The late Helena Thornfeldt remembered in heartfelt 1st Annual event named in her honor
She was nicknamed the Sledgehammer because of her powerful break. Whenever conversations about Helena Thornfeldt broke out among friends and competitors at the 1st Annual WPBA Cherokee Sledgehammer Open, named in her honor this past weekend (Wed., Oct. 19 – Sun., Oct. 23), more than just a few of the gathered women had cause to remember it; the loud whack of initial contact and the way the balls spread out as though desperate for space beyond the rails to dissipate the energy of it. It had taken over two years for the pool community’s widespread respect and admiration for the late Helena Thornfeldt to arrive at a gathering in her honor. The WPBA Hall of Famer died in August of 2019 and though Janet Atwell, in an attempt to organize a 2020 event, began work on it almost immediately, COVID had other ideas, that persisted.
This past weekend, Atwell’s room, Borderline Billiards in Bristol, TN had one of Thornfeldt’s favorite things, sunflowers, on prominent display. A table was set aside to hold a variety of individual and collections of photos. The trophies that were handed to the winner, Kelly Fisher and runner-up Kristina Tkach were accompanied by two actual sledgehammers, made by Robert Ingold of Team SuperShaft. Atwell is working on the creation of a permanent wall plaque at Borderline Billiards with engraving space for the event’s present and future winners, along with a pair of crossed sledgehammers. The event began on Wednesday with words from Janet Atwell and a video made by Bonnie Arnold that featured, among other things, Thornfeldt singing a karaoke version of Born to be Wild. The event officially opened with the National Anthem sung by Christina Druen.
“I think it was an emotional event for everyone,” said Atwell. “Some went through some struggles with it.”
“Absolutely,” agreed Kelly Fisher. “A very emotional event, that first night. There wasn’t a dry eye in the place.”
Kelly Fisher
“We all missed her really,” she added, “and we hadn’t had a chance to show that or feel that, as a family, together. I know that for myself, during that final and a during a few other close matches as well, I could just imagine Helena saying things to me. I went outside at one point to get a breath of air and Monica (Webb) said something to me that Helena would have said and I got kind of fired up there. So for me, personally, she was definitely a presence in my heart and mind.”
Among those in attendance, including Fisher, Tkach and Atwell of course, was Jeannette Lee, who had, in a 2017 interview, called Thornfeldt “the best female straight pool player in the world.” Lee joined Atwell as a member of a ProAm team (one of many) that played a social tournament on opening night, full of blatant sharking and fun. Monica Webb, who ran a restaurant business with Thornfeldt for a number of years, was there, as well. So, too, was the WPBA’s Peg Ledman, a personal friend of Thornfeldt. Not present, though there in spirit, was Allison Fisher, who was in England being awarded an MBE title (a Member of the British Empire) for her “contributions to sport,” many of those, from Britain’s point of view, earned as a snooker player there. The event also featured a strong contingent of (now) relatively well-known junior competitors like Hayleigh Marion (for whom Borderline Billiards is a home room), Sofia Mast, Skylar Hess and recipient of a great deal of attention, 12-year-old Savannah Easton.
The $10,000-added Sledgehammer Open drew a total of 80 entrants to Borderline Billiards, 32 of them drawing byes exempting them from Stage One competition. The 48 others, 16 of whom drew opening round byes in Stage One, played in a double-elimination bracket until there were eight on each side of it. Stage Two awarded byes to the top 16 in the WPBA standings, as the double-elimination bracket got underway, and . . . they were off.
Headlining the eight competitors who advanced to Stage Two from the winners’ side of the Stage One bracket was Sofia Mast, one of the 16 who’d been awarded opening round byes in Stage One. Her first opponent was Savannah Easton, setting up an early junior marquee matchup. Mast advanced on the winners’ side 7-2, while Easton would move to the loss side, winning three by an aggregate score of 21-5 and advancing to Stage Two. Also advancing on the winners’ side of the Stage One bracket were Kathy Friend, Jaye Succo, Nathalie Chabot, Christy Norris and the Callado sisters, Eleanor and Emilyn. Along with Easton, loss-side competitors advancing to Stage Two were junior competitors Skylar Hess and Precilia Kinsley, along with Nicole Albergaria, Dawn Oldag, Kim Housman, Lisa Cossette and Casey Cork.
Kristina Tkach
The opening round of Stage Two, with Kelly Fisher (among others) idle with opening round byes. Kristina Tkach played and won her opening round against Casey Cork 8-3 and then downed Stephanie Mitchell 8-3 in a match that set her up to face Fisher. Savannah Easton opened the Stage Two part of her title bid with a successful, double-hill match versus J. Pechauer Northeast Women’s Tour (JPNEWT) veteran Kia Burwell. Easton advanced to face another JPNEWT veteran and the #1-ranked American player in the WPBA rankings, Caroline Pao, where she (Easton), as they say, met her match; Pao winning the contest 8-5. Mast lost her opening Stage Two match to Meng-Hsia (Bean) Hung 8-2, and moved west for an eventual rematch against Easton.
Fisher, in the second round, downed Eleanor Callado 8-3 and then, in a late match, fell to Tkach 8-6. Tkach advanced to the other winners’ side semifinal against Pao.
“She obviously had worked very hard and perfected that cut break and I just wasn’t getting my break going,” said Fisher. “She obviously played very well to beat me. I knew she was in good shape and thought “Oh, my!”
