(l to r): Warren Kiamco, TD Raymond Walters & Ruslan Chinakhov
Atwell goes undefeated to reclaim Ladies title she won in 2016
Most players will spend a few hours, sometimes quite a few, practicing at their local pool room before venturing out to compete in a major tournament. Russia’s Ruslan Chinakhov spent two days on the West Coast in what’s been described as a “grueling” one-on-one 10-ball challenge (which he won) against Oscar Dominguez, before showing up 3,000 or so miles away, three days later, to compete in the 2018 VA State 10-Ball Championships, held under the auspices of the Action Pool Tour on the weekend of February 10-11. Chinakhov went undefeated through the field of 64 entrants in the Open portion of the Championships, which were hosted by Diamond Billiards in Midlothian, VA. A concurrently-run Ladies tournament was won by Janet Atwell, who went undefeated through a field of 16 entrants to reclaim the title she’d last won in 2016.
Chinakhov faced separate opponents in the hot seat and finals of this event. He met the Action Pool Tour’s top-ranked player, Reymart Lim in the hot seat match, and in the finals, Warren Kiamco, whom he’d defeated earlier in a winners’ side quarterfinal. Following victories over Joseph Sellechia, Steve Fleming and Donnie Haynes, Chinakhov downed Kiamco 8-5 and moved on to a winners’ side semifinal against John Newton. Lim, in the meantime, who’d won the APT’s season opener, downed Matty Arcuri, Chris Pyle, David Stanley, and Mike Davis to draw Kirill Rutman in the other winners’ side semifinal.
Rutman battled Lim to double hill, but it was Lim who advanced to the hot seat match. Chinakhov joined him after sending Newton to the loss side 8-1. Chinakhov claimed the hot seat with an 8-3 win over Lim and waited on the return of Kiamco.
Though this year’s VA State 10-Ball Championships did not include last year’s winner, Dennis Orcollo, it did feature last year’s runner-up (Shaun Wilkie), third place (Larry Kressel), fourth place (Lim), and both 5th place finishers (Newton and Davis). Newton, coming over from the winners’ side semifinal this year drew Davis, who’d survived a double hill battle against Chris Bruner and defeated Kenny Miller 8-1 to reach him. Rutman picked up Kiamco, who, following his defeat at the hands of Chinakhov, stopped Shaun Wilkie’s four-match, loss-side winning streak 8-4, and then eliminated this event’s 2016 champion, Eric Moore 8-1.
Kiamco advanced to the quarterfinals 8-2 over Rutman, while Davis was downing Newton 8-2 to join him. Kiamco sent Davis home 8-4 in those quarterfinals; one spot higher than he’d reached last year. Kiamco then downed Lim 8-6 in the semifinals, sending him home one spot higher than he’d finished last year.
Chinakhov completed his undefeated run with a commanding 10-3 victory over Kiamco in the finals.
Atwell returns to chalk up her third VA State 10-Ball Ladies Championships
[photo id=48695|align=right]For two years in a row – 2015/2016 – Janet Atwell and Jacki Duggan were winner and runner-up, respectively, in the Ladies edition of the VA State 10-Ball Championships. Atwell did not compete in 2017, although Duggan did, finishing in the tie for 7th place. Duggan was on hand this year, as well, although she would be shut out by Atwell in the second round, and for the second year in a row, end up in the tie for 7th place. Last year’s champion, Meredith Lynch, showed up to defend her title and finished fourth, just behind Lisa Cossette, who would win three on the loss side before falling to the undefeated Atwell in the finals.
Atwell’s path to the winners’ circle proved a little shaky at the outset, as she survived an opening round, double hill match against Falon Newton. Atwell went on to shut out Duggan and then, faced Lynch in a winners’ side semfinal. Nicole King, in the meantime, got by Sierra Reams, and Soo Emmett to face Cossette in the other winners’ side semifinal.
Atwell sent last year’s winner to the loss side 6-1, and was joined in the hot seat match by King, who’d defeated Cossette 6-4. Atwell claimed the hot seat 6-2 over King and waited on Cossette’s return.
On the loss side, Cossette picked up Duggan, who’d defeated Judie Wilson and Bethany Sykes, both 6-3, to reach her. Lynch drew Buffy Jolie, who’d shut out two straight opponents – Eugenia Gyftopoulos and Falon Newton – to reach her.
The two battles for the right to advance to the quarterfinals went double hill; Cossette downing Duggan, and Lynch eliminating Jolie. So did the quarterfinals, with Cossette eventually moving on to face King. Cossette, who was likely a little tired of the double hill route, gave up only a single rack to King in the semifinals and turned to face Atwell in the finals. Atwell gave up only two to Cossette in the finals to claim her third VA State 10-Ball Ladies Championship.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Diamond BIlliards, as well as sponsors Kamui, Tiger Products, Predator, Viking Cues, Diamond Billiard Products, Aramith, SImonis, Ozone Billiards and George Hammerbacher. The next stop on the Action Pool Tour, scheduled for March 17-18 will be a Bar Box Bash, hosted by Peninsula Billiards in Newport News, VA.
