-added event, hosted by Brewlands Bar and Billiards in North Lakeland, FL.
The U.S. Amateur Championship is all about legacy, leaving your mark in a tournament contested by some of the best amateur players to ever pick up a cue stick – names like Parks, Brodt, Chen and Jones.
Pool tournaments come and go, but securing the title of U.S. Amateur Champion is something you carry with you forever, literally. Not only does it stand out on an amateur billiard resume, but your name is forever added to the Trophy of Champions for generations to come.
Legacy is what drove more than 2,100 of North America’s top amateur players to try and qualify for the 25th Annual event. That’s what brought 128 men and 41 women to Stroker’s in Palm Harbor, Fla., in early November to compete in this year’s U.S. Amateur Championship.
Of course there were some great perks too. Like a getaway to the Tampa area, one of the premier vacation destinations in the world, at a time when most of the country is experiencing their first taste of winter. An all-expenses paid trip to a pro event next year courtesy of the APA for the winners of each division.
And let’s not forget the championship trophy – a combination of marble and bronze that more closely resembles a piece of art than something won in a pool tournament.
Hurricane Abe Takes U.S. Amateur Championship by Storm
There’s a new kid in town, and his name is Abrin Schaad. The 26-year-old from Peoria, Ill., took this year’s U.S. Amateur Championship field by storm earning the nickname “Hurricane Abe” in the process. Schaad went undefeated, winning seven matches, and knocking five-time champion Brian Parks to the one-loss bracket along the way.
He defeated fellow “young gun” Mike Leigh of Barrie, Ontario in the final round 11-3, after handing Leigh his first loss of the tournament just two rounds prior.
In the championship match, Schaad opened up an 8-0 lead in the 8-Ball set before Leigh finally got on board in the first game of the 9-Ball set. By then though, the outcome seemed but a mere formality. Schaad ultimately closed out one of the most dominating finals performances in U.S. Amateur Championship history with a 9-on-the-snap to cap the victory.
Schaad will move on to compete in a 2019 Pro Event courtesy of APA, and, more importantly, his name will be added to the Larry Hubbart Trophy, forever cementing his legacy as a U.S. Amateur Champion.
Leigh finishes as the Runner-up, his highest finish in the U.S. Amateur Championship.
One hundred-twenty eight players competed in this year’s U.S. Amateur Championship including eight former champions.
[photo id=50533|align=right]Cossette Takes Down Reigning Champ in Epic Hill-Hill Battle
Lisa Cossette of Rockwell, N.C., defeated reigning champion Melinda Huang of Los Angeles in a hill-hill battle by a score of 9-8. She’ll advance to a pro event next year.
That’s how the story ends. But, how it unfolded is a tale that will go down as one of the most epic showdowns in U.S. Amateur Championship history.
The opening act begins late on the final day of competition in the hot-seat match, with both players undefeated and the winner heading to the championship match, while the loser would have to square-off in a play-in semifinal.
Huang, the defending champion, and savvy veteran of many U.S. Amateur Championship matches, outlasted Cossette 5-4 in a hill-hill battle that would serve as the opening act for what was to come.
Cossette then battled her way back by ousting Tina Hess in the semifinal round, setting up a rematch between herself and Huang.
In the finale, Huang jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the extended race-to-9. Cossette then found her stroke and took the next four games and a 4-3 lead. That lead was short-lived as Huang quickly won the next three games, regaining the lead 6-4. Then it was once again Cossette’s turn to go on a run, winning the next four games to go on-the-hill. Like a true champion, Huang wasn’t going down without a fight. She took the next two games, to force one final game, where the winner would take all.
In the final game, Huang was at the table with no clear shot on the 4-ball which was blocked by the 9-ball and the 5-ball. Rather than give her opponent ball-in-hand, Huang attempted an aggressive shot that would have been remarkable if she could execute it. Unfortunately, however, she fouled. With ball-in-hand, and the 4-ball no longer tied up, Cossette ran out the table for the victory.
After nearly four hours, Cossette had avenged the earlier loss to Huang and captured her first Women’s U.S. Amateur Championship title.
Huang finished as the Runner-up while Tina Hess of Huntsville, Ala., finished in 3rd Place.