At the other end of the bracket, Margaret Fefilova, with relative ease, was working her way through the winners’ side for an eventual matchup against Jennifer Baretta in the other winners’ side semifinal. Fefilova got by Lisa Cossette 8-3 before running into what turned out to be her toughest opponent (as gauged by racks-against), Janet Atwell, who chalked up five against her. Fefilova moved on to down Ashley Rice 8-2 and record a shutout over the #3 competitor in the WPBA rankings, Brittany Bryant, which set her up against Baretta.
Fefilova got into the hot seat match with an 8-3 win over Baretta and was joined by Tkach, who’d sent Pao to the loss side 8-4. On Saturday night, Tkach claimed the hot seat 8-2 over Fefilova and would wait until Sunday afternoon to see who came back from the semifinals.
It was Kelly Fisher. But she wouldn’t play that semifinal until Sunday. In the meantime, Pao and Baretta had business to attend to on what was left of Saturday night. Baretta picked up Savannah Easton, whose improbable and impressive run among this roomful of professional female pool players was still happening as the bracket whittled down to its final six. Easton had followed her loss to Pao with a loss-side, double-hill win over Beth Fondell and then, looking to advance into the first money round (17th/24th), she had the opportunity to avenge her Stage One loss to Sofia Mast. She did so, in a match that appropriately came within a game of going double hill. Easton then eliminated Laura Smith and won a double-hill battle against Emily Duddy. She then downed Monica Webb 8-6 and Dawn Hopkins 8-3.
Larry Easton, Savannah’s father, no stranger to his daughter’s talent, turned to Atwell as he was watching this, as amazed as many of the spectators at how far his daughter had come, in a lot of ways.
“I don’t even know what to say,” he told Atwell.
“She’s got great cue ball control, thinks ahead and plays very smart for her age,” Atwell would comment later. “She’s very strategic and plays great safeties. She plays like an adult and (her career) is off to a great start.”
Pao, in the meantime, drew Fisher, who’d started what she called a “grueling Saturday,” playing five matches in a row from noon to 8:30. She played and eliminated Meng-Hsia Hung (at noon), Janet Atwell (2 p.m.), Susan Williams (4:30) and the WPBA’s #2-ranked competitor, Brittany Bryant (6:30), all 8-4. Fisher defeated Pao 8-3 (8:30), as Baretta elicited a variety of mixed emotions from all assembled by ending Savannah Easton’s run 8-1. There was a lot of spectator applause in the moment, some of it for both of them, but a lot of it for the talented junior.
“People were excited to see her play,” said Atwell, “and happy with her finish.”
In a quarterfinal battle appropriate to the circumstances, played the following morning, Fisher and Baretta went double hill before Fisher prevailed. In the semifinals, Fisher went back to the loss-side pattern she’d established and punching her ticket to the finals, defeated Fefilova 8-4. Fisher might have played six matches to be in the finals, but thanks to Tkach, it required eight, including a loss. The rematch came within a game of double hill, but not before Fisher found herself down 2-5 and later, 5-8; Tkach a rack away from the hill.
“I was spurred on by pure determination really and the will to win it,” she said of her comeback. “I told Helena, I looked at her picture and like that, ‘Come on, do this for you’ kind of thing and whether you believe in that kind of thing or not, it’s not about who or what it takes to spur you on, but doing whatever it takes.”
“Whatever it was,” she added, “things turned around. I dug in my heels, hit a gear and took charge of the match.”
From 2-5 down, Fisher won eight of the last 11 games, including the last five in a row. Quite the gear, all things considered. Whether it was herself, Helena, or just the adrenaline of a final push to the finish line, Fisher brought it all to bear and claimed title to her close friend’s first and likely not the last memorial.
Helena Thornfeldt
The 1st Annual WPBA Cherokee Sledgehammer Open came about through the efforts of any number of people, all of whom host Janet Atwell thanked, from the players and spectators to the members of her staff. She also thanked event sponsors the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Brad Hendricks Law Firm (Little Rock, ARK), Patty and Walter Harper of Knoxville and the streaming services of DigitalPool with Upstate Al, Zach Goldsmith and a number of competitors who joined them in the booth.
Editor’s note: Helena Thornfeldt died on August 20, 2019 at the age of 52. Originally from Borlange, Sweden, she was living in Villa Rica, about 35 miles west of Atlanta, when she died. She had opened a new restaurant, Pizza Mania, 15 days before she passed. The “Sledgehammer” turned professional in 1994, was a three-time European straight pool champion and won the 2002 US Open Championship in New Mexico, downing Allison Fisher in the finals. In the year she was inducted into the WPBA Hall of Fame in 2017, she was ranked 9th among American pool players. We here at AZBilliards join with members of the ever-expanding pool community in mourning her loss and in the years to come, celebrating the life of such a vibrant, widely-admired and respected member of our community at an annual Sledgehammer Open.