(l to r): Reymart Lim, Raymond Walters, Zoren James Aranas
In his first-ever appearance on the Action Pool Tour (APT), Zoren James Aranas from the Philippines went undefeated through a strong field of 48 entrants, beginning what proved to be a six-match march to the winners' circle with an opening round shutout, and finishing with victories over the APT's top-ranked player, Shaun Wilkie in the hot seat match, and Reymart Lim in the finals. The Aug. 5-6 event, Stop # 8 on the APT, was hosted by Q Master Billiards in Virginia Beach, VA.
In a concurrently-run Ladies event that drew 10 entrants, USA Atlantic Cup Challenge team member Sierra Reams avenged an opening round loss to Gwen Townsend to defeat her in the finals and capture the Ladies' title. Reams also competed in the Open event.
In the Open event, after shutting out Leo Taborn, Aranas defeated Chad Pike and Greg Sabins, both 9-2, to arrive at a winners' side semifinal with an aggregate score of 27-4. Aranas faced Bill Duggan. Wilkie, in the meantime, who'd played an extra preliminary round, had defeated Roy Taylor, Jim Bilderback, Nilbert Lim and Dwight Cherry to arrive at his winners' side semifinal with an aggregate score of 36-13, and faced Reymart Lim. Aranas sent Duggan to the loss side 9-4, and faced Wilkie, who'd sent Lim over 9-7. Aranas claimed the hot seat 9-6 over Wilkie and waited on what turned out to be Reymart Lim's return.
Lim moved over to pick up RJ Carmona, who'd been defeated by Duggan in a winners' side quarterfinal, and then, on the loss side, defeated Scott Haas 7-4 and survived a double hill match against Eric Moore to reach him. Duggan, in the meantime, picked up Dwight Cherry, who'd navigated his way through two straight double hill matches, against Dave Hunt and Brian Dietzenbach.
Carmona ended up on the wrong end of his second straight double hill fight, which advanced Lim to the quarterfinals against Duggan, who'd eliminated Cherry 7-4. Lim, picking up speed, downed Duggan in the quarterfinals 7-3, and then allowed Wilkie just a single rack in the semifinals. In a single race to 11, Aranas stopped Lim's run 11-7 to claim his first APT title.
In the Ladies event, Gwen Townsend's defeat of the eventual winner, Sierra Reams, 6-1 in the opening round, set her (Townsend) up for a winners' side semifinal against Barbara Yeager. Daisy Lim, who'd defeated Jackie Duggan 6-3 in her opening round, faced Soo Emmitt in the other winners' side semifinal.
Townsend shut Yeager out and in the hot seat match faced Lim, who'd defeated Emmitt 6-3. Townsend claimed the hot seat 6-4 over Lim, and waited on Reams.
On the loss side, Reams got by Melissa Mason and Jen Giampa, both 6-2 to draw Emmitt. Yeager drew Duggan, who'd picked up an opening round, loss-side bye and defeated Kitty Nguyen 6-2. Reams and Yeager advanced to the quarterfinals; Reams 6-1 over Emmitt, and Yeager 6-4 over Duggan. Reams survived a double hill quarterfinal against Yeager, and then, in the semifinals, defeated Daisy Lim 6-2. Reams completed her run, avenging her opening round loss, with an 8-6 win over Townsend in the finals.
A 13-entrant, Second Chance Tournament saw Nilbert Lim go undefeated through the field, downing Kenny Daughtrey in the hot seat match 4-2 and Scott Haas in the finals 6-3.
With a more than clear and impressive overall score of 11:2, Team EUROPE won the 2017 version of the Atlantic Challenge Cup.
After the disastrous day yesterday, Team USA started out better today. The first two matches were mixed doubles. Leading 7:1, Europe had a big advantage and could enter the arena more relaxed than the US team. The first scotch double was played between Maksim Dudanets and Kristina Tkach versus Ricky Evans and April Larson. Though the US players contended much better than yesterday, they still made mistakes in their pocketing and – even worse – in their shot selection. Instead of going for a good safety shot, they went for the rail shots and most of the time missed them. Still, the first match was quite close and the Europeans were able to win it in the end with 6:4. The second scotch double was even closer. Patrick Hofmann and Diana Khodjaeva went hill-hill against Shane Wolford and Sierra Reams. Rack 11 was the decider in that match. Sierra Reams broke the rack and came up with an illegal break. Both teams exchanged safety shots and none of the players was willing to take any risk while at the table. The safety shots from the European team were better in the end and Shane Wolford had no other chance but trying to hit the 2-ball without committing a foul. He succeeded in doing so but left a shot for Khodjaeva who pocketed the 2-ball and paved the way for herself and Patrick Hofmann to win the rack and the match with 6:5. That took team Europe to 9:1 over team USA. The following individual match between Wiktor Zielinski and Manny Perez also turned out to become a heartbreaker. At 5:5, Zielinski missed the 6-ball with only the 8-ball and the 9-ball on the table. The following safety exchange was won by Perez who consequently took that rack to take team USA to 2 points in the overall score.