Forty-one ladies competed in this year’s Women’s U.S. Amateur Championship, including three former champions.
Match coverage, including the finals, of this year’s U.S. Amateur Championship and Women’s U.S. Amateur Championship can be found on the APA YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/apaleagues. Streaming for the U.S. Amateur Championship was sponsored by PoolDawg.com.
The entry window for the 2019 U.S. Amateur Championship is now open with the Preliminary Rounds scheduled across North America in mid-September.
The U.S. Amateur Championship is conducted by the APA, and is the only tournament produced by the APA open to both members and non-members. Preliminary qualifying rounds were held throughout the country in mid-September.
As Champions, both Schaad and Cossette will return next year to defend their coveted titles.
The U.S. Amateur Championship is a double elimination tournament that offers the nation’s top amateur players the opportunity to showcase their skills through a combination of 8-Ball and 9-Ball matches, in the only APA event that does not use The Equalizer® handicap system.
The APA, based in Lake Saint Louis, Mo., sanctions the world’s largest amateur pool league, with leagues throughout the United States, Canada and Japan. Nearly 250,000 members compete in weekly 8-Ball and 9-Ball League play. The APA is generally recognized as the Governing Body of Amateur Pool, having established the official rules, championships, formats and handicap systems for the sport of amateur billiards.
The APA produces four major tournaments each year—the APA World Pool Championships, the APA Poolplayer Championships, the APA Junior Championships and the U.S. Amateur Championship—that, together, pay out more than $2 Million in cash and prizes annually!
The APA and its championships are sponsored by Aramith, Action Cues, Pool Dawg and Valley-Dynamo.
To register for next year’s U.S. Amateur Championship, visit https://usam.poolplayers.com/. For more information on the American Poolplayers Association, visit https://poolplayers.com/.
(l to r): Justin Hall, Anthony Meglino & Donny Mills
Rose comes from the loss side to down Adams and capture Amateur title
It’s impossible to know how many times Donny Mills and Anthony Meglino have faced each other on Florida-based and other regional tours, but having spent over a decade as part of a ‘Florida Gang’ of top-tier competitors (along with, among many others, Tommy Kennedy, Mike Delawder and Tony Crosby), we can safely call it ‘a lot.’ This past June, they met in the semifinals of a stop on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour (Meglino 5-3 over Mills). On the weekend of Oct. 6-7, they would have met twice during Stop #11 on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour, had they not opted out of a final match. Mills, as the undefeated occupant of the hot seat at the time, claimed the $1,000-added 10-Ball Open event title, which drew 40 entrants to Capone’s in Spring Hill, FL.
In a concurrently-run, $300-added, 9-Ball Amateur event, Nathan Rose won five on the loss side to eventually meet and defeat hot seat occupant James Adams to claim that title. The Amateur event drew 45 entrants to the same location.
Following an opening round bye in the Open event, Donny Mills downed Anthony Fisher, Robert Batson (both 7-2), and Tommy Kennedy 7-4 to draw Justin Hall in one of the winners’ side semifinals. Meglino, with an opening round bye as well, got by Ed Peterson 7-3, Bill Stroup 7-1 and Marcus Murillo 7-2 to face Nathan Rose (winner of the Amateur event) in the other winners’ side semifinal.
Mills defeated Hall 7-5, as Meglino was busy downing Rose 7-4. Mills claimed the hot seat, and, as it turned out, the event title with a 7-4 win over Meglino.
On the loss side, Rose picked up Kennedy, who, following his defeat by Mills, downed Trenton White (the event’s top junior player in both events) 6-4, and shut out Stroup. Hall drew Justin Gilsinan, who’d shut out Joe Vetrono and eliminated Joselito Martinez 5-2. Kennedy and Rose locked up in a double hill fight that eventually advanced Kennedy to the quarterfinals against Hall, who’d defeated Gilsinan 5-2.
Hall ended Kennedy’s modest, three-match, loss-side winning streak 5-2 in those quarterfinals, and then fell to Meglino 5-3 in the semifinals. Meglino and Mills opted out of the final and the event title went to Mills.
