Ryan Hollingsworth (no relation to Landon Hollingsworth) and Dalton Messer had two opportunities to compete against each other during the recent (Oct. 3) stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour. They opted out of both of them and since, in the first instance, it was Messer who chose not to play, Hollingsworth ended up as the official winner of the $500-added event that had drawn a short field of 18 entrants to VFW Post #9811 in King’s Mountain, NC. The tour donated $110 to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Hollingsworth and Messer advanced to their respective winners’ side semifinal matches; Hollingsworth facing Damon Kimbrell, while Messer squared off against Hunter Zayas. Hollingsworth sent Kimbrell to the loss side 8-4. Messer and Zayas fought to double hill before Messer prevailed for the opportunity to face Hollingsworth in the hot seat match. The match never happened, because Messer forfeited.
On the loss side, Kimbrell met up with Stevie McClinton, who’d chalked up a tour win last month in Gastonia, NC. McClinton had recently survived a double hill win over Landon Hollingsworth and defeated Josh Miller 7-3. Zayas drew Kirk Hixon, who’d been defeated by Kimbrell in a winners’ side quarterfinal and then won two straight double hill matches, versus Junior Gabriel and Marc Rochester.
Hixon stretched his loss-side winning streak to three with a 6-3 victory over Rochester, as Kimbrell eliminated McClinton 6-4. Hixon chalked up what proved to be his last loss-side win in a double hill, quarterfinal rematch against Kimbrell. Messer ended Hixon’s bid for a shot against Ryan Hollingsworth with a 6-2 semifinal win that ended the event.
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked VFW Post #9811, 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. The next stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for Oct. 10-11, will be a $500-added event, hosted by another new venue for the tour – Sonny’s Billiards and Bistro, in Princeton, WV.
When your finalists are battling to win their first event on your tour, you stick around to let them decide it on the table. When you’re either one of the finalists, you battle aches, pains and fatigue to get it done and claim your first event title. Gary South and Junior Gabriel battled three times during the March 7 (and a few hours into March 8) stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour and were chasing dawn when they broke the last rack of the 31 games they played. South won 20 of those games and two of the matches to claim his first (recorded) regional tour win, anywhere.
It was Gabriel’s second runner-up finish on the tour, having finished 2nd at a stop last August at the same location – Break & Run Billiards in Chesnee, SC. He’d won seven on the loss side during that event to face Hunter White in the finals. As he did this past weekend, he won the opening set of the true double elimination final, but dropped the second. It happened to be Hunter White’s birthday. This most recent $500-added event, which drew 39 entrants to Break & Run Billiards was the fourth cash finish on the tour for both South and Gabriel and the best finish of all of them for South.
They both advanced to winners’ side semifinal matches; South, against junior player Landon Hollingsworth and Gabriel versus Randy Tate. South sent Hollingsworth to the loss side 7-5 and in their first of three, battling for the hot seat, faced Gabriel, who’d sent Tate over 6-3. South gave up only a single rack to Gabriel and claimed his first hot seat.
Landon Hollingsworth and Tate got right back to work on the loss side. Hollingsworth picked up Trey Frank, who’d defeated Sydney Cork and Brian Ervin, both 7-1, to reach him. Tate drew Billy Fowler, last year’s Bar Box Tour Champion, who’d eliminated Aaron McClure 9-3 and Ryan Hollingsworth (no relation to Landon) 9-1.
Landon Hollingsworth downed Frank 6-3 and in the quarterfinals, faced Tate, who’d eliminated Fowler 6-5 (Fowler racing to 9). The junior player, Hollingsworth defeated Tate 6-2 in those quarterfinals, but couldn’t get past Junior Gabriel, who ended the youngster’s night with a 6-3 victory in the semifinals.
With their first major event victory on the line, it was no surprise that the opening set of the true double elimination final went double hill. Gabriel won it to force a second set. South won that 7-4 to claim the event title.
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Break & Run Billiards, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Bar Pool Tables, Delta 13 Racks, AZBilliards, and Tickler Pool Ball Washing Machine. The next stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for March 14-15, will be a $500-added event, hosted by Mickey Milligan’s in New Bern, NC.