The evening session started with another individual. Daniel Maciol was up against Nathan Childress, the youngest player of the US team. That match became a clear affair for Maciol with 6:2, mainly because childress took the wrong shots and his nerves played a trick on him when he tried to pocket difficult or deciding balls. With that victory, team Europe was on the hill with11:2 over the US Americans. One more point needed for the Cup. That point was earned in the scotch doubles between Wiktor Zielinski and Diana Khodjaeva and Manny Perez and April Larson. Though Perez and Larson were probably the strongest of all US team players, they did not have chance against the Europeans today. 6:3 was the clear result that brought the Atlantic Challenge Cup to team Europe when the youngest team member Wiktor Zielinski pocketed the decisive 9-ball.
„Our team came here with a lot of experience already,“ stated European captain Albin Ouschan, „the team is really strong. They have won many titles at European Championships so far and I knew I had a great team.“ „The fact that most of these youngsters regularly play the Euro-Tour where they compete with the top players of the game makes these kids even stronger and better“. „The take the right decisions in the respective moments. That is what is missing with the US team. We were much more experienced than them“, added Ouschan. Said US captain Johnny Archer „Europe definitely has the better team. That’s for sure, from top to bottom!“, Archer mentioned. „Although the score this year was one less than last year I think that this team we have something to built on. I was impressed with our team,“ Archer continued, „there’s still work to be done but I see things to be built on from this. I know we’re going to lose some players since they will be too old next year but there are players ready to come on.“ „One reason for this huge loss was we had a horrible day yesterday. 0:5 was just a dagger in the heart“, Archer explained. „Today we played better in the mixed doubles and we lost quite close. This shows that Europe does not give many opportunities away. When you do get them, you have to get advantage!“
Results Day 3
Dudanets/Tkach v Evans/Larson 6:4
Hofmann/Khodjaeva v Wolford/Reams 6:5
Zielinski v Perez 5:6
Maciol v Childress 6:2
Zielinski/Khodjaeva v Perez/Larson 6:3
Team Europe
Kristina Tkach
Diana Khodjaeva
Maksim Dudanets
Patrick Hofmann (MVP)
Wiktor Zielinski
Daniel Maciol
Captain Albin Ouschan
Captain Tomas Brikmanis
Team USA
April Larson
Sierra Reams
Shane Wolford
Nathan Childress
Manny Perez (MVP)
Ricky Evans
Captain Johnny Archer
Captain Earl Munson
That concludes the coverage from this year’s Atlantic Challenge Cup in Klagenfurt, Austria. The complete event was streamed for free on www.kozoom.com. Additionally, all matches will be shown LIVE on the EPBF Facebook page.
Team Europe giving high five to their captain Albin Ouschan
Today Team EUROPE shocked their opponents from the United States. Starting into the day with a 2:1 lead, the score board now displays a score of 7:1 for Europe after 5 matches from today. A total disaster for the US contingency.
The day started with two scotch doubles. The boys opened up the fight at 15:00 CET. Europe was represented by the two Polish lads Wiktor Zielinski and Daniel Maciol while USA entered the arena with Nathan Childress and Manny Perez. The first four racks of that match were quite exciting since Team USA took a 1:0 and 2:1 lead. But Europe tied the match at 2:2 and turned the double into a one sided affair. Quick play and insecure safety shots determined the US game while the Europeans kept calm and played up to their ability. Zielinski and Maciol took four consecutive racks and won the match with 6:2 over Perez and Childress. That turned the overall score to 3:1 for Europe.