Holem, Plowman, Osborn and Lane win four concurrently-run Amateur/Open events
Two of pool’s old-school professionals battled in the hot seat and finals of the WPBA’s 4th Annual Ashton Twins Classic over the weekend (Dec. 2-5). Allison Fisher, who entered the tournament as the WPBA's #1 competitor,, and Jennifer Barretta (#3) fought to double hill in the hot seat match, before Barretta prevailed. Fisher came back from the semifinals to meet and defeat her in the finals and claim the 4th Ashton Twins Classic title, her 82nd pro title. Since the event debuted in 2017, it’s been won by two ‘new-school’ professionals, Brittany Bryant (2017, currently #2) and April Larson (2018, currently #23) and in the past two years, by old-school professionals, Vivian Villareal (2019, currently #48) and Fisher this year. The $20,000-added event drew 50 entrants to the Grey Eagle Resort & Casino in Calgary, Alberta.
The long weekend also featured four, concurrently-run Amateur and Open events; an Amateur Men’s 9-Ball (51 entrants), a Women’s Amateur 9-Ball (26), a Men’s 8-ball (71; the highest number of the weekend’s events) and a Women’s 8-Ball event (56). A summary of these four events, to include winners and runners-up will follow the Pro event details.
While the old-school professionals were represented in this year’s final, the new-school professionals were right there behind them, finishing 3rd (Russia’s Kristina Tkach, #22) and 4th (China’s Wei Tzu-Chien, #4). The tie for 5th place featured one each from the two categories; Janet Atwell (#11), who fell to Wei Tzu-Chien and the event’s 2017 winner, Brittany Bryant, who was eliminated by Tkach. The event’s 2018 champion, April Larson was on hand for this event, as well. She was sent to the loss side by Wei Tzu-Chien and was defeated in her first loss-side match by Kim Newsome (#24). Vivian Villareal did not make the trip to Canada.
Following an opening round bye, Fisher opened her six-match winning campaign with three victories in which she gave up a combined total of two racks; one each to (first) Stephanie Hefner and (third) Caroline Pao, with a shutout over Laura Smith in between. This set Fisher up to face Wei Tzu-Chien in one of the winners’ side semifinals (old-school/new-school). Barretta, in the meantime, had also been awarded a bye, and though not quite the domineering performance exhibited by Fisher, she did get by Stephanie Mitchell 9-2, June Maiers 9-3 and Monica Webb 9-2 to arrive at her winners’ side semifinal against Brittany Bryant (another old-school/new-school matchup).
Bryant chalked up as many racks against Barretta as all three of Barretta’s previous opponents combined, but fell two short, advancing Barretta 9-7 to the hot seat match. Wei Tzu-Chien chalked up three times as many racks as Fisher’s first three opponents combined, but fell three short, advancing Fisher 9-6 to meet Barretta. As befitted their status, Barretta and Fisher locked up in a double hill fight that saw Barretta down 5-8, before mounting a four-match comeback that left her in the hot seat and Fisher headed for a semifinal matchup versus Kristina Tkach.
Going into the money rounds on the loss side (17-24), there were still more than just a handful of potential winners vying to get back to the finals. Among them were Janet Atwell, who’d been defeated, double hill, by Caroline Pao and dropped into the loss side’s first money round. She subsequently got by Emily Duddy 9-7, Laura Smith 9-3, Monica Webb 9-6, and Jia Li 9-6, to draw Wei Tzu-Chien, coming over from the winners’ side semifinal.
Also lurking on the loss side was Kristina Tkach, who’d lost her first winners' side match (after a bye) to Kyoko Sone, and then launched an eight-match, loss-side winning streak that would take her all the way to the semifinals. After eliminating Ada Lio and Ashley Burrows to make it into the money rounds, she defeated Gail Eaton 9-1, Dawn Hopkins, double hill, Caroline Pao 9-5 and the WPBA’s #1-ranked competitor going into the tournament, Line Kjorsvik 9-2, to draw Bryant.
Tkach dispatched Bryant 9-2 and was joined in the quarterfinals by Wei Tzu-Chien, who’d eliminated Atwell 9-7. Tkach finished up her loss-side winning streak with a 9-3 win over Chien.
The commentators on the Cue Sports Live stream employed a slightly different vocabulary for the semifinal match, opting to call it a match between the ‘old guard’ and the ‘new guard.’ Fisher won the opening game of the semifinal match, and though Tkach responded to tie it up, she only did that twice and never got out in front. After the tie at the end of game #2, Fisher won three straight. Tkach came back with two, Fisher got another and Tkach won another two to create the second tie at 5-5. Fisher got out in front by two again, before Tkach chalked up her sixth and final rack. Fisher closed it out 9-6 for a second shot against Barretta.
The assembled were expecting a second double hill fight between the two ladies left standing. The race to 11 didn’t pan out that way, although it came close. Fisher took advantage of her second opportunity and downed Barretta 11-8 to claim her first (recorded) event title since she defeated Ga Young-Kim in the finals of the WPBA’s Ho-Chunk Classic in September of 2018.
From her home in Charlotte, NC a couple of days later, Fisher commented about her win and the prospect of future wins for her and players like her, like Jennifer Barretta, who's eight months younger than she is.
"It's like your own personal battle," she said. "You're constantly wondering 'Can you do it again?' 'Is it ever going to happen?' All those things go through your mind."
"There's not as much (time) distance (from former major victories) with me," she added, "but I was a prolific winner and as time goes on, you question and doubt. You're competing with yourself in personal growth."
Fisher is also assigning value to other considerations in her life; specifically her time at home with her family, which she noted she had not had much of in her past. Now, she's finding herself elevating that time on a priority scale above shooting pool. She has found that this shift in priorities tends to elevate the significance of each accomplishment.
