Norris defeats junior competitor, Bethany Tate twice to win 2nd Annual Ladies Open
Whoever said that “showing up is half the battle” might have had pool in mind and could point to Venezuela’s Jesus Atencio as a case in point. This past Memorial Day weekend (May 28-29), Atencio signed on to the $1,000-added, 10th Annual North Carolina State Open Championships, held under the auspices of the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour and hosted by Break Time Billiards and Sports Bar in Winston-Salem, NC.
Atencio went undefeated through the field of 73 entrants to chalk up his 12th recorded cash payout of the year, but only his first event title. He is moving toward improving on his best recorded earnings year (2021), in which he cashed in 17 events, including victories on the Lone Star Billiards Tour, the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour and the New City Heritage Super Tournament. So, 29 cash finishes in two years, only four of them event victories, and Atencio is halfway toward making 2022 his best recorded earnings year. Primarily by just showing up.
It was a competitive field, according to Tour Director Herman Parker, and although it did not include the 2021 champion (BJ Ussery), it did include Mike Davis, Jr. who has won the event four times, as well as NC State Championships in other disciplines over the years (8-Ball, 10- Ball). A glance at Davis’ earnings record over the years has its share of event wins, but like Atencio, the lion’s share of it has been the result of “just showing up.”
Atencio and Davis, who’d last run into each other on a Player Madness Tournament in March, when they were to appear in the event final but opted out and split the top two cash prizes, met twice in the 2022 NC State Open. They advanced from different ends of the bracket to a winners’ side semifinal; Atencio versus Eric Roberts and Davis facing Adam Pendley.
Atencio defeated Roberts 7-3 and in the hot seat match, faced Davis, who’d sent Pendley west 7-2. Atencio and Davis battled to double hill, before Atencio prevailed to claim the hot seat.
On the loss side, Roberts and Pendley ran right into their second straight loss. Roberts had picked up Brian White, who’d assured himself a $200 reward for his version of “showing up” by downing Josh Newman 7-5 in the first money round and then, and at least $100 more when he defeated Clint Clark 7-3 to face Roberts. Pendley drew Billy Fowler, who’d run the same early-money-rounds gauntlet, eliminating Danny Farren 7-5 and Michael Robertson 7-3.
White and Fowler defeated Roberts and Pendley, respectively, both 7-4. Fowler advanced one more step, eliminating White in the quarterfinals 7-5, before having his run ended by Davis in the semifinals, also 7-5.
Atencio completed his second appearance and second win on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour with a 7-4 victory over Davis in the finals.
Norris comes back from hot seat loss to double dip her junior opponent, Bethany Tate
The finalists in the short field of 10 that signed on to the $500-added, 2nd Annual NC State Ladies Open were appearing at opposite ends of their individual “showing up” spectrum. Christy Norris, who’s been showing up longer than her opponent, Bethany Tate has been alive, got to the hot seat match, but found herself facing a former Junior National Champion (at the age of 11 in 2018), a recent winner of the 18 & Under Girls division of the Junior International Championships series in February, and the third-place finisher in the Women’s VA State 10-Ball Championships in April. Norris lost to Tate, but came back to double-dip her in the event’s true double elimination final.
They’d both advanced to winners’ side semifinals against Allie Tilley (for Norris) and Shannon Johnson (for Tate). Norris gave up just a single rack to Tilley, while Tate gave up four to Johnson. Tate claimed the hot seat 7-2 over Norris, not knowing, and arguably not suspecting, that she’d won her last match of the event.
On the loss side, Tilley picked up Lisa Cossette, who’d defeated Bethany Tate’s younger sister, Noelle, double hill, to reach her. Johnson drew Katie Bischoff, who’d eliminated Dorothy Strater, also double hill.
As had happened in the Open, the competitors who came to the loss side from the winners’ side semifinal, ran right into their second straight loss. Cossette shut out Tilley and in the quarterfinals, faced Bischoff who’d eliminated Johnson 5-3.
Bischoff won the quarterfinal match 5-1 over Cossette before having her very brief loss-side trip stopped by Norris 5-3 in the semifinals. Norris went on to win the opening set of the true double elimination final 7-3 and then allowed Tate only a single rack in the second set to claim the event title 5-1.
Tour director Herman Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Break Time for their hospitality, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, BarPoolTables.net, Dirty South Grind Apparel Co., Realty One Group Results, Diamond Brat, AZBilliards.com, Ridge Back Rails, and Federal Savings Bank Mortgage Division. The next stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for this weekend, June 4-5, will be the Brian James Memorial, hosted by Borderline Billiards in Bristol, TN.