The next match was the girl’s scotch double between Kristina Tkach and Kamila Khodjaeva for Europe and April Larson sided by Sierra Reams for the USA. Like in the match before, the encounter was exciting in the early stage. Europe was clearly ahead after three racks with a 3:0 lead. The the US girls got momentum and won the next two racks to turn the scoreboard to 3:2. In rack six, Sierra Reams was at the table and the layout was quite ok. She lined up her shot on the 4-ball but fouled by touching the 8-ball with her shirt. Khodjaeva and Tkach took the chance and ripped the rack off the US girls for a 4:2 lead. In rack seven, USA again had the chance to clear the table but Reams went for a safety attempt instead pocketing the 5-ball. She failed and left a makable shot for Khodjaeva who pocketed the 5-ball and left a nice combination shot for her teammate Tkach. The Russian legally pocketed the 9-ball with a combo and Europe was on the hill with a nice 5:2 lead. The increased the pressure on the US girls. However, they stood the heat and won the next rack to get to 5:3. Rack nine saw the European Khodjaeva breaking the balls. The balls were pocketed and Tkach missed a makable 6-ball. Then, Larson pocketed the 6-ball and lined up a nice shot on the 7-ball for Reams who made the 7-ball. Now only the 9-ball was on the table. April Larson missed an easy shot on the 9-ball. That was a drama for the US girls who provided a good fight to the Europeans. Khodjaeva played a safety and place the cue ball close to the head rail with the 9-ball at the foot rail. Reams went for the bank shot and missed it. Tkach finished the rack and the match to win with 6:3. That brought team Europe a 4:1 lead and finished the afternoon session.
The evening began with an individual match between Ricky Evans for the USA and Maksim Dudanets for Europe. That match turned out a catastrophe for Evans. The young American missed three 9-balls in that match and fully deserved lost with 6:1 to Dudanets who played as solid as a rock. The score was now 5:1 for Europe.
The next match saw Germany’s Patrick Hofmann duel with Shane Wolford. Just like in the afternoon matches, the early stage of the match was quite open but after an intermediate score of 2:2, Wolford could not get momentum and get into his game. Hofmann to the contrary got into the flow and pocketed all possible shots, winning the match with 6:2. That was Europe’s 6:1.
The final match of the day way the encounter between Russia’s Kristina Tkach and her US friend April Larson. This time, Larson looked like the clear winner in the beginning. She dominated the match in the first part and took a 4:1 lead over Tkach. Then the Russian girl pulled back rack after rack from Larson who seemed to lose her focus. Tkach even went on the hill and could have finished the match but she missed and easy 9-ball. Whether it was negligence or nerves that caused this huge mistake can only be guessed here. However, Larson tied the match at 5:5 with her own break shot coming up. She had the 1-ball down and could see but not pocket the 2-ball. However, it was an illegal break and Tkach came to the table. Tkach went for the 2-ball but missed it, leaving a shot for Larson. But April Larson missed it as well. Both players struggled a bit but Larson made the deciding mistake. She hooked herself behind the 8-ball when trying to play position for the 5-ball. She went rail first and kicked into the 5-ball but left a shot for Tkach. This time, Kristina Tkach kept her focus and cleared the table, pocketing the remains 4 balls and winning the match 6:5 over Larson. That completed the disaster for the US team today since Europe took all five matches away from them to extend their lead to 7:1.
Another impressive news are the numbers of viewers on Facebook Live for this event. So far, the organisers have reached over 780.000 people to get their attention in one way or another. Matches were watched, Fotos shared and emotions were told by many pool fans from all over the World.
The Atlantic Challenge Cup continues tomorrow at 14:00 CET with the next session featuring scotch doubles in the boys and girls. Europe only needs four more points to defend their title and keep the cup in Europe.
The complete event will be streamed for free on www.kozoom.com. Additionally, all matches will be shown LIVE on the EPBF Facebook page.
Today the 2017 Atlantic Challenge Cup started at 19:30 in the Sports Stadium in Klagenfurt, Austria.
The first match was a line up with all six players of each team playing against one another. Team EUROPE had the far better start. After seven racks, the European were ahead 5:2, only needing one more rack for the victory and the first point in the event. But the US team stayed in there and fought their way back into the match. The tide turned in rack eight when Manny Perez (USA) ran out on Daniel Maciol (POL). That gave some momentum for Team USA. They also won the following two racks and managed to tie that first match at 5:5. The decider was played between Shane Wolford (USA) and Wiktor Zielinski (POL). There, Zielinski broke end had the 1-ball down but he did not really have a shot at the 2-ball. He came up with a poor safety and allowed Wolford back into the table with a makable 2-ball. The US player pocketed the 2-ball and played perfect position for the next ball. With an open table in front of him, Wolford achieved the impossible and completed an amazing comeback for team USA to open their account at the ACC, taking a 1:0 lead over team Europe.
The next match was a triple match. Europe lined up Daniel Maciol (POL), Wiktor Zielinski (POL) and Diana Khodjaeva (BEL) against US players Shane Wolford, Nathan Childress and April Larson. Again, the Europeans got the better start and had a nice and comfortable 3:1 lead after 4 racks. It was again Wiktor Zielinski, the youngest gun on team Europe, who committed a mistake by playing a poor safety and allowing his opponent Nate Childress to rip the match from him, turning the score to 3:2 for Europe still. After that, April Larson tied the match for the USA to display 3:3. Would the European again receive a defeat after a comfortable lead like in the first match? This time, the European juniors were definitely against this scenario. They got their minds together and focussed on the match, winning three racks in a row when Diana Khodjaeva took the match with 6:3 and tied the overall score between Europe and USA at 1:1 for the day.
