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Compton goes undefeated to take final 2014 stop on the Midwest 9-Ball Tour

Chip Compton, Mike Durbin-sponsor and Joey Gray

Kent goes undefeated to capture Ladies' title
 
By Evelyn Dysart's calculations, Chip Compton and Joey Gray have, over a number of years, battled in the finals of a Midwest 9-Ball Tour event a minimum of 10 times.
 
"Probably more," she said. "They've been doing it ever since I've been running this tour, and it goes either way. It's not like either one of them has dominated the (series) of matches."
 
They met in the finals again, during the December 13-14 stop on the tour. They battled, first, for the hot seat and then, at the end, with Compton chalking up the win in both. The $1,900-added Open event drew 40 entrants to Jamaica Joe's in Midwest City, OK. A concurrently-run, $600-added Ladies event drew 13, and was won by Wendy Kent, who took two out of three over runner-up Debbi Aldridge.
 
After participating in the Open event and finishing just out of the money in the tie for ninth place, Mike Massey conducted a 30-minute, impromptu trick shot exhibition for participants and spectators. 
 
In the Open event, once Gray had shut out James Walden and Compton had sent Coy Lee Nicholson west 9-7, they met in the battle for the hot seat (which has presumably happened as many times as their meetings in the finals). Compton took that hot seat match 9-4 and waited on Gray's return.
 
Over on the loss side, Walden picked up K.C. Massey, who'd been responsible for eliminating Mike Massey (not related), and Moe Ali 9-8. Nicholson drew Jacob McMichael, fresh off his 9-5 victory over Marlon Isbell.
 
Walden and Nicholson got right back to work; Walden surviving a double hill battle against Massey, Nicholson downing McMichael 9-4. Walden took the quarterfinal match 9-7 over Nicholson before himself being eliminated 9-6 by Gray in the semifinals.
 
Compton and Gray duplicated their hot seat match. Compton chalked up the only set necessary in the finals 9-4 to claim the event title.
 
In the Ladies event, Wendy Kent's run went through Debbi Aldridge three times; once in the hot seat (7-2) and twice, in the double elimination finals. Aldridge moved to the loss side for a semifinal match against Diana Wolfe, who'd just eliminated Jessica Westbrook 7-5. Aldridge got her second shot at Kent with a 7-3 win over Wolfe, and then won the opening set of the finals, double hill. Kent didn't allow the second set to get that close, completing her title run 7-3.
 
The next stop on the Midwest 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for February 19, will be a triple tournament – One Pocket, 9-Ball and Ladies 9-Ball – hosted by Shooter's in Olathe, KS.
 

Gray goes undefeated, Aldridge comes from loss side to win 3rd Annual Summer Heat Classic

Joey Gray, manager Shane Ragland and Shane McMinn

Handicappers might have been a little stressed trying to establish odds as to which of four competitors in the winners' side semifinals of the 3rd Annual Summer Heat 9-Ball Classic was actually going to win the thing. They had Charlie Bryant, Chip Compton, Shane McMinn and Joey Gray to consider. Gray came through in the end, completing an undefeated run through a field of 57, on hand for the $2,200-added event, hosted by Jamaica Joe's in Midwest City, OK.
 
A concurrently-run, $300-added Ladies event drew only eight entrants and was won, from the loss side, by Debi Aldridge, who double dipped Elise Gabriel in the finals. 
 
It was Bryant versus Compton and Gray versus McMinn in the winners' side semifinals. Compton sent Bryant west 9-7, while Gray was busy doing likewise to McMinn 9-5. Gray defeated Compton 9-4 to take command of the hot seat, and waited on what turned out to be the return of McMinn.
 
Bryant and McMinn got right back to work on the loss side. McMinn faced Donny Brown who'd gotten by Billy Dyke 9-7 and survived a double hill struggle against James Walden. Bryant picked up Keith Boon, who had his own double hill fight against Jeremy Hundley and an easier time with Steve Langiano 9-3. Bryant and McMinn advanced to the quarterfinals with identical 9-6 wins over Boon and Brown.
 
The winners' side semifinalists were now the event's final four. McMinn took the first step, defeating Bryant in the quarterfinals 9-7.  He then ended Compton's bid 9-5 in the semifinals and earned his rematch against Gray. Gray, though, completed his undefeated run with a second victory over McMinn, 9-3, to claim the 3rd Annual Summer Heat 9-Ball Classic title.
 
In the ladies' event, it was Elise Gabriel and Wendy Kent who faced each other in the battle for the hot seat. Gabriel won it 7-5 and waited on the eventual winner, Debi Aldridge. Kent moved over and was defeated 7-2 by Aldridge. Aldridge claimed the event title after winning a double hill battle in the finals' opening set, and followed that with a 7-2 victory.