The annual Ron Park Memorial, originated and held under the auspices of the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, is shaping up to be something of a ‘moveable feast,’ in that each year could (although this is somewhat unofficial) see a new format.
“Who knows?” said Tour Director Herman Parker. “We’ll see.”
Last year, it was a straightforward 9-Ball event, while this year’s version of the memorial was a Scotch Doubles Tournament. The father/son Team Wyatt (Evan/Nate) went undefeated to claim the title, downing the team of Jason Blackwell and Mallory Walters twice, in one of the winners’ side semifinal and finals. The $250-added event drew 36 teams of two to the site of the first Ron Park Memorial – West End Billiards in Gastonia, NC.
Team Wyatt and Blackwell/Mallory met up in that winners’ side semifinal as Team Seeley (father David and son Sean) squared off against Kris Brower and Joey Fox. Team Wyatt prevailed 5-2 over Blackwell/Mallory and in the hot seat, met Team Seeley, who’d sent Brower and Fox to the loss side 5-4 (Brower/Fox racing to 7).
On the loss side, Blackwell/Walters picked up the team of Lisa Cossette and Chris Wrigley, who’d defeated Jimmy Tanner and Brian Goodson 5-3 and Ricardo Carcamo and (room owner) Josh Newman 5-4 to reach them (Carcamo/Newman racing to 8). Brower/Fox drew Lance Davis and Thomas Sansone, who’d recently eliminated the husband/wife team of Sidney and Gene Foard 7-3 and Mackie Lowery and Chad Vinesett 5-3.
Blackwell/Walters and Brower/Fox got right back to their winning ways, both teams advancing to the quarterfinals; Blackwell/Walters downing Cossette/Wrigley 5-3 and Brower/Fox defeating Davis/Sansone, double hill (5-4). With Brower/Fox racing to 7, Blackwell/Walters eliminated them 5-5.
Blackwell/Walters got their second shot at Team Wyatt with a 5-1 victory over Team Seeley in the semifinals. As the sun began its work of lightening the sky on Mother’s Day, at around 5 a.m. on Sunday, Team Wyatt finished a second win over Blackwell/Walters, this time 5-3, to claim the 2nd Annual Ron Park Memorial Tournament title.
Tour director Herman Parker thanked Josh Newman and his staff for their hospitality, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, BarPoolTables.net, Dirty South Grind Apparel Co., Realty One Group Results, Diamond Brat, AZBilliards.com, Ridge Back Rails, and Federal Savings Bank Mortgage Division.
The next stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for this weekend, May 14-15, will be a $500-added, 9-Ball event, hosted by the Clubhouse in Lynchburg, VA.
In what proved to be his best recorded earnings year at the tables (2021), Mike Gann won a stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour and finished as runner-up to Daniel Autrey in another, both at the same location; Peyton’s Place in Knoxville, TN. He shifted his Tennessee location to Hummy’s Bar (formerly, JAC’s All-American) in Newport, TN this past weekend (Sat., March 26) to chalk up a second win on the tour, taking two out of three versus Adam Pendley to claim the title. The $250-added event drew 31 entrants to Hummy’s Bar.
Gann and Pendley both had to deal with venue owner, Brady Brazell, before facing each other in the finals. Gann picked Brazell up in a winners’ side semifinal, while Pendley was battling another room owner, Josh Newman of West End Billiards in Gastonia, NC, in the other one.
Pendley sent Newman to the loss side 9-7 and was joined in the hot seat match by Gann, who’d defeated Brazell 10-4. Gann and Pendley battled to double hill, before Gann prevailed (10-8) to claim the hot seat.
Brazell and Stiltner locked up in a double hill fight that eventually sent Brazell to the quarterfinals. He was joined by Newman, who’d downed Messer 10-4.
Brazell took the room owner vs. room owner quarterfinals 7-5, and then, it was Adam Pendley’s turn to face him in the semifinals. Pendley ended Brazell’s run 9-3 for a necessary double shot at Gann in the hot seat.
With Gann racing to 10, Pendley took the opening set of the true double elimination final 9-4. In the early hours of Sunday, they repeated the five-point differential in the second set, but it was Gann who came out on top 10-5 to clinch the event title.
Tour director Herman Parker thanked Brady Brazell and his Hummy’s Bar staff for their hospitality, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, BarPoolTables.net, Break Time Billiards of Winston-Salem, NC, Dirty South Grind Apparel Co., Realty One Group Results, Diamond Brat, AZBilliards.com, Ridge Back Rails, and Federal Savings Bank Mortgage Division. The next stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for this weekend (April 2-3), will be a $500-added event, hosted by the League Room in Parkersburg, WV.