The third match of the day was also a triple. Europe was represented by Maksim Dudanets (RUS), Patrick Hofmann (GER) and Kristina Tkach (RUS). Their opponents from the USA were Ricky Evans, Manny Perez and Sierra Reams. This time, the US team took an early 2:0 lead over the Europeans. But team Europe was on fire! They took the next five racks in a row to get on the hill with an impressive 5:2 advantage. Rack eight was opened by German Patrick Hofmann. He opened the match with the 1-ball down but no shot on the 2-ball. Hofmann decided to go for a safety shot. Perez went for a re-safe but left an open shot for his European opponent. However, Hofmann was not able to capitalise from it and missed the 2-ball. Perez used his chance and ran the table to make the score 5:3 against the US team. The next rack was played between Sierra Reams and Kristina Tkach. They both engaged in a safety battle in the early stage of the rack. Tkach turned out to win this encounter but hooked herself with the cue ball behind the 5-ball when the 4-ball was the ball on. Reams got to the table with five balls left and had a clear and open table in front of her. However, she already played a poor position for the 5-ball. She was still able to pocket it but the position for the 6-ball turned out even worse. Consequently, Reams missed the 6-ball and allowed Tkach to the table with three easy shots in front of her. The Russian young lady did not let that chance slip away and ran the table, winning the rack and the match with 6:3 for team Europe. This brought the overall 2:1 lead for the day to team Europe.
The Atlantic Challenge Cup continues tomorrow at 14:00 CET with the next session featuring scotch doubles in the boys and girls.
The complete event will be streamed for free on www.kozoom.com. Additionally, all matches will be shown LIVE on the EPBF Facebook page.
The European Pocket Billiard Federation today announced its team’s captain to face the Americans during this year’s staging of the Atlantic Challenge Cup taking place July 5 – 8, 2017 in Klagenfurt, Austria.
“We are thrilled to appoint Albin Ouschan to lead Team EUROPE as its Captain for the 2017 Atlantic Challenge Cup,” said EPBF President Gre Leenders. Albin is playing so well at the moment and it will be great to have someone with his experience on board. I must say, a lot of credit has to go to Albin for taking this on, he is also preparing for the World games in Poland later that month so a big hand has to go to him for giving his time for these young stars” Leenders continued.
Albin had this to say on his appointment. “I am very honored to get picked as captain for team Europe at this year’s Atlantic Challenge Cup but I also know from the Mosconi cup, just how much work is involved. I’ll try my best to have the team prepared, I know they’re all talented and some of them I have even played against already so I know what they’re capable of doing. I will do some research on last year’s matches and see where maybe the problems are, my part will be motivating this squad and try to take the pressure off them in sticky situations”
Current world 9-ball champion Albin Ouschan will team up with the EPBF youth sports director Tomas Brikmanis who will add the valuable experience of captaining team Europe to last year’s victory in Chicago. Tomas said, “I am sure that Albin’s experience that he can pass on to these youngsters will be invaluable, after all, it is not every day that you can get advice from the current world 9-ball champion, is it? I am very happy to be a part of this team again and look forward to helping Albin with the task of retaining that trophy”.
Launched in 2015, the Atlantic Challenge Cup features the best youth players from Europe and America in a Mosconi Cup style event. Six players on each team, four boys and two girls, battle it out on an annual basis to see who has bragging rights across the Atlantic. The event is the result of a joint venture between the Billiard Congress of America and the European Pocket Billiard Federation.
It was, in a way, the final that might have happened at the 2017 VA State 10-Ball Championships in February, had it not been for Dennis Orcollo. At that event, the second stop on the 2017 Action Pool Tour (APT), Orcollo was sent to the loss side by Shaun Wilkie in a winners' side semifinal, and immediately picked up Mike Davis, who was in the middle of a six-match, loss-side winning streak. Orcollo shut Davis out, advanced to the finals and claimed the title with a victory over Wilkie.
On the weekend of April 15-16, at the fourth stop on the APT, Wilkie and Davis got the chance they never had to face each other in the earlier tournament. They met twice in this one; once in the hot seat and again, in the finals. Davis took the first one, but Wilkie came back to chalk up a 'deuces wild' victory in the finals. Wilkie claimed his second match against Davis (who was playing in his second APT event of the year), and, following his victory on the tour's second stop, picked up his second APT title of the year. The event drew 70 entrants to Breakers Sky Lounge in Herndon, VA.