Francisco Bustamante (Dave Thomson – Mediumpool.com)
Diamond Derby City Classic XXII, January 24-Feb.2, 2020
Caesars Southern Indiana, Elizabeth, IN
David Thomson
DIAMOND BIG FOOT CHALLENGE
LIVE from the Accu-Stats TV Arena
Format: Race to 11, single elimination, alternate break, all balls count, except the 10 on the break. It’s respotted..
Saturday’s Results
Alex and Shane had the arena in silence. You could hear a ball drop. And, there were lots of them. Neither player got ahead by far, as they capitalized on most opportunities to win their inning, Alex’s position was pin point. Shane’s break and shot making had tied the score at around 9-9.
Then their breaks dried up. Alex was on the hill. His break didn’t respond. Shane took control and got a little funny on the 8 and left a cross-side bank and perfect shape on the 10. The problem was, he missed the bank! a few safeties later, Alex had a long, almost straight, 10 into the corner. Calm and focused, he let his cue run free. “Oh yeah,” he exclaimed.
Alex awaited either Filler or Vann Corteza. You can guess who his choice was.
Filler and Corteza was another neck-and-neck match that could have gone either way–until Lee Vann was behind 7-6.
A crazy Corteza miss sent balls squirming, and the 10 into the hole. His luck wasn’t done yet. Kicking at a Filler snooker, the 6 kissed the 10 into the side. Within minutes, he was ahead 8-7.
Then, it was Filler’s time to get a little luck. On his break, whitey was speeding towards scratching. Within inches of doom, the 8 caromed off of it into pocket. Filler held his serve. They both held their nerve until, at 10-9, Corteza had a decision to make. He had no pocket for the 3, which was about 8 feet away, nestled near a cluster by the 10.
You could hear his mind’s wheels grinding, “Should I stay or should I go?” Caramba, luck won’t fail me now! The 10 slammed into the back of the pocket! He was in the semi’s. Josh was in shock.
Morra’s calm may have had a hypnotic effect on Shaw. Seemingly subdued from his usually aggressive, “go get ‘em” approach, he trailed 3-7 before John lost a little focus. Plus, this game of millimeters, began to curse him.
Shaw, took a time out. “I left the arena, cleared my head, and returned with the attitude of starting all over again.”
He won the next 4 games. Morra was being punished for his lapse. Luck favors the brave. Jayson, did slop in a ball yet, he had truly found his firepower while John had lost just enough of his finesse. He garnered only one more game.
Shaw, comfortably, closed out the match 11-8.
On a note of honorable mention, the normally emotionless Morra never lost his sense of humor.
Understandably, the DCC audience is really spoiled. They expect excellence. Shaw pulled a 3 rail, table-length long draw shot to land in perfect position. There was not a whisper or applause. “You didn’t like that,” Jayson joked aloud?
“Tough room.” commented Morra, smiling from his seat.
The consequences of loss, perhaps, had Corey and Django off to a cautious start. It seems, when we compound caution with misses, it hurts our confidence. “When I saw Corey missing, too, it helped my confidence,” considered Bustamante. “I thought, he must be nervous, too.”
Bustey strode ahead and led the throughout the match. Corey, still smooth stroking, was playing catch-up. Even when down 5-10, Corey made a valiant effort at a comeback but, to no avail.
He later admitted that earlier in the match, “One ball. That swing cost me six racks.” That’s the nature of our sport when competing with the best.
451 began. At last accounting, there were about 30.
7 are unbeaten: Brumback, Bustey, Filler, Evan Lunda, Orcollo, Pagulayan, and Thorpe
Efren is gone. Fresh from finding out that he will receive the honorable Philippine Sportswriters Association Lifetime Achievement Award, always humble, he stumbled into his first defeat: Beaten 3-2 by local hero James Flood.
As a Kentucky native, you know James can bank. ”I’ve been waiting my whole life to get a shot at Efren.” Worth the wait, we’re sure. Not everyone can say they sent Efren Reyes to the buy-back booth.
Next round, still reeling, Efren had a close encounter with Ryan Hollingsworth. In the deciding game, Ryan needed 2 balls, Reyes required 1. He made a respectable effort at a 4 railer. Then, when he got a shot at a short rail bank–Nothing but net.
Reyes let out a real rebel yell when that winning ball dropped. At 65, his passion is alive and well.
