JT Ringgold chalked up his eighth win on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour on the weekend of December 2-3; the most of any competitor on the tour in the five years of its existence. He did so by defeating Zach Leonard two out of the three times they met at the event that drew 35 entrants to the Gate City Billiards Club in the tour’s backyard, Greensboro, NC.
They met first in the hot seat match. Ringgold had sent Mike McPherson to the loss side 10-5, as Leonard was defeating Jose Irizarry 7-5 in the two winners’ side semifinals. With Leonard racing to 7, Ringgold claimed the hot seat 10-3 and waited for Leonard to get back from the overall event semifinals.
On the loss side, McPherson picked up Jim Lewis, who’d downed Ken Mizelle 8-2 and Daniel Adams 8-4 to reach him. Irizarry drew Josh Williams, who, in his most recent two matches, had given up only two racks over 14 games (one each) to Cameron Lawhorne and Brandon Stiltner.
Williams gave up four racks to Irizarry, but not before he’d chalked up his requisite six to advance to the quarterfinals. McPherson joined him on the heels of a 7-5 win over Lewis. Williams stepped back into his established pattern, giving up only a single rack to McPherson in the quarterfinals.
Leonard ended Williams’ bid for a spot in the finals with a 7-4 win in the semifinals. He employed the momentum to win the first set of the finals 7-7 (Ringgold racing to 10). Ringgold was shy by three racks in that first set. Leonard came up three short in the second set, as Ringgold won it 10-4 to claim the event title.
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Gate City Billiards Club, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Delta 13 Racks, AZBilliards and Professor Q Ball. The next stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for this weekend (December 9-10), will be hosted by Borderline Billiards in Bristol, TN.
After having their 2016 Tour Championship tournament canceled when ice and snow, in a declared 'state of emergency,' descended upon Raleigh, NC in the first full weekend of 2017, the Viking Cues' Q City 9-Ball Tour had to start their 2017 season before they officially closed the books (with the Tour Championship) on 2016. So it was that on Saturday, January 14, 39 entrants showed up at The Clubhouse in Lynchburg, VA to launch the tour's 2017 season. Greg Taylor and Travis Guerra played three times to determine the event's winner. Taylor, a former VA State Bar Table 8-Ball champion (2014), who's been away from the tables for a couple of years, came back from a loss in the hot seat match to double dip Guerra in the finals, and win his first Viking Cues' Q City 9-Ball event.
With some history at the table(s), Taylor entered the tournament with a relatively high handicap (racing to 8), while Guerra was racing to 5. Taylor sent Stevie McClinton to the loss side 8-4 in one winners' side semifinal, as Guerra was busy sending Keith Arnold over 5-1. The handicap worked to Guerra's advantage in the hot seat match, as he claimed it 5-5 over Taylor.
On the loss side, there was some scrambling going on for advancement in the 9/12 matches, three of which went double hill. Among those advancing from that point was Aaron McClure, who, after being defeated by Guerra in a winners' side quarterfinal, went on a four-match, loss-side streak that took him to within one match of earning a re-match against Guerra. McClure downed Mike McPherson, double hill, and then Mike Hagood 6-3 to pick up McClinton. Arnold drew Zach Hampton, who'd eliminated Barry Lacy 9-4, and Brandon Lowe, double hill.
McClure and Hampton handed McClinton and Arnold their second straight loss; McClure 6-1 over McClinton, and Hampton 9-4 over Arnold. McClure took the resultant quarterfinal match over Hampton 6-3 (Hampton racing to 9), and turned to face the last obstacle to a hoped-for rematch against Guerra, Greg Taylor, in the semifinals.
Taylor ended McClure's loss-side run to earn his own rematch against Guerra. And took full advantage. Taylor won the double elimination opener 8-2, and then won the second match 8-3 to claim the event title.