He’s been competing more, and it shows. Dalton Messer closed out 2018 with a Saturday, Dec. 29 victory on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour. Messer, who, until 2018, had cashed in a total of only four of the tour’s events over the past two years, cashed in six events on this year’s tour, including two runner-up and two third-place finishes. He’s earned over five times as much this year as he earned in 2016 & 2017 combined. Messer went undefeated through a field of 41 entrants at the event hosted by Randolph’s Billiards in Hickory, NC.
Messer had to get by different opponents in the hot seat match and finals. He’d worked his way through to a winners’ side semifinal against David Lear, while his eventual opponent in the finals, Matt Harrell, was squaring off against Brian Francis. Messer got into the hot seat match with a double hill win over Lear, as Francis sent Harrell to the loss side 6-2. Messer claimed the hot seat in a 5-2 win over Francis and waited on what turned out to be Harrell’s three-match, loss-side trip back to the finals.
Harrell gave up only a single rack to Newman, and advanced to the quarterfinals 6-1. Lear and Canipe locked up in a double hill fight that eventually sent Lear to join Harrell. Harrell downed Lear 6-5 (Lear racing to 7) and then, defeated Brian Francis 6-2 in the semifinals.
With Harrell, looking for his second win on the tour, racing to 6, Messer, looking for his first win on the tour, defeated him 5-4 in the only set necessary to secure the event title.
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Randolph’s, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Bar Pool Tables, Delta 13 Racks, AZ Billiards and Professor Q-Ball. The next stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, the third of the tour’s ‘official’ 2019 calendar is scheduled for this weekend (Jan. 5-6) and will be hosted by Brown’s Billiards in Raleigh, NC.
Chris Walsh and Daniel Gambill played two matches during the Saturday, February 4 stop on the Viking Cues' Q City 9-Ball Tour. Walsh took the first one to claim the hot seat and Gambill won the second in the first set of a true double elimination final. They opted out of a second set and split the top two prizes, leaving Walsh as the official winner. The event drew 45 entrants to Randolph's Billiards in Hickory, NC.
The first match followed a 9-3 victory by Gambill over Dustin Barkley, and a 7-2 win by Walsh over Rick Roper in the two winners' side semifinals. Walsh claimed the hot seat and his last match victory 7-3 over Gambill.
Barkley and Roper moved to the loss side and met up with Tim Monk and Brandon Canipe, respectively. Monk had downed Rocky Hawk 7-3 and Brian Capps 7-6 (Capps racing to 10) to draw Barkley. Canipe eliminated Jake Medlin 6-1 and Jeff Young 6-2 to draw Roper.
Barkley and Roper advanced to the quarterfinals; Barkley 6-1 over Monk, and Roper 7-5 over Canipe. Barkley gave up only a single rack to Roper in the quarterfinals that followed, and then had his short, loss-side streak ended 9-3 in a re-match against Gambill in the semifinals.
As noted at the outset, Gambill took the opening set of the finals 9-5 over Walsh. They left it at that, allowing to Walsh to claim the official event title, while the two split the first two cash prizes.
Tour director Herman Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Randolph's Billiards, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Delta 13 Racks, GoPlayPool.com, AZBilliards and Professor Q Ball. Parker also noted that through a combination of cash donations (approximately $800) and goods and services ($500) by local businesses, the tour was able to raise money to help long-time tour member and supporter, Josh Newman, in support of medical expenses for his mother, who was recently diagnosed with lung cancer.
The next stop on the Viking Cues' Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for the weekend of February 11-12, will be a guaranteed $500-added event ($1,000-added with a full field of 48), hosted by Mister Cues II in Atlanta, GA.
Shannon Daulton, Scotty Ward, Daniel Autrey and owner Marty Opyd
Scotty Ward's undefeated, first win on the Great Southern Billiard Tour was almost overshadowed by a 15-year-old competitor named Hunter White, who lost his opening match and won 10 in a row on the losers' side before finishing third. The $1,000-added event drew 70 entrants to Legends Billiards in Inman, SC on the weekend of February 28-March 1.
Ward moved among the winners' side final four and squared off against Matt Bulfin, while Daniel Autrey and Gary Cairnes met up in the other winners' side semifinal. Ward defeated Bulfin 8-4, and in the hot seat match, met up with Autrey, who'd sent Cairnes to the loss side 5-4 (Cairnes racing to 7). Ward and Autrey would end up playing twice; first, in the battle for the hot seat, won by Ward 8-4.