The yell was short lived. Next on his hit list was not quite unknown Nederlander Tim DeRuyter. Talk about unsuspecting, his wiki page doesn’t even mention 1-Pocket.
His dream, much like James Flood’s, was to get a shot at the Master. “I have waited my whole life to play Efren. When I heard he’d retired, I thought I’d missed my chance.”
Efren, shrugging it all off, was last seen in search of his One-Pocket opponent.
Remember Chris Melling being talked into buying back after his despondence after his first round loss to 2004 Bank Pool Champion Jason Miller?
It was Tony Chohan who, finally, handed Melling his marching papers…in the 7th round! Wait ’til he sees those All-Around bonus points.
Jayson Shaw takes no prisoners. Whom did he eliminate? Skyler Woodward.
Mika, too, as he delivered Shane his first loss.
Lastly, it’s Larry Nevel who deserves serious credit. From his wheelchair, he battered Bergman to earn a berth with last year’s Bank Champion, the currently undefeated Billy Thorpe.
DIAMOND ONE POCKET CHAMPIONSHIP
365 entries, up 20 from last year!
Alex, confidently refreshed by his 10-Ball bout with Van Boening, he ran into Josh Roberts in the opening round of the One Pocket. Josh was not happy at the buy back booth. “I didn’t have a chance. Alex played perfect. He even broke and ran 8-and-out in the last rack!”
There’s more where that came from. Check in tomorrow.
Accu-Stats thanks its Arena Sponsors: Diamond Billiards, Simonis Cloth, Cyclop Balls, Cuetec Cues, Cue and Case, MEZZ Cues, McDermott Cues, National Billiard Academy.
It was a weekend of pool sprints and marathons; two race-to-three, single elimination tournaments, one race-to-four Second Chance tournament and a main, $3,500-added, 10-ball event that drew the largest crowd. It was the 6th Annual Richard Sweet Memorial Tournament, held, on the weekend of June 25-28, under the auspices of the Tiger Southeast Open 9-Ball Tour. The event, hosted by the Sweet family's Mr. Cues II in Atlanta, GA, drew 225 competitors to the four events; 59 signed on to Friday night's 9-Ball Tournament, 46 were in attendance at Thursday night's 8-ball event, 47 checked in to the 'last hurrah 'second chance tournament on Sunday, while 73 went at it in the marquee 10-ball competition.
Richie Richeson, a 22-year-plus veteran of the sport, who, in 1993, shared 17th place at the US Open 9-Ball Championships with the likes of Allen Hopkins and Mike Massey, claimed the 10-ball title. Richeson survived a double elimination finals matchup against Evan Lunda, who'd come from deep on the loss side to challenge him and win the opening set of the finals.
Advancing to a winners' side semifinal, Richeson faced Cliff Joyner, who also finished in that tie for 17th place at the US Open in 1993. Jason Stemen, in the meantime, squared off against Todd Noble. Richeson sent Joyner to the west bracket 7-3, as Stemen was busy surviving a double hill battle over Noble. Richeson claimed the hot heat 7-5 over Stemen and waited on Lunda.
On the loss side, Joyner ran into George Spires, recent 7-5 winner over both Horace Godwin and Brandon Davenport. It was Noble who picked up Lunda, 7-4 winner over both Ellis Brown and Kim Heath. Joyner gave up only a single rack to Spires, as Lunda gave up three to Noble.
Lunda eliminated Joyner 7-2 in the quarterfinals, and then spoiled Stemen's shot at a re-match against Richeson by defeating him in the semifinals 7-3. Lunda took the opening set of the double elimination finals in a hard-fought double hill battle, but Richeson pulled ahead in the second set to claim the title 7-4.
In the Thursday night, race-to-three, 8-ball, single elimination event, Tim Orange downed Mike Clay 3-2 in the finals to claim the $500 first prize. Clay took home the only other ($250) prize available. On Friday night, Tim Heath downed Mike Davis 3-1 in the finals of the single-elimination, race-to-three 9-ball event. Like Orange and Clay, Heath and Davis claimed the $500 and $250 prizes at stake.
The weekend concluded with a double-elimination, race-to-four 9-ball event that saw Randy Jordan go undefeated through the field of 47 entrants. Jordan claimed the hot seat over Mike Clay and waited for him to come back. On the loss side, Tim Heath eliminated Ryan Hollingsworth 4-2 in the quarterfinals, only to be shut out by Clay in the semifinals. Jordan completed his undefeated run 4-2 over Clay to claim the Second Chance title.
