Though 14-year-old Hunter Zayas’ first win on a major tour comes with an asterisk, indicating the absence of a final match, the fact that he made it to the hot seat undefeated was, in itself, something of a proverbial ‘feather in his cap.’ Added to that, the knowledge that he had, in fact, already defeated the opponent he would have faced in the final (Billy Fowler), most likely had the youngster justifiably pleased with his performance this past weekend (Nov. 21-22). The feat was performed at the $500-added annual Turkey Bowl event on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour that drew 41 entrants to Break & Run Billiards in Chesnee, SC.
Zayas and Fowler advanced to their respective winners’ side semifinal matches. Zayas squared off against Jason Gardner, as Fowler faced Jeff Abernathy. Zayas got into the hot seat match with a 6-3 win over Gardner and was joined by Fowler, who’d sent Abernathy to the loss side 10-6. Zayas began the only match he and Fowler would play, battling for the hot seat, with four beads on the wire in a race to 10. He and Fowler chalked up six racks each, but the advantage gave the hot seat to Zayas.
On the loss side, Gardner drew Montez Lloyd, who’d defeated Rudy Maybin 6-4 and Steven Ellis 6-2 to reach him. Abernathy picked up Ryan Hollingsworth, who’d eliminated Justin Duncan 8-3 and Shane Cooper 8-4.
Lloyd advanced to the quarterfinals 6-2 over Gardner. He was joined by Abernathy, who’d defeated Hollingsworth 9-5. Abernathy advanced one more step, downing Lloyd in those quarterfinals 9-3.
Fowler ended Abernathy’s brief sojourn on the loss side with a 10-4 victory in the semifinals. It was the last match of the evening, as Fowler and Zayas agreed to the split. As the undefeated hot seat occupant, Zayas laid claim to his first title.
Tour director Herman Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Break & Run Billiards, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Bar Pool Tables, JB Magic Templates, AZBilliards, Tickler Pool Ball Washing Machine, Skyline Construction, Federal Savings Bank Mortgage Division and Dirty South Grind Apparel Co. With four stops left in 2020, the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour will visit Jac’s All-American Billiards, Brews & More in Newport, TN this weekend (Nov. 28-29) for a Scotch Doubles event.
Last year proved to be a bit of an off-year for JT Ringgold, who, though he cashed in 12 events, failed to chalk up more than a single victory; in June, on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour at Mickey Milligan’s in New Bern, NC. He barely took home one-third of the cash he won in 2018, his best earnings year to date, when he won three stops on the tour (one of them at Mickey Milligan’s) and the Action Pool Tour’s season finale. Ringgold returned to Mickey Milligan’s on Saturday, January 18 and opened his 2020 campaign on a semi-positive note. Though he managed to earn a spot in the finals against Matt Raden, the two of them opted out of a final match, leaving Raden, the undefeated occupant of the hot seat as the winner. It was Raden’s first cash finish on the tour, on which he’s been competing since 2017. The $400-added event drew 24 entrants to Mickey Milligan’s.
They met once in this event, in a winners’ side quarterfinal, which went double hill, before Raden prevailed 7-10 (Ringgold to 11). Ringgold moved to the loss side, as Raden drew a winners’ side semifinal matchup against Montez Lloyd. Ron Ford, in the meantime, squared off against Jorge Ramos in the other winners’ side semifinal.
Two double hill matches sent Raden and Ford to the hot seat match. Raden downed Lloyd 7-5 and Ford defeatEd Ramos 5-6. Raden claimed his first-ever hot seat with a 7-3 victory over Ford in what proved to be Raden’s final match.
Over on the loss side, Ringgold began his five-match trek toward a rematch against Raden with an 11-1 victory over Jeff Matthews and then downed Joshua Shultz 11-4 to draw Ramos. Mike Powell, who’d defeated Mickey Milligan’s owner Gerry Sheperd 5-1 and survived a double hill fight against Ms. Sydney Cork (5-3), leapfrogged over Montez Lloyd, who forfeited his first loss-side match.
Ringgold joined Powell in the quarterfinals after defeating Ramos 11-6. In what proved to be Ringgold’s final match, he defeated Powell 11-3 in those quarterfinals.
Ringgold then did his own leapfrog number. Ford forfeited the semifinal match, which set Ringgold up to face Raden in the finals. The two agreed to the split, leaving Raden with his first regional tour win, albeit with the *, and the evening was done.
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked Gerry Sheperd and his Mickey Milligan’s staff, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Bar Pool Tables, Delta 13 Racks, AZ Billiards and Professor Q-Ball. The next stop on the tour, scheduled for January 25-26, will be a $500-added event ($1,000-added with 64+ players), hosted by Break & Run Billiards in Chesnee, SC.