Rose wins five on the loss side to meet and defeat Adams
Nathan Rose, who was the official winner of Stop #8 on the tour back in July (he split with Jason Sheerman), got sent to the loss side in a winners’ side quarterfinal match of the Amateur event and won five on the loss side before meeting and defeating hot seat occupant James Adams in the finals. Rose had downed Derek Laprairie, Trenton White (top junior in this event, as well), and Justin Gilsinan before running into Ameet Kukadia in a winners’ side quarterfinal.
Kukadia sent Rose to the loss side, double hill, and advanced to face Alec Saputo in one of the winners’ side semifinals. James Adams, in the meantime, following victories over Lisa Perez, Rhyan Hunter, and Dale Stanley met up with Justin McNulty in the other winners’ side semifinal.
Saputo chalked up a double hill win over Kukadia and in the hot seat match, faced Adams, who’d shut out McNulty. Adams claimed the hot seat 7-4 over Saputo and waited on the return of Rose.
Rose opened his loss-side trip to the finals with a 6-3 win over Hunter and eliminated Trenton White 6-4 to draw McNulty. Kukadia picked up Stanley, who’d defeated Gilsinan and Jai Smith, both 6-2. By identical scores of 6-3, Stanley (over Kukadia) and Rose (over McNulty) advanced to the quarterfinals, where Rose prevailed, double hill, over Stanley.
Rose downed Saputo 6-4 in the semifinals, and then defeated Adams 9-5 in the finals to claim the Amateur event title.
Tour directors Janene Phillips and Bobby Garza thanked the ownership and staff at Capone’s, as well as sponsors Cyclop Balls, Diamond, Kamui Tips, Play the Game Clothing Co., Jacksonville Roofing USA, Inc., and AZ Billiards. The next stop on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour (due to cancellation of a stop in November) will be the tour’s Season Finale, scheduled for December 1-2 at Park Ave. Billiards in Orange Park, FL.
Stop # 9 on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour featured separate tournaments held on the weekend of November 18-19. A $1,000-added Open 10-Ball event drew 57 entrants, and saw Benji Buckley win seven on the loss side to meet and defeat hot seat occupant Donny Branson in the finals. On the Amateur side, in a $500-added, 9-ball event, James Adams went undefeated through a field of 43. Both events were hosted by Capone’s in Spring Hill, FL.
Buckley’s trip to the finals was moving along on the winners’ side of the bracket, commencing with a victory over the Amateur event winner, James Adams, and then, through James Sandaler, before coming up against Rodney Morris. Morris sent Buckley to the loss side 7-3, before following him over on the heels of a 6-4 win by Jason Sheerman in a winners’ side quarterfinal. Sheerman moved on to a winners’ side semifinal against Jerry Sullivan, while Branson faced Murbarak Sulaiman.
Sheerman and Branson advanced to the hot seat match without giving up a single rack to either Sullivan or Sulaiman. Branson then defeated Sheerman 7-3 and sat in the hot seat, waiting for Buckley to complete his loss-side campaign.
Buckley began his loss-side work battling in one of the matches that determined the eight-way tie for 17th place. He got by Travis Croft, Mark Wathen, Nathan Rose, and Donny Mills to draw Sullivan. Sulaiman drew Anthony Meglino, who’d been defeated in the second winners’ side round by Sheerman (double hill) and set out on his own seven-match, loss-side winning streak that included wins over Joseph Remos, Jason Richko, Bill Bloom, Tommy Kennedy, Jessica Human and Rodney Morris, before drawing Sulaiman.
Buckley advanced to the quarterfinals 7-3 over Sullivan, as Sulaiman ended Meglino’s loss-side streak the way his winners’ side streak had been ended by Sheerman, in a double hill match. Buckley then defeated Sulaiman 7-2 in the quarterfinals, and got his shot at Branson in the hot seat with a 7-4 win over Sheerman in the semifinals.
Buckley and Branson battled back and forth through the finals. Buckley edged ahead at the end to claim the event title 11-9.
Adams goes undefeated in Amateur event
James Adams faced separate opponents in the hot seat and finals of the Amateur event. He advanced to a winners’ side semifinal against Moe Fattah, as Estel Walton faced Ricardo Rodriguez in the other one. Adams downed Fattah 7-5, and in the hot seat match, faced Walton, who’d sent Rodriguez west 7-4. Adams claimed the hot seat 7-5 over Walton and waited on what turned out to be the return of Adams.