"I don't play a lot these days, because some things (events) are not worth the time to be away from my family," she said. "I don't expect to be competing in 10 years time, so any victory is very valuable to me."
Concurrent Amateur/Open events take center stage
Kudos to Brian Champayne, who coordinated this long and multi-faceted event, which, as noted at the outset, included four other tournaments, including two which drew more entrants than the main event.
Up first on Thursday, January 2 were the Amateur Men’s and Women’s 9-Ball events. In the Men’s event, Tyler Edey and Kevin Osborn battled twice to claim the title. Edey won the first 7-1 to claim the hot seat. Osborn came back after downing Joe Spence 6-4 in the semifinals to defeat Edey 9-7 in the final and claim the Amateur Men’s 9-Ball title. Regene Lane went undefeated to grab the Women’s Amateur 9-Ball title. She and Cindy Nana fought a double hill hot seat match that eventually sent Nana to the semifinals, where she defeated Jenny Lucas 5-2. Lane defeated Nana a second time, this time 7-3 in the final to claim that 9-ball title.
On Friday, January 3, Tyler Edey was also in the finals of the most heavily-attended event of the long weekend, the Men’s 8-Ball, which drew 73 players. Edey was sent to the loss side in a double hill, winners’ side quarterfinal, as Stephen Holem advanced to the hot seat, downing Mike Robinson 6-1 in the winners’ side final. Edey worked his way back through five loss-side opponents, including a double hill win over Robinson in the semifinals to face Holem in the finals. Holem completed his undefeated run with a 7-4 victory over Edey.
In the Women’s 8-Ball event, which drew 56 entrants, Bonnie Plowman and Tasha Thomas battled twice, hot seat and finals, to determine the winner. Plowman, who finished undefeated, took the hot seat match 5-3, and when Thomas returned from a 4-2 victory over Jana Montour in the semifinals, defeated her a second time 6-4 to claim the event title.
Teruko Cucculelli (Photo courtesy of Erwin Dionisio)
With an 8-5 win over #1 ranked Allison Fisher, Teruko Cucculelli is through to the final eight on the winner’s side at the WPBA Aramith / Dr Pool Classic.
Cucculelli, hailing from Lancaster Ohio, had wins over Suzanne Peters and Jenna Bishoff to get her day started, but those paled in comparison to her win over Fisher.
“I’m elated to have beat the #1 ranked player on tour. I felt very fortunate to capitalize on the opportunities that were given to me. Allison is a true champion and, although i had won the match, she had kind words of encouragement.” said Cucculelli after the match.
The WPBA Aramith / Dr Pool Classic is being held at the Central Wisconsin Convention and Expo Center in Rothschild, Wisconsin. Online bracket coverage is available at compusport.us and online streaming of select matches is available at the WPBA’s Youtube page at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz3nECcig-zgKYfFvkS15hQ
Kelly Fisher, who won the Women's Open 10-Ball event of the 2nd Annual Tornado Open over the weekend (Sept. 28-Oct. 3) played for 14 hours straight; from noon on Sunday, October 2 to 2 a.m. on Monday morning, October 3, when she completed a two-set final against Ga Young Kim. Along the way, she'd competed against a host of familiar opponents, including Allison Fisher (twice; two double hill matches), Monica Webb and Jessica Barnes. The $25,000-added women's event drew 62 entrants to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL.
"I was absolutely thrilled," she said, pool-side, from her hotel on Monday afternoon, "because while I've won tournaments all over the world, it's been a long, long time since I've won an event here in the USA.
"I really don't know who's in front in our head-to-head battles over the years," she added of her matches against Ga Young Kim. "It's quite close, I know that. Very, very close."
Following victories over Julie Kelly, Crystal McCormick, Barnes and Eun J. Park, Fisher had her first meet-up with Allison Fisher in a winners' side semifinal. Kim, in the meantime, having received an opening round bye, defeated Gerda Hofstatter, Laura Smith, and Brittany Bryant to pick up Chezka Centeno in the other winners' side semifinal.
The Fishers locked up in their first of two double hill battles, which eventually advanced Allison to the hot seat match. Kim joined her after completing a double hill battle of her own against Centeno. Kim claimed the hot seat 7-3 over Allison Fisher and waited for Kelly to come back from the loss side.
On the loss side, Kelly Fisher picked up Monica Webb, who after falling to Eun J. Park on the winners' side in the third round of play, won four straight, including victories over Ewa Laurance, Brittany Bryant (double hill) and Jia Li 7-4. Centeno drew Karen Corr, who'd gotten by (among others) Ewa Laurance and teenage phenom April Larson before being sent to the loss side by Allison Fisher. Corr eliminated Joanne Ashton and Eun Ji Park to face Centeno.
Kelly Fisher defeated Webb 7-5, and in the quarterfinals, faced Centeno, who'd downed Corr 7-4. Fisher then navigated her way through two straight double hill matches to reach the finals, defeating Centeno in the quarterfinals, and in the semifinals, turning the double hill tables on Allison Fisher.
Fisher won both sets of the double hill final (7-5, 7-4) to complete her run, and claim the Women's 10-Ball title.
"You've got to keep her real tight," said Fisher of those final two matches. "(Kim) is a very fluent player, and really dangerous if she gets going."
