Stephanie Mitchell, Jeannie Seaver, Sofia Mast and Jessica Barnes
Jeannie Seaver’s gotten off to a slow start this year. Following a year (2021) in which she won three tour titles – two on the Tiger Florida Tour and one on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour – it wasn’t until this past weekend (July 16-17) that she claimed her first 2022 tour title. In her fourth appearance on the tour this year, the victory moved her ahead of Stephanie Mitchell to the top spot in the current Tiger Florida Tour standings. She did it at Stop #4, going undefeated through a modified double elimination bracket, downing six opponents, including, in the finals, the junior competitor known as “The Pink Dagger,” 14-year-old Sofia Mast (#3 in the standings). The event drew 34 entrants to Shooters Billiards in Port St. Lucie, FL.
Initially, in the double elimination phase of the event, its 34 competitors were racing to be among the final four standing on both sides of the bracket. Among the eight who advanced to the single elimination phase were the top six in tour standings when the event began. The four who advanced to single elimination without a loss were the top four; (in order) Stephanie Mitchell, Vanessa Seaver, Jeannie Seaver and Sofia Mast.
Mitchell, in a quest to maintain her position at the top of the standings, had to deal with an opening-round, double hill match against Xare Qualis. She survived that and then defeated Ivette Fernandez and Margie Soash, both 7-3 to earn her winners’ side slot in the final eight. Vanessa Seaver got by Erin O’Brien 7-4, Jessica Karamia Human, double hill and Katie Bowse 7-1 to advance. Sister Jeannie defeated Aalyssa Gonzalez 7-4, Roe Guarnero 7-3 and Jessica Barnes 7-3 to arrive, while The Pink Dagger (Mast) sent Chris Baumgart 7-4 and Crystal McCormick 7-3 to the loss side, before battling Kaylee McIntosh to double hill, eventually sending her over as well.
Two of the four who just missed advancement from the winners’ side came right back after winning their only loss-side match. Barnes moved over and survived a double hill fight versus Julia Spinella, returning to square off against Vanessa Seaver in the opening round of the single-elimination phase. McIntosh faced Guarnero on the loss side, defeated her 5-2 and was faced with Mitchell in the single-elimination group.
Joining those two from the loss side were Human, defeated by Vanessa Seaver on the winners’ side and then defeating Susan Damschroder 5-3, Sandy Cheng, double hill and Margie Soash 5-1 to face Mast in what amounted to the event’s quarterfinals. Rounding out the single-elimination field of 8 was Tracy Mullen, who followed her initial, first-round loss to Crystal McCormick with victories over Chris Baumgart 5-2, Ashley Jones 5-3, Kira Brown 5-2 and finally, in a double hill battle, Katie Bowse. Mullen picked up Jeannie Seaver in the event quarterfinals.
Due to time constraints, the quarterfinal and semifinal matches were reduced to races to 5. Three of the quarterfinals were decided by 5-2 scores; Jeannie Seaver over Mullen, Mast over Human and Barnes over Vanessa Seaver. Mitchell advanced over McIntosh 5-3. In the semifinals that followed, Mast and Barnes locked up in a double hill battle that eventually sent Mast to the finals. She was joined by Jeannie Seaver, who eliminated Mitchell 5-3.
After agreeing to a final race-to-3 (again, due to time constraints), Seaver and Mast opted to split the top two prizes and played the race-to-3 anyway. Seaver claimed the event title 3-1, moving her into the top spot in tour standings. Mitchell’s tie-for-third finish (with Barnes) dropped her into second place, while, as runner-up, The Pink Dagger moved up a notch, from fourth to third place in the standings.
Tour director Mimi McAndrews thanked Dave Citron and his Shooters Billiards staff for their “welcoming hospitality,” along with Josh Arnold and Stephanie Mitchell for their assistance with running a smooth event. She also thanked title sponsor Tiger Products, AZBilliards, Boynton Billiards, Andy Cloth, Eastern Billiards, Stitch-It-To-Me Embroidery and Brutal Game Gear. The next stop on the Tiger Florida Tour, scheduled for Saturday, August 28, will be hosted by Diamond Billiards in Cape Coral, FL.