Terry and J.T. Ringgold, father and son respectively, battled twice to claim the title at a Q City 9-Ball Tour on the weekend of June 25-26. The son won both matches at the $250-added event that drew 18 entrants to Mickey Milligan's in New Bern, NC.
They met first in the hot seat match. Terry had defeated Danny Farren 4-5 (Farren racing to 7) as J.T. sent Randy Hodges to the loss side 9-4. J.T. showed no mercy in the subsequent battle for the hot seat. He shut his father out, and waited on his return.
On the loss side, Danny Farren picked up Frank Owens, who'd defeated Montez Lloyd and Brad Burton, both 5-3, to reach him. Hodges drew Josh Heeter, who'd eliminated Zach Cortright 7-3 and Jack Whitfield, 7-4. Heeter and Owens advanced to the quarterfinals, handing Hodges and Farren their second straight defeat; Heeter 7-4 over Hodges and Owens 5-3 over Farren.
Heeter took the quarterfinal match over Owens 7-3, but had his loss-side streak ended by the elder Ringgold 4-3 in the semifinals. The father put up a bit of fight in the second match against his son, chalking up two racks. J.T. chalked up his nine to claim the title.
Tour director Herman Parker thanked Gerry Shepherd and his staff at Mickey Milligans for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Viking Cues, and Delta-13 racks. The next stop on the Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for the weekend of July 2-3, will be hosted by Chandley's Chalk and Cue in Statesville, NC.
JT Ringgold picked up his first victory on the 2016 Q City 9-Ball Tour with an undefeated run on the weekend of April 16-17. He dominated two matches versus Scotty Johnson to claim the event title, which drew 34 entrants to Mickey Milligan's Billiards in New Bern, NC.
They met first in the hot seat match. Ringgold had sent Jack Whitfield to the loss side 9-1, while Johnson was defeating Montez Lloyd 5-3. Ringgold subsequently gave up only two racks to Johnson and sat in the hot seat awaiting his return from the semifinals.
Over on the loss side, Whitfield picked up Jorge Ramos, who'd sent Jerry Cannon and Roy Musser home; 7-4 and 7-3. Lloyd drew Greg Smith, who'd defeated Justin Ward and Edward Forbes, both 8-2.
Whitfield advanced to the quarterfinals 5-3 over Ramos, and was joined by Smith, who'd ended Lloyd's day 8-4. Whitfield advanced one more step with a 5-4 victory over Smith, and one step away from a re-match against Ringgold, faced Johnson in the semifinals.
Just as anxious for a re-match, Johnson downed Whitfield 5-1 and got his chance. As it turned out, his match against Whitfield was not only his last match victory, it proved to be the last time that Johnson would win a game. Ringgold completed his undefeated run through the field with a shutout over Johnson in the finals.
The next stop on the Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for April 23-24, will be hosted by Brown's Billiards in Raleigh, NC.
Billy Carroll and Montez Lloyd locked up twice to determine who'd walk away with the Q City 9-Ball Tour win on Saturday, October 24. Carroll took both matches to claim the title, in the event that drew 28 entrants to Anytime Billiards in Jacksonville, NC.
They met first in the hot seat match. Carroll had sent Gerry Shepherd (owner of Mickey Milligan's in New Bern, NC) to the loss side 6-4, while Lloyd was doing likewise to Robert Perez 7-1. Carroll took the first of the two versus Lloyd 6-2 and waited in the hot seat for the second.
On the loss side, Calvin Harper was doing what he could to prevent Lloyd from getting that second chance. Defeated in the opening round by Raymond McGinn, Harper went on a seven-match, loss-side run that would earn him the right to face Lloyd in the semifinals. Harper got by Solomon Pope 5-5 (Pope racing to 7) and Leon Williams 5-3 (victories #4 & # 5) to draw Shepherd. Perez picked up Justin Himes, who'd defeated Al Boone and Kim Stakley, both 6-2.
It was Harper and Himes advancing to the quarterfinals; Harper, 5-3 over Shepherd, and Himes, 6-3 over Perez. Harper and Himes fought a double hill quarterfinal, eventually won by Harper, whose loss-side run then came to an end at the hands of Lloyd, 7-2, in the semifinals. Carroll then defeated Lloyd a second time, by the same 6-2 score to claim the event title.
You don't find men and women squaring off against each other in the finals of a tournament very much. It's rare, but it happens, as it did on Saturday, July 11 at Anytime Billiards in Jacksonville, NC. The occasion was a stop on the Q City 9-Ball Tour, which drew 33 entrants. As it turned out, though Paul Swinson and Lindsey Walton were scheduled to face each other in the finals, the match didn't happen. Swinson and Walton opted to split the top two prizes, leaving Swinson, in the hot seat, as the official winner of the event.