On the loss side, Rodriguez and Fattah got right back to winning. Rodriguez defeated Sam Kantar 5-1, as Fattah advanced to meet him in the quarterfinals with a double hill win over Jeremy Bell.
Rodriguez defeated Fattah in the quarterfinals 5-2, and then shut out Walton in the semifinals. Adams put an end to Rodriguez’ short, loss-side winning streak 9-7 in the finals to claim the event title.
In addition to the prize money awarded to the finishers in each tournament, the Amateur event awarded $20 each to the top Junior finisher – Kodi Allen – and top female finisher – Kelly Cavanaugh. The Open event awarded $40 to the top female finisher, Jessica Human.
Tour director Janene Phillips offered special thanks to Rocky McElroy, owner of Capone’s, and his staff, as well as McDermott Cues for donating a cue for an event raffle. The next stop on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour, scheduled for December 16-17, will be the tour’s Season Finale, which will be hosted by Park Avenue Billiards in Orange Park, FL.
It’s about leaving a legacy. Sure, there’s perks too. Like a getaway to Tampa, one of the premier vacation destinations in the world. An all-expenses paid trip to a pro event next year courtesy of the APA. Oh, and let’s not forget the championship trophy – a combination of marble and bronze that more closely resembles a piece of fine art than something awarded at a tournament.
But winning the U.S. Amateur Championship is all about the title. It’s about leaving one’s mark on the sport of pool. It’s about having your name and your accomplishment forever etched in history. That’s what drove more than 2,000 of North America’s top amateur players to try and qualify. That’s what brought 128 men and 33 women to Stroker’s in Palm Harbor, Fla., in early November to compete in this year’s U.S. Amateur Championship.
Parks Wins Record 4th Title
Brian Parks of Bakersfield, Calif., has already left his legacy on the sport. The three-time U.S. Amateur Champ had little to prove. He’d been there and done that.
That was before a then 68-year-old fellow Californian named Henry Brodt decided to come out of retirement to win his third U.S. Amateur Championship title in 2015 – tying Parks record. In his post-victory celebration, Brodt playfully “called out” Parks – who’d chosen not to compete last year. Aware of Brodt’s good-natured ribbing, Parks returned this year, determined not to share his unmatched excellence. Early on, he showed no rust from his one year hiatus. He was vintage Parks, going undefeated through the first two days of competition and knocking off some of the top players in the field including Troy Jones, Marvin Guss and Brett Stottlemyer.
Then came an unexpected setback – a loss to the up-and-coming James Adams of Brooksville, Fla., a potential heir apparent to the U.S. Amateur Championship throne. Parks would have to fight his way back through the one-loss bracket, and avenge his earlier round loss to Adams, to advance to the final round.
In the final round, Parks would face young Daniel Gambill of Hickory, N.C. Gambill, another U.S. Amateur Championship regular who’s poised to be part of the event’s next generation of perennial stars. Gambill had gone undefeated throughout the event and was playing arguably the best pool of his career.
The finale began in the 8-Ball set at Parks choosing. Gambill opened with two quick wins. Parks regrouped for two wins of his own. They’d go on to split the next four games and were dead-locked at 4-4 heading into the 9-Ball set. That’s where Parks shined. He won seven straight games, giving Gambill few chances at the table. What moments before looked like it might be a hill-hill nail-biter, was suddenly over faster than anyone expected. Parks had won 11-4, and secured his fourth U.S. Amateur Championship title.
A gracious Gambill was the first to congratulate him, understanding all too well who’d defeated him, and knowing that his time would eventually come.
Parks will compete in the 2017 U.S. Open, and his name will once again be added to the Larry Hubbart Trophy of Champions. Gambill finished as Runner-up, while Adams finished in 3rd Place – it was both players top finish in U.S. Amateur Championship competition.
Fernando Vaca of Gaithersburg, Va., finished in 4th Place. Brett Stottlemyer of Pasadena, Md., and David Singleton of Port Orange, Fla., tied for 5th Place.