Though acknowledging that, having been playing for so many years, she "doesn't really prepare for whom (she's) playing," Fisher admitted that her experience over the years with Kim, led to some decisions.
"She's very good at jumping and kicking," said Fisher, "so if I'm pushing out, I'm not going to leave her with a jump or kick.
"That actually happened," she added. "I tried for the shot, rather than leave her with a jump."
Kelly's taking a week off to bask in the sun, before flying back to the UK on October 10. Ten days later, she'll be in China for an 8-ball event with a major US title under her belt for encouragement.
She was the third woman to lay claim to the WPBA Masters title, following victories by Jasmin Ouschan in 2011 and Ewa Mataya Laurance in 2012. On February 9, after four days at the Soaring Eagle Resort in Mt. Pleasant, MI, Korea's Ga Young Kim became the event's first back-to-back champion, wending her way through a field of 48 and completing the title run, undefeated. She faced and defeated Ouschan in the semifinals and downed Kelly Fisher in the finals.
The fourth annual five-day event began on Wednesday, February 5, with an afternoon Kid's Clinic and an evening Charity Pro-Am, supporting the Notah Begay III Foundation. The event matches began on Thursday, and as had been done last year, the semifinal and final matches were broadcast live on ESPN3.
The 48 entrants began in a standard, double elimination format. When both the winners' side and losers' side bracket had worked down to their final two players, those four re-drew to play two semifinals and then, a final match. The double elimination phase of the tournament featured races to 9, while the semifinals and final match were races to 4; best two out of three, unless the score, after two matches, was tied, in which case, a single, sudden death rack was played to determine the winner. This format worked to the benefit of both Fisher in her semifinal match against Siming Chen and Kim's final match against Fisher.
Sixteen of the women were seeded at the start and awarded byes. Kim's path in defense of her title went through Jasmin Ouschan twice. After downing Maureen Seto and then, Vivian Villareal, Kim shut out Ouschan in her third round of play. Kim went on to defeat Karen Corr 9-5 to advance to her single elimination final against Ouschan, as Chen defeated Kim White-Newsome 9-1 to become the other winners' side semifinalist.
On the loss side, Ouschan went to work on a three-match winning streak, downing Melissa Little 9-5 and Line Kjorsvik 9-4, before eliminating White-Newsome 9-6 to earn a re-match against Kim. Fisher, who'd been sent to the losers' bracket by Ouschan 9-7 in the second round, fought back through Laura Smith, Villareal, Jennifer Chen and Brittany Bryant, before downing Karen Corr 9-4 to earn the last semifinal spot.
In the first of the two semifinal matches, which began at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Kim turned in a dominating performance to defeat Ouschan a second time. With a cascading series of uncharacteristic and literally, breath-taking errors, Ouschan failed to win a game in either four-game set. At a potential turning point in the second set (Kim ahead 2-0), Ouschan had a chance to make it 2-1, possibly allowing the momentum to shift, but she rattled the 9-ball into its pocket, giving Kim what proved to be an insurmountable 3-0 lead.
The semifinal match between Chen and Fisher was something of a 'rubber' match between them. They had faced each other twice in the Queen's Cup team event in the Philippines last November. Chen shut out Fisher in their first meeting and Chen returned the favor by shutting Fisher out in their second meeting. Team East would go on to defeat the Western squad and claim the first Queen's Cup title.
As they'd done in the Philippines, Chen and Fisher traded the first two sets of their Michigan matchup; Fisher taking the opener 4-2, and Chen winning four straight to win the second set 4-1. Rules dictated a lag for the sudden death break and it went to Chen, who promptly sank five balls on the break, and left herself with a dead straight shot at one of the balls left. She dropped it, sunk the 5-ball and 8-ball and lined up easily for the shot that would advance her to the finals against Ga Young Kim. And missed it, badly. Fisher stepped to the table and sunk the long table 9-ball to earn the shot against Kim.
Kim opened the final proceedings by dropping the 9-ball on the opening break, which led Fisher to examine the subsequent rack (to the accompaniment of spectator laughter). They fought to a 2-2 tie, before Kim finished it 4-2. Fisher got out ahead 3-1 in the second set, and though Kim would narrow the lead to a single game, Fisher would win 4-2, forcing a sudden death finish.
As she had done in her semifinal, sudden death match, Fisher lost the lag (prompting a colleague to comment that while Fisher's game was fine, her lag could use some work). Kim sunk a ball on the break, but ended up right on top of the 1-ball and had to play a safety. Fisher almost made a two-rail, cross-corner shot work, but the 1-ball fell about a half-inch short of the corner pocket.
Kim stepped to the table and dropped the hanging 1-ball. Though she would run the table from there, it was not without drama, as the rolling cue ball forced her out of position in shooting her second-to-last ball. Kim settled herself, sunk the ball and watched the cue ball travel three rails and give her a good look at the 9-ball. She dropped it to claim her second straight WPBA Masters title.
Fisher acknowledged to commentator Ewa Mataya Laurance that the loss was disappointing and odd that the championship had come down, more or less, to the sudden death lag.
"You try to forget about the unlucky things," Kim told Laurance, in reference to scratching on the break in the second set of the finals. "I think the Soaring Eagle is real lucky for me. It is not easy to win back to back in the same tournament, and this is only the second time I have ever done that."
"I am really, really, really happy," she added.
The semi-finals and finals can be viewed online at www.espn3.com for the next 30 days.