In a concurrently-run Ladies event, which drew a short field of 11 entrants, Nicole King and Tina Malm played twice as well, each looking for their second title on the APT Tour. Malm had taken the season opener in February, and King claimed Stop #3 last month. Like Davis in the Open, Malm claimed the hot seat, but like Wilkie, King came back from the semifinals to defeat Malm in the finals and claim the title. It was the second time in a row on this young APT season that Wilkie and King had won the Open and Ladies titles.
Wilkie got off to a flying start in the Open. After an opening round bye, he played four matches to get into a winners' side semifinal match against Larry Kressel (runner-up to Chris Byers in the Amateur event of the Super Billiards Expo earlier in the month). He'd given up only five racks total in those opening four matches, which included a shutout over Jenny Acot, a single rack each to Steve Ball and Aldrin Manreal, and three against Greg Sabins in a winners' side quarterfinal. Davis, too, opened with a shutout (over Jon Crider) and gave up only six racks in his four-match run to a winners' side semifinal against Alex Parker. Davis gave up three to Jamey Mellott, two to Justin Powers and (obviously picking up some speed) one to Chris Funk.
Wilkie sent Kressel to the loss side 7-3, as Davis was sending Parker over 7-1. In what proved to be their only double hill match, individually or together, Davis claimed the hot seat, and waited for Wilkie to get back.
On the loss side, Kressel drew Matt Krah, who, following a defeat at the hands of Parker, downed Jamey Mellott 6-3, and Jimmy Varia 6-4. Parker picked up Brian Dietzenbach, who'd lost to Kressel, and then defeated Tom Zippler 6-3, before surviving a double hill battle versus Greg Sabins. Kressel eliminated Krah 6-2, and in the quarterfinals, met up with Dietzenbach, who'd ended Parker's weekend 6-4.
Kressel appeared to be a man on a mission in those quarterfinals, and shut Dietzenbach out for a crack at Shaun Wilkie in the semifinals. It turned out to be something of a 'mission impossible' as Wilkie allowed Dietzenbach only two racks in those semifinals for his own second shot against Davis in the hot seat. Now, it was Wilkie who was on a mission. Mission accomplished with a 9-3 win over Davis in the finals.
King wins her second Ladies APT event of the year
Nicole King's second straight Ladies APT victory took five matches to claim, two of them in matches against Tina Malm. King opened with a shutout over Giulletta Dahl, and a 5-2 win over Kristin Horgen, before coming up against Judie Wilson in a winners' side semifinal. Malm played only four matches total. An opening round bye was followed by a 5-1 victory over Deeqa Nur, which set Malm up in a winners' side semifinal against Sharita Green.
King downed Wilson 5-3, while Malm was chalking up a shutout over Green. Malm claimed the hot seat 5-3.
On the loss side, Wilson picked up Nur, who, following her defeat at the hands of Malm, had (after an opening round, loss-side bye) Lai Li 4-1. Green drew Sierra Reams, who'd defeated Tina Scott 4-1 and Melissa Mason, double hill, to reach her.
Nur survived a double hill fight against Wilson, and in the quarterfinals met up with Reams, who'd shut out Green. Nur took the quarterfinals 4-2 over Reams, but was shut out by King in the semifinals. King downed Malm 7-2 in the finals, denying Malm her second APT title to claim it for herself.
Only two of the four finalists on-hand for the Open and Ladies' 2016 VA State 10-Ball Championships made it to the 2017 Championships, held on the weekend of February 11-12. In 2016, Janet Atwell and Jacki Duggan chalked up their second straight winner/runner-up (Atwell/Duggan) titles, and though Duggan competed in this year's event, finishing in the tie for 7th place, Atwell didn't play. Eric Moore and Brandon Shuff battled in the 2016 finals, and though Moore competed, finishing in the tie for 13th place, Shuff didn't play this year.
The Open event drew 60 entrants, while the Ladies' event drew 14, both to Diamond Billiards in Midlothian, VA.
Orcollo and the 2015 VA State 10-Ball Champion, Shaun Wilkie, battled twice in this year's event. Wilkie won their first match (one of the winners' side semifinals), and Orcollo won their second, in the finals.
Orcollo's position as the #3-ranked player in the world, may have led some to believe that he'd cut through this field like a hot knife through warm butter, but 'butter' fought back a bit in this event. Through his opening four matches, Orcollo was giving up between three and four racks per match; four each to Max Schlothauer and Jarrod Clowery, and three each to Chris Bruner and Reymart Lim. Orcollo was still a 'hot knife,' but his opponents in this event were doing a good imitation of butter just out of the refrigerator. In the winners' side semifinals, the 'hot knife' ran into some fresh-out-of-the-freezer butter, in the person of Shaun Wilkie, who defeated him 8-4 to get into the hot seat match. Wilkie was joined by Larry Kressel, who'd sent John Newton to the loss side 8-3 in their winners' side semifinal. Wilkie claimed the hot seat 8-4 over Kressel, and waited (the butter approaching room temperature) for the return of the 'hot knife.'