Twenty-six players turned out to compete at the Tiger Florida Tour Stop #2 at Shooters Billiards in Port St. Lucie. After a long day on these tight Diamond tables, Jessica Barnes with the lead but ending up in a hill-hill final match against Asia Cy to take the win! This day saw several surprising early knockouts as top players Michell Monk, Nicolle Cuellar, Jeannie Seaver, Crystal McCormick and Stephanie Mitchell were all out of the money.
The women play a modified double elimination format. The final two from the one-loss side redraw back into the final two on the winners' bracket. The Final Board is a single elimination race to seven. Barnes and Cy made it to the Final Board undefeated. Roe Guarnero and Vanessa Seaver came from the one-loss side. Seaver lost to Barnes and Guarnero lost to Cy, leaving Barnes v. Cy in the Final match. Both women played brilliantly all day, with the lateness of the night starting to show. Finally, however, Barnes won the double-hill match and Tour Stop #2.
Thanks to all the players who turned out for this opening event and all the new players who we hope to see at our next event! A huge shout out to our title sponsor Tiger Products; and sponsors Great Lakes Billiards, Ultimate Chalkers, Boynton Billiards, Simonis Cloth and AZ Billiards. Thank you to room owner Dave Cintron for hosting us again! Videos of the matches can be viewed on our Stream page or at YouTube and YouTube.
Almost to the day, one year ago, Jeannie Seaver, after 17 years as a competing professional, won her first Women’s Professional Billiards Association Regional Tour Championship. It had taken her just over 17 years and competition in 30+ WPBA events to reach that pinnacle. On the weekend of January 11-14, Seaver defended her 2017 RTC title with an undefeated run through a field of 52 entrants, downing Autumn Duncan twice (hot seat and finals) to earn the title. The $5,000-added event was hosted, as it was the previous year, by Zingale’s Billiard Room and Sports Bar in Tallahassee, FL.
Commencing with eight, round-robin ‘flights’ on Thursday and Friday, the 2017 RTC advanced to a final, double elimination bracket of 32 on Saturday, January 13. Seaver got by Terry Petrosino, Roe Guarnero and Ashley Rice to draw Kaylin Wikoff in one of the winners’ side semifinals. Duncan, who’d defeated Vanessa Hood, Kristy Ranalli, and Jenna Bishoff faced Lisa Cosette in the other one.
As Saturday turned into Sunday, Seaver got into the hot seat match with a 7-1 victory over Wikoff. Duncan joined her after sending Cosette to the loss side 7-5. Seaver sent Duncan to the semifinals with a 7-3 win that left her in the hot seat.
On the loss side, Cosette picked up Kim Pierce, who’d lost her opening round to Jessica Human, and was in the midst of a six-match winning streak that would propel her as far as the quarterfinals. She’d most recently won two straight double hill battles against Ashley Rice and Tam Trinh (loss-side wins #4 & #5) to face Pierce. Wikoff drew Jenna Bishoff, who’d been sent to the loss side by Duncan in a winners’ side quarterfinal, and defeated Guarnero 7-5 and Human 7-3.
Pierce advanced to her final match in the quarterfinals with a 7-4 victory over Cossette. Wikoff downed Bishoff 7-3 to join her. Wikoff advanced to what would prove to be her last match with a 7-1 victory over Pierce in those quarterfinals.
Duncan and Wikoff locked up in a double hill battle that ended Wikoff’s short, loss-side run, giving Duncan a second shot at Seaver. In a race to 9, Seaver completed her undefeated run with a 9-7 victory to capture her second RCT title.
WPBA representatives thanked Michael Zingale and his staff for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Simonis, Aramith and Predator Cues.