On the loss side, co-owner April Bradley, playing as a "3," was busy becoming the highest female finisher in the event, getting as far as the tie for 17th place; no small feat for a "3" in a field of 70 players. The youngster White, in the midst of his own "no small feat," chalked up loss-side wins number six and seven against David Lowery (6-1) and Ryan Hollingsworth (6-6, Hollingsworth racing to 9) and drew Bulfin. Cairnes picked up Josh Newman, who'd eliminated Brad Stone 9-3 and shut out Zach Baker to reach him.
Four of the last five matches in the event went double hill. Newman moved into the quarterfinals with a 9-2 victory over Cairnes, while White played the first of his own three straight double hill matches; the first, defeating Bulfin. White then picked up his last victory, defeating Newman in the quarterfinals, double hill.
Autrey ended White's nine-match, loss-side winning streak with a double hill win in the semifinals. Ward then completed his undefeated run and first GSBT win with a double hill second victory over Autrey in the finals.
Tour director Shannon Daulton thanked co-owners Marty Opyd and April Bradley for their hospitality.
Shannon Daulton, Thomas Jones, Tracie Majors, & Marty Opyd, owner of Legends Billiards
Thomas Jones had himself quite a weekend. Looking for his first win on the Great Southern Billiard Tour on the weekend of March 1-2, he found his goal almost immediately frustrated by one Chris Zayas, who fought him to double hill and then prevailed. Jones moved to the loss side and began a nine-match winning streak that would carry him all the way back to the finals, where he'd win two more against hot seat occupant, Tracie Majors. The $1,000-added event drew 62 entrants to Legends Billiards (formerly Raisin' Cain's) in Inman, SC.
Zayas would move on past Jones and eventually found himself in a winners' side final four match against Steve Walton. Majors, in the meantime, squared off against Marty Free. Walton hung on to win 5-4 over Zayas and met up with Majors, who sent Free to the loss side 5-3. Majors moved into the hot seat with a 5-2 win over Walton.
Jones, in the meantime, had chalked up four, shut out Chandler DeGusman and eliminated Josh Newman 5-5 (Newman racing to 10). This set him against Free, coming off the winners' side semifinal. Zayas picked up Wendell Thompkins, who'd gotten by Gage Edwards 9-4 and Dayne Miller 9-1. Jones chalked up another 5-5 win; this time, over Free (also racing to 10), and was denied a re-match against Zayas, when Thompkins defeated him 9-5.
Jones battled Thompkins to double hill in the quarterfinals before prevailing to take on Walton in the semifinals. He brought the semifinals to double hill, as well, finally advancing for a double-elimination shot against Majors in the hot seat. Jones chalked up identical 5-2 wins in both sets to claim his first GSBT title.
Tour director Shannon Daulton thanked Legends' new owners, Marty Opyd and April Bradley, who were hosting their first-ever tournament. He also thanked sponsors Nick Varner Cues & Cases, Delta-13, Ozone Billiards, Tiger Products, Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Lomax Cues, and Universe Clothing for their continuing support of the tour. The next stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour is scheduled for March 9-10 at Shore Thing Billiards in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Tony Morrison from 2010, pictured with Shannon Daulton, BJ Ussery and Jimmie Bullis
Friends of and competitors on the Great Southern Billiard Tour were saddened to hear of the death of Tony Morrison, a long-time friend and competitor on the tour himself. Tour director Shannon Daulton, who was informed of Morrison's death by motor vehicle accident on the final night of the US Open 9-Ball Championships, began immediate arrangements for a benefit tournament to help Morrison's family defer the cost of service expenses.
Morrison was a frequent competitor on the Great Southern Billiard Tour with numerous victories, dating back to 2008. Earlier this year (January) he finished second to Josh Newman at a GSBT stop in Albemarle, NC. In August, he faced Daulton in the finals of the Capital City Open in Raleigh, NC. He also competed on the Ozone Billiards, Jacoby Custom Cues and Viking Tours over the years. In 2006, he finished in the tie for fifth place at a stop on the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour. His best (recorded) year was in 2010, a year in which he competed on the GSBT seven times, winning once and 'cashing' in the other six. He also won a stop on the Ozone Billiards Tour that year, and finished in the money twice on the Jacoby Custom Cues Carolina Tour.