They both competed in a winners' side semifinal, though not against each other. Swinson faced Danny Farren, while Walton battled Wayne Haire. Swinson sent Farren west 6-4, while Haire did likewise to Walton 7-4. Swinson claimed the hot seat 6-5 over Haire.
On the loss side, Walton ran into her boyfriend, Jason Lawson, who'd defeated Dustin Boone and Paul Swinson's son, Graham, both 5-2. Farren drew Montez Lloyd, who'd eliminated Bo Miller and a player known only as Lupe, both 7-3. Farren survived a double hill battle versus Lloyd, while the girlfriend downed the boyfriend 5-4.
Walton then defeated Farren, double hill, in the quarterfinals, and wrapped up both her loss side run, and her evening, with a 5-4 win over Haire in the semifinals. She and Swinson opted to split the top two prizes, with Swinson, undefeated, claiming the event title.
The next stop on the Q City 9-Ball Tour will be the NC State 10-Ball Championships. Scheduled for the weekend of July 18-19, the event will be hosted by The Brass Tap, in Raleigh, NC.
Adam Bryan, a B player, took advantage of a handicap to gain the hot seat in a battle versus Greg Smith, an A player at a November 26-27 stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour. Smith, though, returned from the semifinals to defeat him twice and take the event title. The $1,500-added event drew 32 entrants to Mickey Milligan’s Billiards & Pub in New Bern, NC.
From among the winners’ side final four, Smith, in a straight-up race to nine games between two A players, prevailed in a double hill battle against Sidney Champion. Bryan, in the meantime, facing an A player, Larry Faulk, also survived a double hill battle and advanced to the hot seat match with a 7-8 victory. Bryan then convincingly sent Smith to the semifinals with a 7-5 win that left him in the hot seat.
Champion moved to the loss side and picked up Charlie Brinson, who’d gotten by Delton Howard 7-5, and Jason Lawson 7-2. Faulk drew Montez Lloyd, who’d defeated Carlos Cruz 9-2 and Terri Faulk 9-5 to reach him. Brinson shut out Champion to advance to the quarterfinals, and was joined by Faulk, who’d downed Lloyd 9-6. Faulk then handed Brinson a dose of his own shutout medicine, winning 7-0 to face Smith in the semifinals.
In a straight-up race to nine, Smith earned his re-match versus Bryan with a 9-7 win over Faulk. Over the next two games of the true double elimination final, Smith gave up only five racks – two in the opening set and one more in the second – to capture the event title.
Free entries were awarded to Terri Faulk and Jason Lawson for their 7th/8th place finish. Tour directors Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked Gerry Sheperd and the staff at Mickey Milligan’s Billiards & Pub, as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks.
B.J. Ussery has finished either first or second in 12 of the 17 tournaments in which he’s been officially entered since January 30, 2011. The streak began on that day with a victory on the Jacoby Custom Cues Carolina Tour and continued this past weekend (November 9-14) with his second straight undefeated GSBT victory; this time in the 9-ball event of the Great Southern Billiard Tour Championships/Carolina Open. Ussery had to get by Carey Dunn twice – once, in the battle for the hot seat, and again, in the finals – to complete his undefeated trip through 68 entrants, who’d shown up at Fast Eddie’s in Goldsboro for the $5,000-guaranteed total purse event.
Until he ran into Larry Nevel among the winners’ side final four, Ussery (who had to reach 11 games) had given up only seven racks to four opponents; five of those to Sam Monday in the match that set up the match versus Nevel. Dunn, in the meantime, had sandwiched a double hill battle against Josh Newman, around a series of 9-3 victories that put him among the final four winners, facing Montez Lloyd. Dunn got into the hot seat match with a 9-5 win over Lloyd, as Ussery survived a double hill battle against Nevel. Ussery got into the hot seat with an 11-4 victory over Dunn and waited for him to get back.
Hawkins, with a handicap advantage, dropped Nevel into the tie for fifth place 9-11, and moved on to the quarterfinals against Newman, who defeated Lloyd 11-7. Still working with a handicap advantage, Hawkins eliminated Newman 9-9 and turned to face Dunn in the semifinals. Dunn prevailed 9-8 for his second chance against Ussery.
Ussery needed only a single set of the true double elimination final to complete his undefeated bid. It was past dawn on Monday morning, November 14, when Ussery sunk the final ball to complete an 11-5 victory that secured the GSBT Tour Championship 9-Ball event.
A $50 prize was awarded to Terri Faulk for being the highest female finisher in the event. Tour directors Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked the owners and staff of Fast Eddie’s in Goldsboro, NC for their cooperation and hospitality in hosting the Tour Championships/Carolina Open, as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks. In addition to the guaranteed prize money, the event raised $1,200 for charity.
