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Fourth Hunter Classics Stop a Big Success at Fast Freddy’s in Arlington, Texas

Alicia Teskey, Leslie Rogers, Gail Lave

Gail Lave wins the Fast Freddy's Hunter Classics tournament two years in a row!
 
Forty-two women showed up on this hot, Texas weekend to play some great pool at Mike Lynch's pool room, Fast Freddy's, on August 4-5, 2001 in Arlington, TX.  Although many of the women were Texans, some traveled from as far away as Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado to compete.  Even Gail caught a Friday afternoon flight from Missouri and almost missed her plane ride back on Sunday evening after her final match with Leslie Rogers, the runner-up in this event.
 
The Hunter Classics Tour would like to welcome the new players that joined us at this great event!  We hope to see you again soon!
 
Wes Hunter made another beautiful Hunter Classics Cue, this one valued at $1,700.  Made of tiger maple and cocobolo with teal and red veneers with a black and white irish linen wrap, Kathy Krabbenschmidt was ecstatic when she won it!  Thank you to Wes for supporting this tour with another one of his exquisite cues!
 
12 ladies survived until the Sunday matches, with the winners side matches of Leslie Rogers versus Sherri Hudson (who was very pregnant) and Nancy French (having a great tournament) versus Alicia Teskey (who had her highest finish yet, playing solid pool all weekend).
 
Houston-area girls LaDonna Ulrich and Nicole Bacon (who was playing with a broken finger) placed 7th/8th, with Mindy Williams having her best tournament yet at 9th-12th place, along with Linda Long.  Brenda Plantz, always one to contend with, placed 5th/6th along with Sherri Hudson.  Rounding off the top 12 were Austin ladies Heather Pulford and Deanna Kniola placing 9th-12th.  Congratulations to all of these women on a great tournament!
 
Gail Lave started her fight Saturday morning beating Kim Mills (7-2) and Wendy Echols  (7-0) before losing to Deanna Kniola (5-7).  She then fought through the loser's bracket beating Sandi Dunlap (7-1) and Shayla Neris (7-2) and came back on Sunday to compete some more.  On Sunday she beat Heather Pulford (7-4), Nicole Bacon (7-5), Sherri Hudson (7-4), Nancy French (7-1) and Alicia Teskey 9-7 before reaching Leslie in the finals.
 
Leslie Rogers had a tough road for her as well, playing 4 nail-biting double hill matches along the way (including the finals).  Leslie got a bye the first round, then proceeded to beat Kathy Krabbenschmidt (7-1), Nicole Bacon (7-4), Mindy Williams (7-6), Sherri Hudson (7-6) and Alicia Teskey (9-7) before meeting up with Gail in the finals.
 
The finals was a hard fought race, with both wanting to taste the win.  For Leslie, it would have been her first Hunter Classics Tour win (and she was playing very well) and Gail could see how close herself was to winning this event two years in a row.  Going back and forth, tied several times, it then down to the last game in a race to 11.  Gail came out on top, winning with a score 11-10 and $750 richer, with Leslie placing second and winning $550.  Alicia got 3rd place and $375, with Nancy French placing 4th and receiving $250.
 
Downstairs on Sunday, 18 women were fighting in the Second Chance Tournament, with $100 added.  Melissa Norton, Sherry Pouncey, Beth Shriver and Stephanie Tuinstra all placed their highest yet, finishing respectively, 1st ($100), 3rd ($50), 5th and 6th ($15).  Melinda Bailey finished 2nd ($70), with Kelly Harmon (always consistently placing) finished 4th ($30).
 
Mike and his staff were wonderful as always and we can't wait for their stop again next year.  Randy Cole ran the tournament smoothly for us ladies and again, thank you to Wes Hunter.  Without Wes, we wouldn't have the longest running regional women's tour!
 
Don't forget to visit us at our next stop in Las Vegas, September 8-9, when a WPBA Qualifier will be in contention at this Hunter Classics event!
 