[photo id=45563|align=right]Parker Takes Women’s Field By Storm
Generally it takes newcomers a few years of U.S. Amateur Championship competition to be in a position to take home the title. Maybe it’s the combination 8-Ball and 9-Ball format. Maybe it’s the level of competition. Whatever it is, it certainly wasn’t the case for Robin Parker of Birmingham, Ala. After failing to qualify in a Preliminary Round five years ago, Parker not only qualified, she steamrolled this year’s Women’s U.S. Amateur Championship field in just her first appearance. Parker went undefeated, taking out seasoned veterans like Dee Dee Copeland and former champion Betty Lea.
Her most difficult test would come from Jackie Blomlie of Ocala, Fla. Parker sent Blomlie to the one-loss bracket early on the final day of competition, but Blomlie would put herself in position to avenge the loss by ousting Lea for a spot in the final round.
In the finals, Blomlie got on the board first with a win in the 8-Ball set, and led 3-1 after four games. An unfazed Parker would take the next two games, and evened the match 3-3 as the ladies moved into the 9-Ball set. Blomlie again got on the board first in the 9-Ball set. Just when it looked as though she might open up the match, Parker rose to the occasion, and reeled off six straight wins for a dominating 9-4 win.
The victory secures Parker a spot in a 2017 WPBA pro event, while Blomlie had to settle for a strong Runner-up finish. Former champion Betty Lea (’06) finished in 3rd Place in her first U.S. Amateur Championship competition in several years.
Match coverage, including the finals, of this year’s U.S. Amateur Championship and Women’s U.S. Amateur Championship, can be found on the APA YouTube channel at youtube.com/apaleagues.
The entry window for the 2017 U.S. Amateur Championship will open April 1 with the Preliminary Rounds scheduled across North America in mid-September.
The 2016 U.S. Amateur Championship was conducted by the APA, and is the only tournament produced by the APA open to both members and non-members. Preliminary qualifying rounds were held throughout the country in mid-September.
As Champions, both Parks and Parker will return next year to defend their coveted titles.
The U.S. Amateur Championship is a double elimination tournament that offers the nation’s top amateur players the opportunity to showcase their skills through a combination of 8-Ball and 9-Ball matches, in the only APA event that does not use The Equalizer® handicap system.
The APA, based in Lake Saint Louis, Mo., sanctions the world’s largest amateur pool league, with leagues throughout the United States, Canada and Japan. More than 250,000 members compete in weekly 8-Ball and 9-Ball League play. The APA is generally recognized as the Governing Body of Amateur Pool, having established the official rules, championships, formats and handicap systems for the sport of amateur billiards.
The APA produces three major tournaments each year—the APA World Pool Championships, the APA Poolplayer Championships and the U.S. Amateur Championship—that, together, pay out more than $2 Million in cash and prizes annually!
The APA and its championships are sponsored by Aramith, Action Cues and Pool Dawg.
The opening day of the 23rd Annual US Bar Table Championships began with a field of 74 players at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. And by the time the first day’s matches concluded, just three remained on the winner’s side of the bracket: Sky Woodward, Justin Bergman and Billy Thorpe — all among a growing group of strong, young players.
Woodward and Bergman will face off at Noon Tuesday and the winner of the match will play Thorpe for the hot seat.
Bergman also play strong all day, with sound wins over Miguel Batista, 7-6; Jason Klatt, 7-1; Jesse Piercey, 7-4; Dale Stanley, 7-2; and Vilmos Foldes.
But there are plenty of solid players on the B-side of the bracket hoping to take home the $3,800 first prize, including Manny Perez, who plays Rodrigo Geronimo at 9 a.m. and Mike Massey, who plays Dale Stanley. Others still on the one-loss side include Van Boening, Sal Butera, Bret Huth, James Adams, Jamie Bruce, Salim, Shane McMinn, Foldes, Piercey, Hattan, McDaniel, Belobradie, Nevel and Josh Roberts.
On the one-loss side, Nakamura takes on Whitney at 9 a.m. and Kimberly Kirk plays Deb Aarens, also at 9 a.m. The winners of those matches play Pelletier and Coffman.
The US Bar Table Championships take play through Aug. 28 and offer 8-ball, 9-ball and 10-ball divisions, as well as a Master of the Table bonus for both the open and women’s divisions.
In addition, players who place in the top 32 of each open division receive Mosconi Cup USA Team points on a sliding scale. The top three American players with the most points at the end of the year will be selected for the USA Mosconi Cup Team.