Tour director, Tommy Kennedy, last year's runner-up (to Shawn Putnam) and 9th-place finisher in that 1993 US Open thanked the Sweet family – Ricky, Susan and Mandy – and their staff at Mr. Cues II, as well as title sponsor Tiger Products, J. Pechauer Custom Cues, Simonis, Mueller Recreational Products, Viking Cues, Cue Stix International, Nick Varner Cues, Aramis, Chris Nitti Cues, Andy Gilbert Custom Cues and Paul Frankel with Professor Cue Ball magazine.
Shannon Daulton, Scotty Ward, Daniel Autrey and owner Marty Opyd
Scotty Ward's undefeated, first win on the Great Southern Billiard Tour was almost overshadowed by a 15-year-old competitor named Hunter White, who lost his opening match and won 10 in a row on the losers' side before finishing third. The $1,000-added event drew 70 entrants to Legends Billiards in Inman, SC on the weekend of February 28-March 1.
Ward moved among the winners' side final four and squared off against Matt Bulfin, while Daniel Autrey and Gary Cairnes met up in the other winners' side semifinal. Ward defeated Bulfin 8-4, and in the hot seat match, met up with Autrey, who'd sent Cairnes to the loss side 5-4 (Cairnes racing to 7). Ward and Autrey would end up playing twice; first, in the battle for the hot seat, won by Ward 8-4.
On the loss side, co-owner April Bradley, playing as a "3," was busy becoming the highest female finisher in the event, getting as far as the tie for 17th place; no small feat for a "3" in a field of 70 players. The youngster White, in the midst of his own "no small feat," chalked up loss-side wins number six and seven against David Lowery (6-1) and Ryan Hollingsworth (6-6, Hollingsworth racing to 9) and drew Bulfin. Cairnes picked up Josh Newman, who'd eliminated Brad Stone 9-3 and shut out Zach Baker to reach him.
Four of the last five matches in the event went double hill. Newman moved into the quarterfinals with a 9-2 victory over Cairnes, while White played the first of his own three straight double hill matches; the first, defeating Bulfin. White then picked up his last victory, defeating Newman in the quarterfinals, double hill.
Autrey ended White's nine-match, loss-side winning streak with a double hill win in the semifinals. Ward then completed his undefeated run and first GSBT win with a double hill second victory over Autrey in the finals.
Tour director Shannon Daulton thanked co-owners Marty Opyd and April Bradley for their hospitality.
It was two Double-A battles between B.J. Ussery and Sam Monday on the Great Southern Billiard Tour’s August 13-14 stop in Raleigh, NC, and it was two victories for Ussery, as he completed an undefeated weekend. The $1,500-added event drew 58 entrants to Brown’s Billiards in Raleigh.
Ussery got into the hot seat match with a commanding 7-1 victory over Mike Fuller, as Monday was sending Norris Brady to the west bracket 11-6. In their first of two, battling for the hot seat, Ussery and Monday fought back and forth to double hill before Ussery prevailed, and waited in the hot seat for the re-match.
Fuller and Crawford got their re-match in the quarterfinals, after Fuller had downed Cook 11-4 and Crawford had squeaked by Brady 9-8. Crawford wreaked his vengeance on Fuller with a second squeaker, a 9-10 victory (Fuller going to 11). Crawford’s four-match winning streak came to an end in the semifinals, at the hands of Monday who, after an 11-8 victory, went on to his own re-match against Ussery.
In a straight-up race to 11, Ussery took the opening set of the true double elimination final against Monday 11-8 to complete his undefeated weekend. It was Ussery’s first win on the GSBT in his second 2011 appearance (he’d finished second in March at Speak Eazy Billiards in Sanford, NC). This most recent victory marked the 10th time since January that Ussery has finished either first or second on either the GSBT or the Jacoby Custom Cue Carolina Tour.
Though not included in site payouts registering dollar amounts, Chris Vollmar, Larry Faulk, Ronny Park, and Ray Floyd received free entries for their 9th place finish. Tour director Shannon Daulton thanked David Huffman and his staff at Brown’s Billiards, as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products, and Delta-13 Racks.