Visit us on the web for all information: www.hunterclassics.com.

Second Hunter Classics Stop a Big Success at Legends Billiards

Melanie Koger (2nd place), Mindy Cohen (owner) and Noriyo Yurino (1st place)

40 women came to compete on April 7th and 8th at Legends Billiards in League City, TX.  12 of the women paid the extra $50 to have a chance at winning the WPBA qualifier and it was a hard fight to get it.  Five of the top 8 finishers were in contention, but in the end it was Noriyo Yurino (who is from Japan, but currently lives in Canada) who came out on top.  Noriyo won $750 and the WPBA Qualifier.
 
The weekend was well-hosted at Legends Billiards where room owner and Tournament Director Mindy Cohen made us all feel welcome, as always.  Her many pool tables allowed us to not only get play done early, but also had practice tables available for us.  Thanks Mindy!  Mindy had the help of Jimmy Moen, Dennis Strickland and Chuck Mills calling shots.  We also had WPBA Professional Belinda Campos visit our tournament over the entire weekend.  Thanks Belinda!
 
A big thank you to Wes Hunter for his continued support of the Hunter Classics Tour.  Dwight Brookland won the beautiful Hunter Classics Custom Cue valued at $1900.  This time the cue was of Brazilian Rosewood, Tiger Maple and Ivory Inlay with a Black Linen Wrap!  Also raffled off where autographed cue balls by Vivian Villarreal and Johnny Archer.
 
After the smoke cleared on Saturday, 12 women came back to play in the big event on Sunday.  The rest of the ladies competed in the Second Chance Tournament.  LaDonna Ulrich (local favorite) came out on top of the Second Chance Event with Trish Kaston (from Missouri) coming in 2nd, Kelly Harmon coming in 3rd (who had a great main event finish as well!) and Karen Smith (from Denver) coming in 4th.
 
On the other side of the room, Michelle Cortez, Julie Stephenson, Nicole Bacon and Deanna Kniola were waiting for the winner's brackets matches. On the winners side it was Shayla Neris (this was Shayla's first time to be on the winners bracket on Sunday!), Sherri Hudson, Melanie Koger, Leslie Rogers, Sybil Wingard (great tournament!), Lisa Marr, Noriyo Yurino and Brenda Plantz.  As play went on, Melanie Koger beat Noriyo for the winners bracket hill-hill, running out nicely.
 
Noriyo then had to play Brenda Plantz (who had just beat Lisa Marr and Deanna Kniola).  Noriyo won 9-4.  It was time for Melanie to play Noriyo again.  After being tied 5-5, Noriyo came out on top with a score of 11-9.  Congratulations to Melanie for another great finish and for Noriyo on her first Hunter Classics win and the WPBA Qualifier.  On their way to the finals, Noriyo beat LaDonna Ulrich 7-2, Tasha Salandanan 7-1, Kim Mills 7-3, Sybil Wingard 7-3, Lisa Marr 7-4, lost to Melanie Koger  6-7 for the winners bracket, beat Brenda Plantz 9-4 and Melanie Koger 11-9.  Melanie had a bye and then beat Gail Lave 7-2, Teresa Hayes 7-1, Leslie Rogers 7-2, Shayla Neris 7-2, Noriyo Yurino 7-6 and then lost the in the finals to Noriyo Yurino 9-11.  Looks like it was only Noriyo that could get past 2 games against Melanie!  Great tournament ladies!
 
Other news surrounding the tournament was the missed group of San Antonio G.rls, who were competing in a city tournament back home.  Some of the Dallas/Fort Worth girls were also missing, playing in their own league tournament as well on this weekend.  A special note to Crystal Livingston (all of 12 years old), who won her first match in the Second Chance Tournament 5-1!
 
Again, a big thank you to Wes Hunter who is thought of every day of the year that the ladies get to play the sport they love.  And, don't forget to visit Wes and the Hunter Classics Tour at www.hunterclassics.com.