Sponsors include: OB Cues, the Official Cue; Kamui, the Official Tip; Diamond Billiard Products, Cyclop Balls, Simonis Cloth, BadBoys Billiard Productions, FargoRate, Magic Ball Rack and Matchroom Sport.
10-Ball Divisions Aug. 22-24
Open 10-Ball: Race to 7/$5,000 added
Women’s 10-Ball; Race to 5/ $1,000 added
9-Ball Divisions: Aug. 24-26
Open 9-Ball: Race to 9/$5,000 added
Women’s 9-Ball; Race to 7/ $1,000 added
8-ball Divisions: Aug. 26-28
Open 10-Ball: Race to 5/$5,000 added
Women’s 10-Ball; Race to 4/ $1,000 added
Master of the Table Bonuses*
Open Divisions: $1,500/Women’s Divisions: $500
*Players must compete in all three divisions to be eligible for the bonus.
LAKE SAINT LOUIS, MO (Nov. 19, 2015) — The top amateur poolplayers in North America were on display in early November at the U.S. Amateur Championship in Palm Harbor, Fla., just across the bay from Tampa. For five straight days, the nation’s top players battled it out at Stroker’s for the coveted U.S. Amateur Championship title and their place in the record books.
More than 2,400 players attempted to qualify for this year’s event, with 128 men and 34 women advancing to the championship round. The tournament field included a strong mix of U.S Amateur Championship veterans and a talented pool of newcomers vying for amateur pool’s most prestigious title.
Henry Brodt defeated fellow former champion David Rowell of Birmingham, Ala., 11-2 in the finals of this year’s U.S. Amateur Championship held Nov. 4-9. Sixteen years after winning his second U.S. Amateur Championship title (1998-99), Henry Brodt now has a third to add to his collection.
Brodt apparently discovered the fountain of youth after retiring and moving to Laguna Beach, Calif. Not only did he win his third U.S. Amateur Championship title, but at the age of 68, he also became the oldest player to ever do so.
To say Brodt dominated both the final round, and the tournament overall, would be an understatement.
He went undefeated throughout the 3-day event, handing losses to Carlos Carter (’13 Runner-up), Ernesto Bayaua (’11 Champion) and David Rowell (’00 Champion) and plowing through a field that included several players half his age.
Brodt will advance to the U.S. Open next fall, courtesy of the APA, and his name will be added for the third time to the Larry Hubbart Trophy.
Rowell finishes as Runner-up in this year’s event, his strongest finish since taking 2nd in 2010. Both of Rowell’s loses at this year’s event came at the hands of Brodt.
Ernesto Bayaua of Tomball, Texas, took 3rd Place, while Eric Tang of Hartford, Conn., took 4th. James Adams of Brooksville, Fla., and Gregory Dix of Myrtle Beach, S.C., tied for 5th Place. Stacie Bourbeau of Orange, Mass., is the 2015 Women’s U.S. Amateur Champion after she defeated former champion Dana Aft (’13) of Marietta, Ga., 9-7 in the finals.
The finale opened in the 8-Ball set. Bourbeau got on the scoresheet first with a win, but Aft came right back to tie the match 1-1. The same scenario played out over the next two games. Tied 2-2, Aft pulled ahead slightly with a win in the fifth game. Bourbeau quickly countered and they split the 8-Ball set 3-3.
As they moved to the 9-Ball set, a similar pattern emerged, with Bourbeau winning one game, Aft the next. The match finally seemed to take a turn in Bourbeau’s direction in the fifth game of the 9-Ball set. Aft had a chance to take the lead, but left the 9-ball hanging, giving Bourbeau an easy out for her fifth match lead. Moments later, she pocketed the 9-on-the-snap, opening up a 7-5 lead. With her confidence mounting, a third straight win put Bourbeau on-the-hill.
Aft, the seasoned U.S. Amateur Championship veteran, refused to break. She battled back to win the next two games, again pulling within one of Bourbeau. Moments later though, her comeback bid fell short, as Bourbeau won the final game she needed for a 9-7 victory.
In a great show of sportsmanship, both ladies embraced as the crowd cheered the newly crowned champion.
Bourbeau secured the title in only her second U.S. Amateur Championship appearance. She’ll advance to a pro event in 2016.
