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Gomez, Kibaroglu & Moore Winners At Scotty Townsend Memorial

Roberto Gomez

Arena Billiards in West Monroe, LA was the destination of choice this past weekend as owners Al Dahal and Subash Khadka presented the 7th Annual Scotty Townsend Memorial Pool Tournament.

Adding $12,000 to this event to be played on Diamond seven footers were sponsors Golden Corral, Agnew Sign & Awning, We Bye Used Cars, Denny’s, Silver Water Plumbing, TravelCenters of America, Billiard Buddy, Bailey’s Crispy Fried Chicken, Himalayan Cafe and Magic Grill in addition to Arena Billiards and PoolActionTV.com.

A few familiar faces roamed the room including last week’s Big Tyme Classic’s Nine Ball runner-up and current Music City Classic champ Jonathan (“Hennessee”) Pinegar, last year’s Big Tyme Classic Nine Ball champ Roberto Gomez, two-time winner on 2024’s DFW 9-Ball Tour Shane McMinn, current Skinny Bob’s and Big Tyme Classic’s Ladies 9-Ball champ Eylul Kibaroglu, Billiards Spotlight’s Jason Bowman and Jeffrey De Luna. Also spotted were legends “Country Calvin” Harcrow and Scotty Boggs hoping to catch a flashback.

The event kicked off on Friday night with a $1,000 added ten ball mini-tournament. Racing to seven, nineteen players anted up $125 to play in this single elimination event. After the auction, players meeting and draw, play began.

Jessie Moore took top honors with Michael Niver grabbing second place. Joe Keith and Adam Pendley tied for third.

The $10,000 added Open 9 Ball began on Saturday morning with 49 players posting their $150 entry fees. The format in this event was double elimination and races to 9/7 with alternate breaks. After a players auction, meeting and draw, play ensued.

The top portion of the bracket was loaded with heavy hitters. De Luna and Hennessee met in the fourth round as did Gomez and Kibaroglu. Hennessee and Gomez took their matches – both scores were 9-6.

In the lower part of the chart, Adam Pendley and Boog Long duked it out – Pendley prevailed 9-5. Meanwhile, former junior champ McMinn cruised to victory over Carlos Mendoza with a 9-1 win.

Now down to four on the winners side, Hennessee vs. Gomez and Pendley vs. McMinn battled to get into the hot seat match. Gomez and McMinn advanced 9-5 and 9-4, respectively.

There were no surprises on the one loss side as Hennessee and De Luna defeated their opponents and met again. This time it was De Luna who exacted revenge as he eliminated Hennessee in a tight match – final score 7-5. He finished in fourth place and De Luna awaited the results of the hot seat match.

Fighting to see who’d get into the finals, it was neck and neck until Gomez pulled away at the end of the match and took it down 9-7.

Waiting for McMinn was De Luna who proved to be no contest as Shane smoked him 7-1 and just like that, returned to face Roberto for the title. De Luna finished in third place.

Since this was true double elimination, McMinn would have had to win two sets to claim the title. Gomez, however, took no prisoners and the finals were over in a flash – score 9-2!

The final event, the $1,000 added Women’s 9 Ball began on Sunday morning. Nine ladies paid $100 to play in this double elimination tournament. Races were 7/5 with alternate breaks. Play began immediately after the players auction, meeting and draw.

Monica Stillwell and Eylul Kibaroglu

To no one’s surprise, Turkish star Eylul Kibaroglu – after receiving a first round bye – raced through the field to arrive at the hot seat match where she met Natasha Green.

Also getting a first round bye, Natasha’s path included defeating Niki Nugent 7-5 and blitzing Karla Cox 7-0. Meeting Eylul for a chance to advance to the finals, she lost 7-2 and headed over to the one loss side to await an opponent.

Earlier in the day, Monica Stillwell had received a first round bye and then lost her next match to Lacey Suire 7-5. After arriving on the west side, she defeated Ashlee Robinson 5-1 and then edged out Karla Cox and Niki Nugent – both 5-4. Waiting for her was Natasha – both players battling to get to the finals. It was a close one but it was Green who was eliminated 5-3 and finished in third place.

As with the men’s finals, this one was over quickly as well. Monica’s hopes were dashed as Eylul won the match 7-1 and she added yet another title to her resume.

Tournament Director Ray Hansen and his assistant, Jason Hill, ran the various events and professional commentary was provided by Larry Schwartz and Ray Hansen.

PoolActionTV.com would like to thank owners Al Dahal and Subash Khadka as well as General Manager Denise Allen and her staff for taking such good care of all the players and fans. We look forward to returning next year!

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The Lion Rules Scotty Townsend Memorial. Larson Takes The Ladies.

Alex Pagulayan (Pool Action TV)

West Monroe, LA was the place to be this past week for the 5th Annual Scotty Townsend Memorial Pool Tournament. It was hosted by owner Josh Hoff at Arena Billiards. 

Boasting $15,000 added, this year’s tournament had several events – one pocket, a 10 ball mini, open 9 ball and ladies 9 ball. Produced by Cue & A Promotions, local sponsors included James Hanshew of Hanshew Jump Cues, Interstate Dodge, Joe Long Attorney at Law, Magic Grill, Tommy Semmes Surveying, Simonis Cloth and Diamond Billiards. 

There were lots of heavy hitters in the building including John Morra, Scott Frost, Sky Woodward, Tony Chohan, Chip Compton, CJ Wiley and Aloysius Yapp as well as Filipino stars Alex Pagulayan, Carlo Biado, Roland Garcia, Roberto Gomez, Lee Vann Corteza and young gun Robbie Capito.