Stephanie Mitchell, Jeannie Seaver, Shanelle Lorraine and room own David Cintron
“First” was the theme on Saturday as 31 players came together after Hurricane Irma – the first Category 5 hurricane to hit Florida since 1992 – to compete at Tour Stop #5 on the Tiger Florida Tour. This was the first TFT event and the first women’s event hosted by the brand new Shooters Billiards in Port St. Lucie.
Players competed on 9 ft’ shimmed Diamond tables that contributed to an extra long night for some. The TFT plays a modified, double elimination format, playing down to four on each side. The four on the one-loss redraw back into the winners’ side into a Final Board of 8, single elimination race to 7.
Early upsets saw Becky Yelvington send Stephanie Mitchell west 7-5, Katie Bowse handed Shanelle Lorraine her only loss 7-2, and Julia Spinella prevailed over Nicolle Cuellar 7-2. The four players from the winners’ side included Yelvington, Michell Monk, Jessica Human and Roe Guarnero. Making it to the Final Board of 8 from the one-loss side – Jeannie Seaver, Lorraine, Cuellar and Mitchell. Mitchell drew Guarnero, winning 7-5; Cuellar won over Monk in another 7-5 match; Seaver matched up with Yelvington, ending Yelvington’s night 7-4; and Lorraine drew Human, taking the match 7-5. That left Seaver versus Cuellar in the semi-finals, which ended in a 7-3 loss for Cuellar; and Mitchell losing to Lorraine on the hill 7-6.
The final match came down to Seaver v. Lorraine. Being in the semi-finals was Lorraine’s best finish ever. However, it was unusually late so the two finalists agreed to a one-game sudden-death match for the win, points and title. People who know these two players would likely have put the odds on veteran player Seaver to win the game. Seaver won the lag for the break. She made the one and the three-ball but didn’t have much of a shot afterwards as the cue ball stopped, tied up to the two ball. Seaver played a safe, pushing the two into the side rail and sending the cue ball up and back down half the table. Lorraine tried to cross bank the two and the cue ball hit the nine, sending it straight to the same pocket as the two-ball and just when it looked like the nine might go in, it collided with the two, leaving the two in front of the side pocket.
Seaver took the table back and proceeded to make the two in the side, getting shape for the four in the opposite corner pocket, then pocketing the five with a bridge in the opposite corner and leaving herself with a long shot on the six, which was on the rail back toward the opposite end of the table. Seaver over-cut the six trying to get shape for the seven, knocking the six down to the end rail and then up to the other of end the table, but — hiding the cue ball. Lorraine was forced to kick at the six and kick she did – making the six in corner pocket. But now she didn’t have a good shot on the seven which was close to the long rail on the other side. Trying a thin back cut towards the opposite corner pocket, the cue ball hit the seven then went to the bottom rail and came back, hitting the seven as it was headed towards the pocket, and knocking the seven close to the side pocket.
Seaver was back at the table again, always a dangerous situation to be in – Seaver at the table with only three balls left. She made the seven in the side, but didn’t quite get on the right side of the eight. Seaver was forced to make the eight in the same side pocket drawing the cue ball up and down table and with the cue ball resting almost center table for a spot shot on the nine in the corner pocket. Seaver shot at the nine but overcut it, hitting the nine into the lower side rail and leaving it just off the bottom rail. The cue ball ended up at the opposite end of the table. Lorraine had little choice with so much space between the cue ball and the nine – play safe or go for the bank. After sizing up the shot, Lorraine aimed and made a perfect bank on the nine to win her first event on the Tiger Florida Tour!
Thanks to everyone who turned out for this event. We also thank our title sponsor Tiger Products; and sponsors Great Lakes Billiards, Ulterior Chalkers, Boynton Billiards, AZ Billiards and Discount Mugs. Thank you to room owner David Cintron and his wife, Denise; room manager Joanne Colpitts (not pictured); Jeff and Cassie Howell, Treasure Coast APA League owners, and all the staff at Shooters Billiards for being great hosts!
