James goes undefeated to capture his first win at 9th Annual Bobby Wells Memorial
Most of the time, Jesse James works in Dewey, Oklahoma, as the principal of their middle school. He's played on the Midwest 9-Ball Tour, off and on, for about seven years (according to available data on the number of times he's finished in the money). On the weekend of June 15-16, with his son in attendance on Sunday, Father's Day, James broke through and went undefeated to claim his first Midwest 9-Ball Tour title in the 9th Annual Bobby Wells Memorial Tournament. The Open portion of the $2,300-added event drew 36 entrants to Side Pockets in Wichita, KS. A $200-added Ladies event drew a (very) short field of three entrants, and was won by Stephanie Winkler, who defeated Jenny Shafer, double hill, in the finals.
From among the winners' side final four, James faced a multi-winner, Midwest 9-Ball veteran in Shane McMinn. Terry Young, in the meantime, squared off against Sam Cole in the other winners' side semifinal. James sent McMinn west 9-6, and in the battle for the hot seat, faced Young, who'd defeated Cole by the same score. James pretty much dominated the hot seat match, winning 9-3, and waited for Young to get back from the semifinals.
McMinn moved over and met up with Glen Atwell, who'd given up only three racks total in his previous two matches against Dave Witten (2) and Jason Sisler (1). Cole came up against Joey Gray, who, after falling to McMinn among the winners' side final eight, had defeated Taylor Anderson 9-6 and Brad Hussman 9-7.
Gray downed Cole 9-7, earning himself a re-match against McMinn, who'd eliminated Atwell 9-3. Gray took the quarterfinal match 9-4 over McMinn, and then had his four-match, loss-side streak ended in a double hill semifinal match, won by Young. James, though, with his son looking on, completed his undefeated run with a commanding 9-1 victory in the opening set of what could have been, but wasn't, a double elimination final.