Tour director Herman Parker thanked Chris England and his staff at The Clubhouse for their hospitality, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Delta 13 Racks, Ruthless Billiards, GoPlayPool.com, AZBilliards and Professor Q Ball. The formerly cancelled, $1,000-added 2016 Tour Championships, which, according to Parker, has already confirmed 70 entrants, will be held on the weekend of January 21-22 at Brass Tap in Raleigh.
Clear dominance in the hot seat match for William Cloud turned into relative dominance for Josh Williams in a two-set final that earned him the event title. The occasion was the August 13-14 stop on the Q City 9-Ball Tour, which drew 36 entrants to the Gate City Billiards Club in Greensboro, NC.
Cloud sent Mike McPherson to the loss side 8-4 in one winners' side semifinal, as Williams sent Jonathan Ailstock over 5-3 in the other one. In the hot seat match, Cloud gave up only two racks to Williams (racing to 5), which proved to be his last winning set.
On the loss side, McPherson picked up Brad Barton, who'd defeated Chad Weachter 6-3, and David Tickle, double hill, to reach him. Ailstock drew Gate City Billiards owner Don Liebes, who'd eliminated John Sanders 5-4 (Sanders racing to 8), and Anthony Mabe 5-5 (Mabe racing to 7).
McPherson gave up a single rack to Barton and advanced to the quarterfinals. Liebes joined him after defeating Ailstock 5-4 (Ailstock racing to 6). A second straight 7-1 set for McPherson put him a single match away from a re-match versus Cloud. Williams spoiled that party in the semifinals with a 5-3 win that gave him the re-match against Cloud.
The total game score over the two-set final was Williams 10, and Cloud 9. Williams took the opening set 5-4, and then, allowed Cloud one more rack, before chalking up the second set 5-5 and claiming the event title.
Tour director Herman Parker thanked Don Liebes and his staff at the Gateway Billiard Club, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Delta-13 racks, and Ruthless Billiards Apparel. The next stop on the Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for August 20-21, will be a $500-added event, hosted by Cue Time in Spartanburg, SC.
American Rotation Championship Series 5 was held at the Derby City Classic on January 22nd thru the 24th, 2015. 16 players qualified but only 15 were able to make the trip. We had 12 players representing the United States, 2 players representing Canada, and 1 player from the land of Rotation, the Philippines.
Once again, all qualified players were in the money even before they hit a ball. This Self Sustaining format has players earning their way to the national events rather than buying their way in. Each billiard club has 10 local players that compete over a 10 week period which ends by sending one of their players to a two day national event with free entry and an additional $800 in expense money. The American Billiard Club’s American Rotation Series seems to be picking up speed, traction and well earned attention from players, fans and club owners. It is definitely tough to ignore this format in which there are no losers, and the players are finally uniting for themselves and their sport.
Diamond Billiard Products not only welcomed the Championship and the additional players but they allowed us to use their tables, one day prior to the actual start date of the Derby City events. This helped to ensure that none of our players would miss out on playing in their 9 Ball Banks event, and would allow us to have minimal conflicting match schedules.
Our Championship event began with a 15 player draw into three separate round robin groups, 5 players in each. They would all play 4 matches racing to 120 points. Each match in this round robin would be played out in its entirety on day one. The top 2 players from each group and the two best 3rd place records would move on to the 8 player single elimination finals on day two. Group 2 attracted much of the iron with 3 of the top 4 favorites; Joe Dupuis our first ever American Rotation Champion, 2 time and defending Champion Mike Dechaine, and new comer Filipino sensation Edgie Geronimo. Below are the Groups and their results (wins, losses, ball count).
Group 1
Jody McLaughlin- Big Dog Billiards, DesMoines IA: 4-0 (+100)
Tom Zippler– Magic 8 Cue Club, Baltimore MD: 3-1 (+74)
Jay Wideman– Port City Billiard, Brunswick GA: 1-3 (-111)
Danny Petro- Lags Billiards, Columbus IN: 1-3 (-125)
The top 8 players were seeded based on their independent records into the single elimination bracket on day 2 of the championships.