Jeannie Seaver went undefeated for the second time in a row this year to take the Tiger Florida Tour’s 8th Annual “Cues for the Cure” breast cancer awareness fundraiser. Thirty-five women played in shades of pink in this $1,000-added modified double elimination event.
Four players from the winners side and four from the loser’s side made it to the final single elimination board. Jeannie handily made it to the final board after sending several players west – Suzayn Yap 7-2, Roe Guarnero 7-5, and Cheryl Perez 7-4. Vanessa also made it to the final board undefeated, getting past Mandolin Robinson 7-0, Sue Roberts 7-5, and Cortney Bernard 7-2. Crystal McCormick also made it to the final board undefeated against Susan Correa 7-4, Stephanie Mitchell 7-3, abd Echo Pinkley 7-5. Marlene Houldsworth was the final player from the winners’ side to make it to the single elimination bracket, getting past Shiri Avrahami 7-1, Susan Ruisi 7-5, and Julia Spinella 7-4. Making it to the final board from the one-loss side: Tour Director Mimi McAndrews, Stephanie Mitchell, Kelly Coyle, and Echo Pinkley.
The final four from one-loss side redrew into a single elimination bracket race to 7. Coyle drew Jeannie Seaver but lost 7-3, and Mitchell drew Houldsworth, winning 7-4. Pinkley matched up against McCormick, winning 7-4, and Vanessa played McAndrews, winning 7-3. Vanessa went on to defeat Pinkley 7-4, making it Vanessa’s first trip to the Finals of a TFT event. Meanwhile, Seaver’s sister, Jeannie, defeated Mitchell in the semi-finals 7-4 to meet up with Vanessa in the first sister-to-sister final! Not to be distracted by playing ‘sis for the first time in the finals, Jeannie went on to win the match and the tournament 7-2. This win also secured the TFT Tour Champion title for the second year in a row.
We thank our title sponsor Tiger Products; Ozone Billiards; Great Lakes Billiards, Ultimate Chalkers, Boynton Billiards, AZ Billiards and Discount Mugs. Of course, thanks to Amy Poulter for being a great hostess again! Thank you also to those who donated prizes for the Cues for the Cure raffle: Janis Sessions, Nicolle Cuellar (Stitchittomeembroidery.com), Pete Franco (Ulterior Chalkers), Boynton Billiards, and Keith Columbo, Billiard Engineering (The Sleeve). And a huge thanks to everyone who supported and contributed to in the fundraiser. All of the proceeds raised benefit the South Florida Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Jeannie Seaver, Stephanie Mitchell, Jim Capas, Andrea Capas; Michell Monk and Crystal McCormick
2015 TFT Tour Champion Jeannie Seaver won her first event in 2016, at Tour Stop #3 at Cunningham's in Vero Beach, climbing back to the top of the leader board along the way. Her win over Crystal McCormick didn't come easy, as McCormick shot lights out all day long. Seaver defeated Kelly Jones, visiting from the Sport-9 Tour, 7-4; Sue Roberts 7-4; and Stephanie Mitchell 7-4, to make it to the final board. McCormick got past Deb Teichert 7-6; newcomer Lauren Madden, 7-1; Julia Spinella 7-4 , and Michell Monk 7-4.
Mitchell and Monk fought through the one loss side to join Seaver and McCormick on the final board. Seaver topped Mitchell 7-3, and McCormick sent Monk home 7-2. In the final match, Seaver easily took the lead over McCormick. However, McCormick wasn't going to give up easily, showing her strength and making a tremendous come-back to get to the hill after being down 6-2. Ultimately, Seaver won the match which gave her enough points to reclaim the top spot on the TFT rankings. Seaver is followed by Nicolle Cuellar and Roe Guarnero, tied for second. Mitchell is in third place.