On the loss side, Orcollo picked up Mike Davis, who'd been defeated by Bobby Stovall in the second round and was in the midst of a six-match, loss-side winning streak that would take him just as far as Orcollo. Newton drew Reymart Lim, who'd gotten by Chris Futrell 6-2, and Sean Sporleder 6-4 to reach him.
Orcollo cut through Davis without giving up a single rack, and in the quarterfinals, faced Lim, who'd given up only one rack to Newton. In the quarterfinals and semifinals, Lim and then, Kressel, put up back-to-back, three-racks-against fights, but were eliminated, sending Orcollo back for a re-match against Wilkie.
It wasn't looking good for the 'knife' in the early going of the finals, as Wilkie took a 5-2 lead. Orcollo, though won eight of the next nine games to claim the event title.
Lynch goes undefeated to claim VA State Ladies' 10-Ball title
[photo id=45763|align=right]It took Meredith Lynch just five matches to claim the 2017 VA State Ladies' Championship title. She got into the hot seat with an aggregate score of 24-11. Once by Sierra Reams and Lisa Cossette, she faced Bethany Sykes in a winners' side semifinal, as Cheryl Pritchard squared off against Nicole Fleming. Lynch downed Sykes 6-3, and in the hot seat match, in their first of two, faced Pritchard, who'd sent Fleming west 6-4. Lynch gave up four of the 11 racks she'd given up to gain the hot seat by defeating Pritchard 6-4.
On the loss side, Sykes picked up Tina Malm (winner of the APT's Ladies' season opener in January), who'd been defeated by Cossette in the opening round, and gotten by Sierra Reams 5-3, Melissa Mason 5-2, and last year's runner-up, Jacki Duggan, double hill, to reach her. Fleming drew Daisy Lim, who, like Malm, had lost an opening round match (to Fleming 6-1) and downed Terry Stovall, double hill; Cossette 5-3, and Gwen Townsend, double hill to earn a re-match against Fleming.
Sykes and Fleming advanced to the quarterfinals; Sykes 5-2 over Malm, and Fleming 5-3 over Lim, a second time. Three straight double hill battles marked the end of the Ladies' event. Fleming downed Sykes in the quarterfinals, and then, Pritchard eliminated Fleming in the semifinals. Pritchard put up a double hill fight in her second match against Lynch, but Lynch hung on to win 8-7.
Reams comes from loss side to win short-field Women's event
Eric Moore solidified his hold on the top position in the Action Pool Tour rankings with a come-from-the-loss-side victory at the VA State 8-Ball Championships, held under the auspices of the Action Pool Tour on the weekend of November 12-13. Sierra Reams, after a loss in one of the winners' side semifinals, came back to claim the VA Women's 8-Ball Championship title. The Open event drew 56 entrants to Diamond Billiards in Midlothian, VA. The women drew an extraordinarily short field of six to the same location.
Female competitors living in the vicinity of the Northeast Corridor, extending along a two and half hour section of Route 95 from Midlothian, VA to Elkridge, MD (along with others who may have traveled from other areas), had two choices over the weekend. They could attend the VA State Women's 8-Ball Championships in Midlothian, or the season finale of the J. Pechauer Northeast Women's Tour in Elkridge. Combined, the two events drew 26 women, six of whom opted for the APT event in Midlothian.
Sierra Reams' trek to the victory in the VA State 8-ball event was extended by two matches, when she was defeated, double hill, in a winners' side semifinal by Kim Whitman. Jacki Duggan joined Whitman in the hot seat match, following a 6-4 victory over Terri Stovall. Duggan claimed the hot seat 6-4 over Whitman.
On the loss side, Reams downed Vivian Nguyen 5-1 to advance to the quarterfinals. Bethany Sykes downed Stovall, double hill, to join her. Reams took the quarterfinal match over Sykes 5-2, and then locked up in a double hill fight against Whitman in their semifinals re-match. Reams won it for a shot at Duggan in the finals. Reams defeated Duggan 8-6 to claim the title.
In the Open event, All 10 of the Action Pool Tour's top 10 competitors were on hand to battle for the 8-ball title, all vying (with one event to go) for the top two slots on the season-end ranking list, which will earn those top two players free entry into all three divisions of the 2017 US Bar Table Championships in Las Vegas, and a shared free hotel room during the event. The #1-ranked player, which, with only the one event to go, would appear to be Moore, will earn plane fare to the event, as well.
Moore's primary nemesis in this event proved to be Max Schlothauer, making a rare appearance on the tour; his first this year (he defeated TD Ozzy Reynolds in the finals of an event a few years ago). Moore and Schlothauer came to the first of their two meetings, in the hot seat match, on the heels of two distinctly different paths. Moore faced four opponents before Schlothauer and gave up an average of 3.5 racks to each of them; overall, 28-14. Schlothauer faced just as many and gave up an average of only one rack to each of his opponents; overall, 28-4.