The WPBA Masters wraps up today at the Soaring Eagle Casino. The four players left to contest the title are Ga-Young Kim, Jasmin Ouschan, Siming Chen and Kelly Fisher. Ga-Young finds herself here via victories over Maureen Seto, Vivian Villareal, Jasmin Ouschan and Karen Corr.
Jasmin enjoyed wins over Janet Atwell and Kelly Fisher before Ga-Young sent her left. Once there she bested Melissa Little. Line Kjorsvik and Kim White-Newsome to gain entry to the final four.
Siming Chen has yet to taste defeat. She plays Sunday due to victories over Emily Duddy, Jeanette Lee, Melissa Little, Jennifer Chen and Kim White-Newsome. Kelly Fisher won over Kelly Cavanaugh before Jasmin Ouschan beat her but then once on the one-loss side she dominated her opponents with none able to score more than four racks against her. In these five matches she lost only 13 racks. These wins were over Laura Smith, Vivian Villarreal, Jennifer Chen, Brittany Bryant and Karen Corr.
Matchups today begin at 1 PM with Jasmin Ouschan playing Ga Young Kim. At 3 PM Siming Chen will face off against Kelly Fisher. You may watch these matches live on your computer at ESPN3.com.
The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) crowned four winners in the 24th Annual BEF Junior National 9-Ball Championships. Nearly 130 junior pocket billiard players from 28 states gathered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at Romine’s High Pockets on July 11th -15th. Players took aim to win a title, scholarships, prizes and an entry into the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World Junior 9-Ball Championships. In the 18-and-under boys’ division, Landon Shuffett of Greensburg, KY prevailed, while Briana Miller of Allentown, PA, defended her title in the 18-and-under girls’ division. In the 14-and-under boys’ division, newcomer Zachary Hampton of Rocky Mount, VA was victorious and April Larson of Bloomington, MN captured her first title in the 14-and-under girls’ division.
The top finishers in the 18-and-under boys’ division were native to junior billiard competition. Landon Shuffett, winner of four (4) consecutive Junior National titles from 2007 – 2010, proved that he didn’t forget how to win after taking a year off from competition in 2011. Shuffett steadily proceeded through the winner’s bracket with wins over Kevin Sun 9-5, Ryan Ponton 9-1, Zachary Leonard 9-2, and William Chappell 9-1 before losing to Brendan Crockett 5-9. Crockett, runner-up in the 2011 Junior Nationals and 2009 champion of the 14-and-under boys’ division, effortlessly cruised through the winner’s bracket without a loss. Crockett defeated Tyler Howell 9-0, Daniel McComas 9-3, Joey Torres 9-5, Tyler Styer 9-5 and Landon Shuffett 9-5 to claim the seat as the only undefeated contestant in the 43 player division. On the one-loss side, Chad Behnke diligently proceeded to win an impressive 8 matches after losing his first match to Brady Behrman 6-9. Behnke shot his way through Austen Warner 9-2, JC Torres 9-7, Logan Zuponcic 9-0, Jonathan Ailstock 9-5, Zachary Leonard 9-2, Kevin Sun 9-8 and Tyler Styer 9-4 before a rematch with Brady Behrman, winning 9-3. With only one more match to win for a chance to rumble with the undefeated Crockett, Behnke fell short by only 3 games, losing to Shuffett 6-9 in the semi-finals. Shuffett gladly embraced a rematch with Crockett and an opportunity for another title. In the race to 11 finals, an unforeseen scratch by Crockett when the score was 7-4 caused a shift in the ebb and flow of the match. Shuffett seized the opportunity to tighten the gap and then followed with a break-and-run, narrowing the score 6-7. The alternate break format allowed Crockett to get back to the table. He gracefully took charge, pocketing eight balls, but scratched while getting position for the 9-ball. Staying focused and determined to win, both players edged their way to a 10-10 match, each needing only one more game to win the championship. Shuffett won the final game and his fifth title as Junior National Champion.
The showdown in the 18-and-under girls’ division featured Briana Miller and Taylor Reynolds. Advancing to the 15-18 year old bracket this year, 15 year old Reynolds was determined to prove that age is not a factor in winning. Reynolds steam-rolled her first 3 opponents, Tessa Brown 7-0, Carly Fristoe 7-0 and Cristina Watson 7-0, before being slowed down by Briana Miller. Miller needed only one game to take charge of the winner’s bracket, but the trailing Reynolds confidently won the next 5 games to win the match 7-6 and took reign of the winner’s bracket. Miller made her way by defeating Sarah Bridgman 7-0, Ashley Fisher 7-2 and Juli Poutry 7-2, before losing to Taylor Reynolds 6-7. Miller collected her composure and ambushed her next opponent Ashley Fisher 7-1 and earned an opportunity to defend her title. Miller tamed the fierce Reynolds in the finals, winning the match 9-7 and claiming her sixth title as Junior National Champion in the girls’ division.