Thanks to the new owners of Cunningham's Pool & Darts, James Capas and Andrea Capas, for being great hosts! Thanks to our title sponsor, Tiger Products, and to Ozone Billiards, Great Lakes Billiards, Ulterior Chalkers, Boynton Billiards and Discount Mugs.
Jeannie Seaver, Vanessa Seaver and Nicolle Cuellar
Nicolle Cuellar showed that she still has what it takes to get to the top, winning her first Tiger Florida Tour event in a long time, taking down the TFT Tour Champion Jeannie Seaver along the way.
33 women came to Boulevard Billiards in Ocala last Saturday, including several new players from the Ocala area. Cuellar made it past Kaylee McIntosh, a talented 17-year old junior player, and Tour Director Mimi McAndrews before going west thanks to Jeannie Seaver. Cuellar then fought her way back to the finals with wins over Kristen Bennington, Jeri Bouvette and Vanessa Seaver.
Jeannie Seaver, in great form fresh off her 5th/6th place finish at the WPBA US Open, got past Angela Ger, Wendy Langford, Windy Tang, Jessica Human and Michell Monk to meet up with Cuellar in the finals for Cuellar’s revenge match. The final match between Cuellar and Seaver was close, and a few missed shots by Seaver left the door open for Cuellar, who quickly stepped up and closed the door 7 – 5 for the win!
Vanessa Seaver, Michell Monk finished 3rd/4th. Jeri Bouvette, Windy Tang, Jessica Human and Roe Guarnero finished 5th – 8th.
Thanks again to Boulevard Billiards and Diane Chauliac and Donald Kreischer for being great hosts again this year! Thanks to our title sponsor, Tiger Products, and Great Lakes Billiards, Ulterior Chalkers, Boynton Billiards and Discount Mugs.
25 ladies gathered on February 20th for the 2016 Tiger Florida Tour (TFT) kick off event at Brewlands Billiards in Lakeland, FL. Tour veteran, Stephanie Mitchell, started the day off strong with notable wins over Crystal McCormick, Jessica Barnes and Vanessa Seaver. Ultimately, Mitchell and another seasoned tour player, Roe Guarnero, would meet in the finals with Mitchell securing a double hill win to take first place. Tour newcomer, Donna Favors, had an impressive debut with a 3/4 finish, alongside Jeannie Seaver. Cortney Bernard and Vanessa Seaver rounded out the top 6.
Exciting news! This is the first event where the TFT is affiliated with the newly formed North American Pool Tour (NAPT). The NAPT offers TFT members the chance to qualify to play in a NAPT National Championship, alongside other regional tours, as well as in NAPT Pro events.
Tiger Florida Tour would like to extend a huge thank you to Brewland Billiards for, yet again, hosting a wonderful event! A very special thanks to Tiger Products, returning as our title sponsor; new sponsor Ulterior Chalkers; Boynton Billiards; Great Lakes Billiards Supply and Discount Mugs.
Don’t miss our next stop at Boulevard Billiards in Ocala March 19th
Back in January, when the Tiger Florida Tour was the Flamingo Tour, Dana Aft, from Atlanta, GA, made a trip south to compete in that tour's debut event. She went undefeated through a field of 39, and later, on her Facebook fan page, made a casual comment about the girls from Florida getting together sometime with the girls from Atlanta.
" I was really impressed with the level of play of all the Florida girls!!," is what Aft actually wrote. "I think they should take a road trip and meet the rest of the Atlanta girls sometime."
Betty (Sessions) Lea, from Atlanta, a long-time tour director read the comment and got the ball rolling, eventually communicating with Mike Zingale of Zingale's Billiards in Tallahassee to create the Zingale's Amateur Ladies Tournament, held on the weekend of June 21-22. Tom Gedris of Triple Cross Cues contributed a cue to the event, while Mike Zingale added a Predator Cue, and cookies from his mother, Linda. The $1,000-added (plus two cues and cookies) event drew 18 women from a variety of locations to Zingale's and was won by Ohio's Liz Lovely, who got by Atlanta's Dana Aft twice to claim the title. Betty Lea ended up winning the event's $250-added Second Chance Tournament, which drew 9 entrants.