Other well known names included Sharik Sayed, Can Salim, Shane McMinn, Shane Wolford, Sergio Rivas, John Gabriel, Chuck Raulston, Justin Espinosa, Tommy Medina, Kenny Loftis, Rickey Anders, Derek Fontenot, Shane Winters, Troy Jones, April Larson, Emily Sumrall, Nicole Keeney and Ricki Lee Casper.

The six-day poolfest started Tuesday evening with an auction and players meeting for the $7000 added Pro One Pocket event. Although the field only had eleven players, there wasn’t a lightweight in the bunch! Each paid $1000 to compete in this double elimination race to four event. Finals was to be one set – race to six.

Garcia, Calderon, Corteza, Chohan and Pagulayan drew the coveted byes. Frost and Morra, Biado and Woodward plus Compton and Gomez all battled down to the wire with Frost, Biado and Compton claiming victory 4-3.

Second round matches saw Frost edging out Garcia as did Calderon over Biado – each match also 4-3. Pagulayan defeated the always tough Chohan 4-2 and Compton skunked Corteza 4-0.

Down to four on the winners side, Frost pummeled Calderon and Pagulayan did the same to Compton with identical scores of 4-1. Compton and Calderon headed west while Frost and Pagulayan awaited the hot seat match.

Working their way through the one loss side of the chart, Woodward and Biado emerged to play each other. Carlo easily defeated Sky 4-1 leaving him with a fourth place finish. 

The following day, fighting tooth and nail, Frost and Pagulayan battled it out in the hot seat match. Scott emerged the victor 4-3 locking up his seat in the finals. Alex had to play Carlo for the other berth. 

Not to be denied another shot at Frost, Pagulayan defeated Carlo 4-2 leaving Carlo in third place.

As mentioned previously, the finals would be one set – race to six. Taking no prisoners, Alex smoked Scott 6-2 to claim the title! 

Continuing his winning ways, Alex and Lee Vann split the top prize in the $1,000 added 10 Ball Mini!

The next day, 150 players put up their $100 entries for the $6,000 added Open 9 Ball event.  Being played on bar boxes, the format was alternate break, rack your own and races to 9/7. 

In dead punch, Alex Pagulayan continued on the warpath dispatching opponents Jeff Davies 9-1, James Jordan 9-0, Monroe Jones 9-3 and Jonathan Martin 9-0. 

Running into Roberto Gomez, they battled it out but licking his wounds, Alex took him down too – final score 9-7. Not getting any easier, Singapore’s Aloysius Yapp was next. He fell too – 9-4! Then, Hong Kong’s Robbie Capito fought hard but he lost also – 9-7. Alex had arrived at the hot seat match.

Meanwhile, on the lower portion of the bracket, Joe Keith of Dyersburgh, TN, was slowly working his way through the mine fields! After initially drawing a bye in the first round and having a no-show in the second, Joe defeated Ceza Mungal 9-5, Eric Alcinena and Mark Krech – both 9-2 –  before meeting Lee Vann Corteza. 

They went down to the end but Joe pulled out a 9-7 victory! Sergio Rivas was next and Joe won 9-6. He had arrived at the hot seat match!

Hot seat action was pretty much all Alex as he sent Joe west with a score of 9-3. Joe headed west to await the results of the Capito-Rivas match.

This was a tough one too but when the smoke cleared, it was Robbie over Sergio 7-5. Capito and Keith were to cross swords to see who’d face Alex in the finals!

Joe Keith’s Cinderella story was not to be…Robbie Capito defeated him 9-3 to move into the finals against Alex. Joe finished in a solid third place for the event. 

Only twenty years old and a former junior champion, Robbie would have to defeat the Lion twice to take the title. 

The match started out neck and neck until Capito pulled out to an 8-3 lead! He was on the hill and breaking!

Robbie broke the balls but had no shot. Alex won the next two games to make it 8-5. Robbie broke the balls and made five balls on the break! Left with a long straight shot on the four, he fired it in, ran out the remaining few balls and forced a second set – final score 9-5.

Having won the flip, Alex won the first two games but Robbie tied it up. Alex went ahead the next two games and Robbie tied it up again. Alex pulled ahead to 5-4 and again, Robbie tied it up! Alex got to the hill first and Robbie tied it up! 6-6! WOW! One game for it all! To Robbie’s disappointment, Alex broke and ran out for the title!!! Good tournament, Robbie! So close…

What a great finals! Congratulations to Alex for taking both the nine ball and the one pocket events as well as splitting the 10 ball mini!

While the Open 9 Ball was in progress, the $1,000 added Women’s 9 Ball event began. Twenty eight ladies posted their $100 entry fees into this double elimination, alternate break event – races were also 7/5.

April Larson (Pool Action TV)

April Larson took top honors leaving Nicole Keeney in runner-up position & Janeen Lee finished in third place. Good job, ladies!!!

Thanks again to owner Josh Hoff and his staff for going the extra mile to make everyone feel at home while Tournament Director Jason Hill kept things running smoothly. 

PoolActionTV.com would  also like to thank Jeremy Jones, Larry Schwartz, Alex Pagulayan, John Gabriel and Ray Hansen for their expert commentary.

We’d also like to thank our sponsors and fans for another fantastic event! Our sponsors include Lomax Custom Cues, JB Cases, Durbin Custom Cues, StraightPoolEye, Hanshew Jump Cues, Aramith, Simonis, Diamond Billiard Products, the Action Palace of Dayton, OH and Fort Worth Billiards Superstore of Fort Worth, TX. 

Our next stop is the Midwest Open Billiards Championships at Michael’s Billiards in Fairfield, OH. Dates are March 15th-20th. Hope to see you there!!!

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