In the 14-and-under boys’ division, Zachary Hampton, first time attendee at Junior Nationals, received an initiation by losing his first match to hometown favorite Sergio Rivas 6-7. Hampton’s light-hearted demeanor and determination carried him through the one-loss bracket defeating Joshua Goodknight 7-0, Michael Darling 7-0, Mahkeal Parris 7-6, Cody Carter 7-2, Seth Chilcutt 7-0, Ricky Evans 7-3, Mason Koch 7-5 and Shawn Begay 7-3, before a rematch in the semi-finals with Sergio Rivas. Rivas made his way through the winner’s bracket defeating Brandon Descamps 7-0, Zachary Hampton 7-6, Shane Wolford 7-5, Kaiden Hunkins 7-0 and Shawn Begay 7-1, before being defeated by Manny Perez 5-7. Perez advanced through the winner’s bracket with victories over Peter Steele 7-5, Ricky Evans 7-3, Mikey Evans 7-1, Mason Koch 7-2 and Sergio Rivas 7-5 to guarantee himself a seat into the finals. In the semi-finals, Rivas and Hampton eagerly battled for a chance to play in the finals. This time, Hampton prevailed 7-5. Hampton’s momentum continued in the finals as he persevered in the 54 player field, ousting Perez 9-6 and winning the championship title in the 14-and-under boys’ division.
In the 14-and-under girls’ division, it was former runner-up April Larson who gleamed as she breezed through the winner’s bracket defeating Morgan Chesla 7-2, Tori Kover 7-1, Katelin Ballou 7-1, Isabelle Plumb 7-2 and Kyra Avalos 7-4 to secure her seat in the finals. Avalos trekked through the event with wins over Jessica Pitsinger 7-0, Katilyn Hall 7-0, Alex Booth 7-4, and Karsyn Terry 7-4 before losing to April Larson 4-7. In the semi-final match, Terry dashed to the finals with a 7-1 win over Avalos. The confident and poised Larson kept Terry at bay, winning the match 9-2 and earning her first Junior National title.
The champions of the four divisions received trophies, prizes and scholarship funds. Each champion, as well as the second and third place finishers in the 18-and-under boys’ division earned an opportunity to represent the United States in the 2012 World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World Junior 9-Ball Championships. Prizes were also given to all top eight finishers in each division.
During the BEF annual banquet, 300 attending players, family members and fans were honored and thrilled to have Allison “Duchess of Doom” Fisher share words of inspiration and enjoyed an evening of instruction and challenge matches. Fisher is currently ranked #1 on the Women’s Professional Billiard Association (WPBA) tour, fifteen (15) times World Champion and recipient of over 75 major titles. Other special guests in attendance throughout the week were BCA Master Instructor, Jerry Briesath, who worked tirelessly with juniors who were interested in perfecting their game and Mark Wilson, professional player, instructor and Lindenwood University Billiard Coach.
Much appreciation goes out to all who diligently worked to help produce a first class event, including: tournament director Earl Munson for keeping the event running smoothly and for his volunteer work throughout the year; Rick Doner, National Head Referee; Justin Ballou, national referee; Jamie Strait, national referee; Tammy Leonard, tournament director assistant; Mel Leonard, mini-tournament coordinator and assistant; Terry Romine, Nikki Romine and all their staff; Roy Pastor, BEF Board of Director; Laura Smith, BEF Executive Director; and volunteers: Susanne Brandom, Brinda Avalos, Trena Wolford, Meghan Howell, Wayne Kelly, Mark Brendemihl and Randy Fisher.
A special “thank you” to all of the event sponsors who made the 2012 Junior National 9-Ball Championships possible: Simonis Cloth, Billiard Congress of America (BCA), Romine’s High Pockets and the BEF. Also, much gratitude goes to Viking Cue, sponsor of the Academic All-American awards. A hearty “thank you” goes out to all the product donors who contributed to the junior prizes. A list of donors can be viewed on the BEF website at www.BilliardEducation.org.
2012 BEF Junior National 9-Ball Championship results:
18 & Under Boys’ Division
1st Landon Shuffett of Greensburg, KY
2nd Brendan Crockett of Bell Canyon, CA
3rd Chad Behnke of Farley, IA
4th Brady Behrman of Albers, IL
18 & Under Girls’ Division
1st Briana Miller of Allentown, PA
2nd Taylor Reynolds of Winslow, ME
3rd Ashley Fisher of Ocala, FL
4th Carly Fristoe of Bend, OR
14 & Under Boys’ Division
1st Zachary Hampton of Rocky Mount, VA
2nd Manny Perez of Kansas City, KS
3rd Sergio Rivas of Milwaukee, WI
4th Shawn Begay of Gallup, NM
14 & Under Girls’ Division
1st April Larson of Bloomington, MN
2nd Karsyn Terry of Chicago, IL
3rd Kyra Avalos of Anthem, AZ
4th Keila Perez of Waltham, MA
About Billiard Education Foundation
The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is committed to promoting education and encourages the development of life skills through youth billiard programs. The BEF funds academic scholarships, produces the Junior National 9-Ball Championships, supports billiard athletes to attend the WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships and promotes “Pool In School” programs. For more information, please visit www.BilliardEducation.org or contact info@BilliardEducation.org
The 24th Annual Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) Junior National 9-Ball Championships is currently underway at Romine’s High Pockets in Greenfield, Wisconsin. Junior billiard athletes, ages 8 – 18 years old, traveled from 28 states to participate in this prestigious event. Players are competing for scholarship funds, prizes and an opportunity to represent the United States at the 2012 World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World Junior 9-Ball Championships.
Romine’s High Pockets is one of the premier billiard rooms in the country, featuring forty-two (42) pool tables, eighteen (18) of which are nine-foot Brunswick tables that are draped with pristine Simonis Cloth to make a grand arena for the event.