For the Runner-up, Aft, it was her highest finish in the U.S. Amateur Championship since winning the title in 2013. Samantha Barrett of Woburn, Mass., took home 3rd Place in this year’s event.
The 2015 U.S. Amateur Championship was conducted by the APA, and is the only tournament produced by the APA open to both members and non-members. Preliminary qualifying rounds were held throughout the country in mid-September.
As Champions, both Brodt and Bourbeau will return next year to defend their coveted titles.
The U.S. Amateur Championship is a double elimination tournament that offers the nation’s top amateur players the opportunity to showcase their skills through a combination of 8-Ball and 9-Ball matches, in the only APA event that does not use The Equalizer® handicap system.
The APA, based in Lake Saint Louis, Mo., sanctions the world’s largest amateur pool league, with leagues throughout the United States, Canada, Japan and China. Nearly 250,000 members compete in weekly 8-Ball and 9-Ball League play. The APA is generally recognized as the Governing Body of Amateur Pool, having established the official rules, championships, formats and handicap systems for the sport of amateur billiards.
The APA produces three major tournaments each year—the APA National Team Championships, the APA National Singles Championships and the U.S. Amateur Championship—that, together, pay out more than $1.5 Million in cash and prizes annually!
The APA and its championships are sponsored by Aramith, Action Cues and Pool Dawg.
James Adams finished 2014 with a third place finish in the Florida State Amateur 9-Ball Championships in December, at Zingale's in Tallahassee, FL. Sent to the loss side by the eventual winner, Jeff Abernathy, he made it back to the semifinals, before Justin Gilsinan denied him a second shot at Abernathy.
Two months later, at Stroker's in Palm Harbor, Adams got into the hot seat of the Florida Pool Tour's 2015 season opener. Jason Sheerman, though, capping a 10-match, loss-side run, defeated him in the finals. That same weekend, Adams signed on to a concurrently-run Super 16 Open event, and for the second time, found himself in the hot seat match. Tommy Kennedy sent him to the semifinals, where in a double hill match, he defeated Raymond Linares for a second shot at Kennedy. At 6-6, Kennedy pulled ahead to hand Adams his second straight runner-up finish.
"Failure," he told Billiards Digest in an interview a short time later, "is part of the process of success."
Eight months later, on the weekend of October 24-25, back at Zingale's, which was hosting the $4,000-added, 2015 Florida State Amateur 9-Ball Championships for the fourth time, Adams put it all together and proved the point. He went undefeated through a field of 89, winning his first title, and completing that long trip on the short 3rd-2nd-2nd-1st ladder.
For the third time in just under a year, Adams made it to the hot seat match. He sent Dennis Strickland to the loss side 7-4 in a winners' side semifinal, as Mike Delawder sent Brandon Beatty over 7-3 in the other one. Adams claimed the hot seat 7-4 over Delawder and waited on the return of Kyle Bova, whom he'd defeated once already in a winners' side quarterfinal.
On the loss side, Bova defeated Bobby Hicks and J.R. Rossman, both 6-4, to draw Beatty. Strickland picked up Stephen Richmond, who'd gotten by Jose Del Rio 7-3 and Lee Sanders 6-5. Bova and Richmond advanced to the quarterfinals, both 6-4, over Rossman and Sanders.
Bova earned a second shot at Adams in the hot seat with two more 6-4 wins; over Richmond in the quarterfinals, and Delawder in the semifinals. Adams, though, defeated Bova a second time, 9-6 in the finals, to claim the 2015 Florida State Amateur 9-Ball Championship title.
In a $1,000-added, 54-entrant Second Chance tournament, Derek Fowler defeated David Uwate (13th in the main event) in the finals. Nathan Rose finished third, and Michael Laney finished fourth.
In about three weeks (November 21-22), Capone's in Spring Hill, FL will host the $5,000-added (with full field of 32) Super 32 Open 10-Ball Championships. Two months later (January 16-17, 2016), The Florida Pool Tour will be back at Zingale's for the $5,000-added Florida State Open 10-Ball event.
World’s Largest Pool League Awards Nearly $650,000
After hosting more billiard tournaments than perhaps any other venue in the world, it was only fitting that the 2015 APA National Singles Championships were the last event, of any kind, ever held at the iconic Riviera Hotel and Casino. Thousands of APA members made their way to the classic Vegas property in early May to say their final farewells while competing for nearly $650,000 in cash and prizes.