Following victories over Yuta Morooka, Chris Pyle, Chris Bruner, and Danny Mastermaker, Moore squared off against Jamey Mellott in one of the winners' side semifinals. Schlothauer got by Luther Pickeral, Ernie Allen, Alan Duty, and Reggie Jackson to draw Kenny Miller in the other winners' side semifinal. Between them, Moore and Schlothauer gave up only a single rack in the two winner's side semifinals. Moore allowed Mellott one, while Schlothauer advanced to the hot seat match after a shutout over Miller. Moore chalked up as many racks against Schlothauer in the hot seat match, as all five of Schlothauer's previous opponents combined. Schlothauer claimed the hot seat 7-4 and waited on Moore's return.
On the loss side, Mellott picked up Bruner, who, following his loss to Moore on the winners' side, got by Wai Cho Yee, Bobby Stovall, Reggie Jackson and Yuta Morooka. Miller drew Mastermaker, who'd gotten by Duty, double hill, and Rick Glasscock 6-4 (Glasscock had previously eliminated the tour's #3-player, Shaun Wilkie). Mastermaker downed Miller 6-1, advancing to the quarterfinals against Bruner, who'd eliminated Mellott 6-4.
It was Bruner who advanced to meet Moore in the semifinals, following a 6-3 win over Mastermaker in the quarterfinals. Moore ended Bruner's six-match, loss-side streak with a 6-4 win in the semifinals. In a reversal of fortunes, Moore was able to chalk up as many racks against Schlothauer in the finals as had been chalked up against him to that point (8). Schlothauer managed only three in those finals. Moore was able to record his third APT victory on the year, and claim the VA State 8-Ball Championship title, to go along with his previous VA State 10-Ball Championship title that he earned back in February.
CueSports International, Henderson, NV (Aug. 27, 2016) — Rebecca Wagner of Las Vegas had the hometown advantage and made the most of it, earning the Women’s 8-Ball, Women’s 9-Ball and the All-Around Titles at the 2016 US Bar Table Championships at the Westgate Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.
Not bad for a woman who has only played one tournament since having her son, Lincoln, in October.
"The only tourney I played was an AWB stop and I won that," she said.
In fact, Wagner was so unsure about playing the USBTC that she waited until the very last minute to enter. She was at work and asked a co-worker to cover for her so she could go to the bathroom and enter the tournament 18 minutes before entries closed.
"The (USBTC) is in my backyard, so I felt stupid not playing," she said, even though she was not prepared and hadn’t been practicing.
In 2015, Wagner won the Chinook Winds Open 10-Ball tourney, beating world champion Allison Fisher twice in the finals to win. She also posted three first place wins in Arizona Women’s Billiard Tour stops throughout the year. In 2013, Wagner was the USBTC 9-Ball Champion and took second place in the 8-Ball Division.
Wagner, who is sponsored by Tony Hargain, owner of Hustlin USA Clothing Co., used her experience on the table to send opponent after opponent to the loser’s bracket. She beat Heather Cortez in the first round, 4-1, and followed that win up with wins over Bo Bowman, 4-1; Kimberly Whitman, 4-2; Tina Larsen, 4-1; and finally beating Jessica Frideres in the hot seat match, 4-1.
Frideres beat Juliana Goodman, 4-0; Sierra Reams, 4-0; and Melinda Huang, 4-0; in the winner’s bracket before losing to Wagner, 1-4. In the loser’s bracket, Frideres beat Tina Larsen, 4-1, to earn her way back to the final’s arena.
In the true double-elimination tournament format, Frideres had to beat Wagner twice and she knew it, jumping out to capture the first set quickly and decisively, 0-4. But in the second set, Wagner played smart and careful, keeping Frideres from the table and an opening shot as often as possible. The strategy worked and Wagner finished Frideres off in the second set by a score of 4-2.
Wagner said her only regret in the tournament was not playing better in the 10-Ball Division, where she placed second to Frideres.
"I did not capitalize on the opportunities given to me in the 10-Ball," she said.
The $20,000-added 23rd Annual US Bar Table Championship concludes today with the finals of the Men’s 8-Ball Division. Sponsors include: OB Cues, the Official Cue; Kamui, the Official Tip; Diamond Billiard Products, Cyclop Balls, Simonis Cloth, BadBoys Billiard Productions, FargoRate, Magic Ball Rack and Matchroom Sport.
The 2016 US Bar Table Championships are produced by CueSports International, the parent company of the BCAPL and USAPL. CSI also produces independent events, such as the US Open 10-Ball Championship, the US Open 8-Ball Championship and much more. For more information, visit www.playcsipool.com or call 702-719-POOL.