The one hundred twenty nine (129) participants earned an entry through a BEF qualifier or were nominated through their billiard league to be eligible to participate in the 4 division event: 18 & Under Boys, 18 & Under Girls, 14 & Under Boys, and 14 & Under Girls.
Over 300 guests attended the banquet on Thursday evening, including special guests, Jerry Briesath, BCA Master Instructor; Mark Wilson, professional player, instructor and billiard coach at Lindenwood University; Terry and Nikki Romine, owners of Romine’s High Pockets; Stevie Moore, top ranked men’s professional player; and Roy Pastor, BEF Board of Director. BEF Executive Director Laura Smith acknowledged the volunteers and staff who help make the event possible, including: Earl Munson, tournament director; Rick Doner, National Head Referee, Justin Ballou, National Referee; Jamie Strait, National Referee; Tammy Jo and Mel Leonard, event assistants.
Women’s Professional Billiard Association’s (WPBA) number one (1) ranked player and fifteen (15) times World Champion, Allison “Duchess of Doom” Fisher, was the guest speaker at the BEF annual banquet. Fisher was an inspiration and expressed a deep appreciation for her family and coaches who supported and encouraged her as a young billiard athlete. She encouraged the juniors in attendance do the same. The “Duchess of Doom” shared a late evening of challenge matches and instruction with players, parents and fans.
An impressive sixty (60) billiard student-athletes were recognized for their excellence in the classroom and in competition. Those players in attendance that earned at least a 3.5 grade point average were honored with the “Viking Cue Academic All-American” award. All recipients received a medal, certificate and Valhalla Jump Cue.
The 2012 BEF Junior National 9-Ball Championship sponsors include: Billiard Congress of America (BCA), Simonis Cloth, Romine’s High Pockets and Viking Cue as sponsor of the Academic All-Americans.
To view the tournament brackets and live streaming, go to www.BilliardEducation.org. The tournament will continue through Sunday afternoon.
TULSA, OK – Results are in for today’s first semi-final matchup between the #1 and #2 seeds in the WPBA US Open 9-Ball Championships taking place this week at the River Spirit Event Center. ESPN cameras rolled as Monica Webb and Allison Fisher, two veteran champions, took the stage.
Monica took the first point in the race to seven, but Allison quickly answered with two games of her own. Monica won the next three to lead 4-2. In the seventh game, Allison missed a surprising five ball in the corner that put Webb back at the table to extend her lead 5-2.
Allison picked up the next game to trail 5-3, and then another to trail 5-4 when Monica ended up short on a nine ball and missed a cross-side bank. She then broke and ran out to tie the match 5-5, and again to get to the hill, 6-5!
With no shot after the break, Fisher was forced to push out. A safety battle ensued but Fisher got first look at a long, sharp cut on the one. She nailed that, and proceeded to execute a tricky rack to take the win 7-5! Webb finishes tied for third place.
The quarter final, semi final and final matches will be broadcast by ESPN in seven one-hour national shows, airing Saturday, July 14, (Quarterfinals 12-4pm on ESPN2) and Sunday, July 15, (Semifinals/Final 1-4pm on ESPN2).
Fans and media can keep up with ongoing results at http://www.wpba.com/images/stories/brackets/2012_us_open.pdf Refresh the link for the most up-to-date results — scoring updates will take place throughout the day’s play!
Schedule of Events:
Sunday, June 10 at 3 pm and 5 pm
ESPN Semifinal #2 and Final (Tix are $20 general admission, $25 VIP)
It’s all taking place at the River Spirit Event Center, adjacent to the River Spirit Casino at 81st and Riverside in Tulsa.
Tickets are just $20 on June 9th and 10th! VIP tickets are available for $25. Visit www.riverspirittulsa.com/entertainment/eventcenter for tickets and more information!
TULSA, OK – The WPBA US Open 9-Ball Championships continued with Round Two at the River Spirit Events Center and sixteen players have emerged undefeated so far in the 64 player field. The one big upset in the round was Phoenix sharp-shooter Angel Paglia knocking #2 ranked Monica Webb of Atlanta to the one loss side.
Winners of these matches all play at 1:30 today. Losers move to the one-loss side to attempt to make the final eight for the single elimination final stage of the tournament. Fans and media can keep up with ongoing results at http://www.wpba.com/images/stories/brackets/2012_us_open.pdf (refresh the link for the most up-to-date results!)
Schedule of Events:
Friday, June 8 at 10 am
Double elimination play in day and evening sessions
Saturday, June 9 at 1 pm
ESPN Quarterfinals (Tix are $20 general admission, $25 VIP)
Sunday, June 10 at 1 pm
ESPN Semifinals and Final (Tix are $20 general admission, $25 VIP)
The quarter final, semi final and final matches will be taped by ESPN for seven one-hour national broadcasts, airing Saturday, July 14, (Quarterfinals 12-4pm on ESPN2) and Sunday, July 15, (Semifinals/Final 1-4pm on ESPN2).
It all takes place at the River Spirit Event Center, adjacent to the River Spirit Casino at 81st and Riverside in Tulsa.
Tickets are just $10 on June 7th & 8th and $20 on June 9th and 10th! VIP tickets are available for $25. Visit www.riverspirittulsa.com/entertainment/eventcenter for tickets and more information!