The benefit tournament, scheduled for this Saturday, October 26 will be hosted by the Gate City Billiards Club in Greensboro, NC. Registration for the handicapped, 9-Ball tournament will open at noon, with the tournament scheduled for a 2 p.m. (prompt) start. Entry fee for this event will be $40, with 50% of the fees going to Morrison's family. Other forms of donations will come by way of auctions/raffles (any and all donated items accepted), cash donations at any event and food sales. Checks can be made out to Annie Quick (Tony's mother) and sent to Gate City Billiards, 6004-A Landmark Center Blvd., Greensboro, NC 27407. Gate City Billiards will be donating 10% of gross sales for the entire day of the tournament.
"Please come out to honor Tony and support one of our own," said Daulton in a flyer prepared for the event. "All proceeds will go to Tony's family to assist with the burial expenses."
Services for Morrison are scheduled for Monday, October 28 at 2 p.m. at the Piney Grove Free Will Baptist Church, 2560 Winblow Road, Ellerbe, NC 28338
In addition to this weekend's benefit tournament, the GSBT has made arrangements for a Memorial Tournament to be held on the weekend of November 16-17 at Lucky Shots in Albemarle, NC. Check the GSBT Web site for further information. For further information on this weekend's tournament or direct donations to the family, contact the Gate City Billiard Club at (335) 856-8800.
In the hot seat match and finals of the Great Southern Billiard Tour stop on the weekend of June 9-10, Mike Slaughter, looking to chalk up his first win on the tour, found himself facing an opponent, Josh Roberts, who was looking for his fourth trip to the finals since April of 2011. Slaughter got by Roberts both times to finish the weekend undefeated. The $1,500-added, 9-ball event on bar tables at Shore Thing Billiards in Myrtle Beach, SC, drew 51 entrants.
In a straight-up race to 7, among the winners’ side final four, Slaughter defeated Chase Gilbert 7-4. Roberts (AA), in the meantime, downed Larry Faulk (A) 11-5. In their first of two, with a four-game handicap, Slaughter sent Roberts to the semifinals 7-5 and waited for his return.
Faulk moved over to pick up Brian Capps, who’d defeated both Dylan Letchworth and Shawn Padgett, both 7-4, to reach him. Gilbert picked up Billy Thorpe, who was looking for his second straight win on the tour, having won the previous week in Havelock, NC. Thorpe had defeated Alex Olinger 9-7 and Josh Newman 9-3 to reach Gilbert. Both B players (Gilbert and Capps) defeated their A opponents (respectively; Thorpe and Faulk) 7-6. In the straight-up, race-to-7 quarterfinals, Gilbert prevailed 7-5.
Gilbert got within a game of forcing a double hill match in the semifinals, and facing Slaughter a second time, but Roberts prevailed 11-5, and got his second chance. He took the opening set 11-4, but Slaughter came back to win the second set 7-4 and secure the event title.
Tour directors Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked the ownership and staff of Shore Thing Billiards (to where the tour will return next month), as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks.
Shannon, Chris Kendrick, Travis Dorn, and Joel Caine
Chris Kendrick went undefeated on the Great Southern Billiard Tour stop on the weekend of March 17-18, but not before being challenged in the finals by Travis Dorn, who won seven on the loss side to meet him in those finals. It was Kendrick’s first win on the GSBT and the first appearance in the finals for both he and Dorn. The $1,500-added event drew 53 entrants to Raisin’ Caine’s in Inman, SC.
From among the winners’ side final four, Kendrick defeated Josh Newman 7-6 (Newman going to 10), while Steve Holman was busy sending Shonte Barnes west 7-5. Kendrick got into the hot seat with a 7-2 and waited on Dorn.
With two loss-side matches chalked up already, Dorn defeated Danny Turner 9-1 and Steve Cox 9-3 to meet up with Newman. Barnes drew Justin Mathis, who’d defeated Jake Weaver 7-5 (Weaver had been responsible for sending Dorn to the loss side) and Brandon Blackburn 7-4. Dorn downed Newman 9-6 to move into the quarterfinals against Mathis, who’d shut out Barnes.
Dorn chalked up his seventh and final victory with a 9-6 defeat of Holman in the semifinals. Kendrick completed his undefeated journey through the field of 53 with a 7-3 win in the opening set of a true double elimination final.
Tour Director Shannon Daulton thanked Joel Caine and his staff at Raisin’ Caine’s for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks. Wishes for a speedy recovery were extended (and supplemented by all of us here at AZBilliards) to his co-director and personal partner, Marge Daulton, who is recovering from surgery at home, where she is expected to be for the next few weeks.