Below was our match ups:
#1 Mike Dechaine vs # 8 Gerry Williams = Mike Advanced
#4 Edgie Geronimo vs #5 Tom Zippler = Edgie Advanced
#3 Brandon Shuff vs #6 Amos Bush = Brandon Advanced
#2 Jody McLaughlin vs #7 Roger Miller = Jody Advanced
Semi Final Matches:
Mike Dechaines vs Edgie Geronimo = Mike Advanced
Jody McLaughlin vs Brandon Shuff = Jody Advanced
This brought us one of our personal dream finals, the touring professional vs the full time working/family man. This is what the American Billiard Club is all about, helping professional players cover yearly travel expenses and keeping passionate high level players with families involved in our sport.
The Finals: Jody McLaughlin: 43 yrs young, married, 4 children and working 60+ hours per week VS the #2 U.S. ranked professional player, young gun and two time defending American Rotation Champion Mike Dechaine.
Mike wins the lag in this race to 140 points and turns up the heat right away by opening with a perfect 20 point break and run.
Rack 1 = 20-0 Mike
R2 = 24-16 Mike
R3= 40-20 Mike
R4= Mike is picking up the pace with a 24 pint lead 52-28
R5= 60-40 Mike, but Jody is holding on
R6= Jody is reeling in the points 62-58 Mike
R7= 73-67 JODY, Jody takes the lead and applies unexpected heat.
R8= 80-80 baby.
R9= 91-89 Mike takes the lead but its now Jody’s break
R10= 4 innings of kick safes on the 5 ball with Jody eventually getting the first shot and clears the rack and re takes the lead 105-95 Jody
R11= Mike’s break and he shows some serious heart by coming with another perfect break and run to take the lead 115-105 Mike.
R12= Jody makes 2 balls on the break and starts a nice run but as he attempted to draw across a position zone, he came up short and was now hooked by the 13 ball at a score of score 115-110. Jody had a side of the 5 to hit and played a nice safety but the cue ball coming from a very steep angle off the end rail found the side pocket! Mike then clears the table right up until the 12 ball, when he shocked everyone by missing a routine shot that allowed Jody to pick up 8 huge points pulling the score to a very tight 122-118 in favor of Mike.
R13= Mike’s break needing 18 points to win his 3rd consecutive title. He makes 2 balls on the break, a solid and a stripe and scratches. The room of spectators believe 3 points are awarded to Jody which means Mike cannot close out the match with just 17 points remaining on the table. The stripe ball turns out to be the 9 ball, which is a one point ball, so there is still 18 points available on the table. If Jody gets at least one more point in this rack, he’ll have a chance to break and run the next rack for the title. Amazingly this was the same situation Mike was in at his last ARCS finals against Jerry Calderone in Las Vegas, with Mike needing to make a combination with 2 striped balls. In Vegas, Mike made the combo but had to play safe after it which gave Jerry one last shot. Here in this match, Mike drills the combo pocketing the 15 and the 13 ball slid right past the cue ball giving him the shot and with these 2 last balls made, Mike wins his 3rd Consecutive American Rotation Title with yet another perfect break and run,140-120 Mike Dechaine.
The Question now becomes, who and when will someone defeat this worthy Champion? Will it be another average Joe or our next touring pro?
The payouts for American Rotation Champions Series 5:
1st Mike Dechaine $2400 + $800 = $3200.
2nd Jody McLaughlin $1500 + $800 = $2300.
3rd/4th Brandon Shuff $750 +$800 = $1550.
3rd/4th Edgie Geronimo $750 + $800 = $1550.
5th-8th Tom Zippler $400 + $800 = $1200.
5th-8th Amos Bush $400 + $800 = $1200.
5th-8th Roger Miller $400 + $800 = $1200.
5th-8th Gerry Williams $400 + $800 = $1200.
9th-16th Each player received $800 for expenses.
Series VI begins March 9th throughout the country. If your local club is not yet on board, please take action for them and for our sport. The sooner we hit 64 clubs, the sooner we can start approaching corporate sponsors from outside the industry. It is a simple process that can be very important for our sports’ future.