In the main event, the two former junior champions, Lovely and Aft, advanced to the hot seat match, once Lovely had downed Autumn Duncan 9-5 and Aft had survived a double hill fight versus Nicole Keeney. Lovely took the first of two against Aft and waited in the hot seat.
Keeney and Duncan moved to the loss side, where they were met by Jeannie Seaver (one of the co-tour directors/creators of the event) and Roe Guarnero. Seaver had defeated Cheryl Pritchard 7-1 and Samantha Kikuchi, double hill. Guarnero had eliminated Betty Lea 7-5 and Jeannie Seaver's sister, Vanessa, double hill. Keeney and Duncan got right back to work; Keeney defeating Jeannie Seaver 7-4 and Duncan downing Guarnero 7-5.
Keeney took the quarterfinal match versus Duncan 7-2, to earn a re-match versus Aft in the semifinals. Aft, though, earned her second shot against Lovely with a 7-5 win in those semifinals. Lovely earned her $715, first-place prize, and a Predator Cue with a 9-6 win over Aft in the finals. Lea, in the second chance event, took home the $170 first-place prize and the Triple Cross Cue. In addition to $120 for her second-place finish in the Second Chance event, Samantha Kikuchi picked up a $50 gift certificate for Pool Dawg.
This past weekend (June 14), the five-year-old Flamingo Tour became the brand new Tiger Florida Tour, adopting its schedule and holding its first tour stop under the new name. The debut stop on the Tiger Florida Tour ended precisely the way that the final stop on the Flamingo Tour ended, with April Wallen and Crystal McCormick facing each other in a finals battle, eventually won by Wallen, by the identical score that had closed proceedings on the Flamingo Tour. The debut stop on the new Tiger Florida Tour drew 26 entrants to Brown's Billiards in Holly Hill, FL.
The early double elimination stages of the tournament led to eight players – four on the winners' side and four on the losers' side – being re-drawn to compete in a single elimination format. April Wallen, Christie Cloke, along with Kellys Kavanaugh and Coyle were the final four remaining on the winners' side of the bracket. Crystal McCormick, Sharon Hubbard, Jennifer Page and Roe Guarnero were the last four standing on the losers' side.
The re-draw set Wallen against Hubbard, Cloke versus Page, Kavanaugh against Guarnero and Coyle versus McCormick. Wallen and Page defeated Hubbard and Cloke by the same 7-2 score. McCormick won her quarterfinal match 7-5, while Kavanaugh, the odds-on favorite in her match versus Guarnero, allowed a cue ball to get away from her while shooting at the 9-ball in what was the deciding game in a double hill match. The cue ball found a pocket, giving Guarnero ball-in-hand, and the 7-6 win that advanced her to the semifinals.
Wallen advanced to her second final in a row on the tour with a double hill win over Page, as McCormick advanced to meet her for a second time with a 7-4 over Guarnero. Wallen completed her undefeated run and second tour victory over McCormick 7-5.
Tour director Mimi McAndrews thanked title sponsor Tiger Cues, as well as co-room owners Dean Dyreson and John Clow and their staff for their hospitality. She also thanked co-sponsors Ozone Billiards and Boynton Billiards. The next stop on the Tiger Florida Tour, scheduled for July 12, will be hosted by the Corner Pocket in Largo, FL.
“We are sad to say good-bye to our beloved Flamingo," said McAndrews in a press release announcing the tour's new title sponsor. "However, we believe that our new name and title sponsor will take the awareness of our tour and all of our sponsors to the next level. The Regional Tour will continue without interruption, and we look forward to having more open tournaments as well.”