The National Singles Championships consisted of both the 8-Ball Classic and 9-Ball Shootout Singles Championships, 8-Ball and 9-Ball Doubles Championships and the Wheelchair Challenge.
The final round of the 9-Ball Shootout featured three championship matches, one for each Skill Level Tier, with two shooters in each competing for $10,000 in cash and prizes.
In the Green Tier, Kristi Spohn of Mary Esther, Fla., defeated Kennedy Cummings of Deltona, Fla.
In the White Tier, James Turner of Florence, S.C., defeated Larry Atkinson of Garden City, Mo.
In the Black Tier, James Adams of Brooksville, Fla., defeated Stefan Dehoze of Harper’s Ferry, W.V.
Each of the three Champions received a prize package worth $10,000. Runners-Up in each tier took home a prize package worth $5,000.
Carolyn Burgduff of Keizer, Ore., was awarded the Sportsmanship Award in the 9-Ball Shootout. More than 3,600 poolplayers made it to the Regional Level of the 9-Ball Shootout before the field was whittled down to 303 who advanced to Las Vegas.
Nearly 5,600 players throughout North America qualified for Regional competition in the 8-Ball Classic, with 472 of them advancing to the championships. In the finals of the 8-Ball Classic, five champions each took home a prize package worth $15,000 for their performances.
In the Blue Tier, Brady Ward of Little Rock, Ark., defeated Heather Kidney-Butler of St. John’s, Newfoundland.
In the Yellow Tier, Inessa Gelman of New York City defeated Michaela DeLaCruz-Negrete of Sacramento, Calif.
In the Red Tier, Ryan Garcia of Lake Jackson, Texas, defeated Diana Wolfe of Oklahoma City, Okla.
In the Orange Tier, Ken Geragosian of O’Fallon, Ill., defeated Terry Claiborne of Bakersfield, Calif.
In the Purple Tier, Ernesto Bayaua of Tomball, Texas, defeated Ken Frauenburger of Daisetta, Texas.
First Place winners received cash and prizes worth $15,000. Each Runner-Up received cash and prizes worth $9,000.
Paul Langley of San Diego, Calif., was awarded the Sportsmanship Award in the 8-Ball Classic.
In the 8-Ball Doubles Championship, South GA Hustlers – Roderick Rentz and Stephanie Rentz – of Hazelhurst, Ga., defeated Hard Luck – Bradley Miller and Bruce Bare – of Winder, Ga. The victory earned them a $5,000 payday. As Runners-Up, Hard Luck took home $3,000.
In the 9-Ball Doubles Championship, Age Before Beauty – Billy Petty and John McCloud– of Portland, Tenn., defeated Gypsy’s Too – Mary Kester and Bill Palmer – of Niles, Ohio. The victory earned them a $3,500 payday. As Runners-Up, Gypsy’s Too took home $2,300.
In the finals of the Wheelchair Challenge, Ron Bates of Coldwater, Mich., defeated Joel Fini of Des Moines, Iowa, to take home $1,600 in prize money. Fini received $800 as the Runner-Up.
Hundreds of members were still on-hand at the hotel at Noon on Monday, May 4 as the Riviera closed its doors forever. The APA National Championships will relocate to the recently remodeled Westgate Resort & Casino (formerly the Las Vegas Hilton) for the National Team Championships in August.
The APA, based in Lake Saint Louis, Mo., sanctions the world’s largest amateur pool league, known as the APA Pool League throughout the United States, and as the Canadian Pool League in Canada. Nearly 250,000 members compete in weekly 8-Ball and 9‑Ball League play. The APA is generally recognized as the Governing Body of Amateur Pool, having established the official rules, championships, formats and handicap systems for the sport of amateur billiards.
The APA produces three major tournaments each year—the APA National Team Championships, the APA National Singles Championships and the U.S. Amateur Championship—that, together, pay out nearly $1.5 Million in cash and prizes annually!
The APA and its championships are sponsored by Aramith, Action Cues and PoolDawg.
For more information on the American Poolplayers Association, visit www.poolplayers.com.