It takes 10 local players and at least 1 pool table, so do not hesitate to contact the American Billiard Club via their website or contact Joe Tucker directly at JTtenball@gmail.com and he will put a schedule up online for your 10 players. United, simple strong steps.
Shannon Daulton Mike Mc Pherson, Scott Roberts, & Steve Compton (owner of Lucky Shot Billiards)
Mike McPherson survived two straight double hill matches to get into the hot seat of the Jun 30-July 1 stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour, and came within a game of facing and winning a third in the finals. In those finals, he stopped an eight-match, loss-side winning streak by Scott Roberts, to capture the event title. The $1,500-added event drew 43 entrants to Lucky Shot Billiards in Albemarle, NC.
McPherson battled Josh Heeter (both B players) to double hill among the winners’ side final four before prevailing to advance to the hot seat match. His opponent was Mark Patterson, a B player, who’d sent Dan Heidrich (AA) to the loss side 7-10. In another straight race to seven, McPherson prevailed double hill to gain the hot seat.
With three notches on his loss-side belt, Roberts, in the meantime, defeated Christi Steele and Kris Chavez, both 7-3, to reach Heidrich. Heeter drew Shawn Padgett, who’d gotten by Britt Carson 7-1 and survived a double hill struggle versus Mike Mauney, who’d been responsible for sending Roberts west in the event’s second round.
It was Padgett and Roberts advancing to the quarterfinals; Padgett 7-4 over Heeter, and Roberts 7-9 against Heidrich. It was all B players from that point, straight up races to seven. Roberts downed Padgett 7-3 and then gave up only two racks in a semifinal victory over Patterson.
Roberts battled McPherson to within a game of double hill, and the potential for a second set. McPherson, though, closed it out at 7-5 to take home top honors.
Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked Lucky Shot Billiards’ owner Steve Compton and his staff as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks. Next stop on the GSBT is set for July 14-15 at Michael’s in Fairfield, OH. The event will feature $1000-added events in both 8-ball and 9-ball, as well as a mini-banks tournament, scheduled to begin at 8 o’clock on Friday night, July 13.
They played three times; once among the winners’ side final four and twice in the finals. Brian White moved to the loss side at the end of his first match versus Ron Park, but came back to win both sets of a true double elimination final and take home top honors. The $1,500-added event drew 52 entrants to Lucky Shot Billiards in Albemarle, NC.
Both of the winners’ side semifinals were double hill affairs. Park got into the hot seat match with a double hill win over White, while James Blackburn defeated Nolan Leonard. Blackburn was playing in his second straight hot seat match, having gotten into the hot seat the week before in Lynchburg, VA (Justin Hall double dipped him in the finals to win it). This week, Park sent Blackburn to the semifinals 9-4, and waited for what turned out to be the return of White.
White moved over and picked up Kevin Boggs, who’d defeated Jeff Abernathy 9-7 and Walt Newsome 9-4. Leonard drew Marvin Reed, who’d gotten by Mike McPherson 7-5 and Kris Chavez, double hill. It was White and Leonard advancing to the quarterfinals; White with a 10-4 win over Boggs, and Leonard 7-3 over Reed.
White defeated Leonard 10-4 and turned to face Blackburn, who was looking to get into his second straight GSBT final. It was not to be. White dominated the semifinal match 10-2 for a second chance versus Park.
In the first of the potential two sets, the two battled to an early 3-3 tie before White edged out in front with two in a row. They battle back and forth and White was able to extend that lead by one game and finish the opening set ahead by three at 10-7. White got out in front early in the second set, and extended his lead to four games by the 7-3 mark. They traded racks to 8-4, when White used a terrific jump shot to get out in the following rack and reach the hill first. Park came right back, using a 2-9 combo to pull back to within four again, but White closed it out, completing the double dip and securing the event title.
Tour directors Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked Lucky Shot Billiard’s owner Steve Compton and his staff 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.
