They sound a little like a law firm (Olinger, Little and Gray), and as such, laid down the law on the weekend of August 8-11. Each took one of a trio of tournaments on the Midwest 9-Ball Tour that weekend. Alex Olinger won the $3,500-added 9-Ball Tournament. Melissa Little took the $500-added Ladies event and Joey Gray captured the $1,000-added One Pocket title. The One-Pocket event, which started the weekend on Thursday, drew 58 entrants. The 9-Ball tournament drew 139, while the Ladies 9-Ball tournament drew 28; all to Shooters in Olathe, KS.

 

Woodward comes from the loss side to challenge Gray in One Pocket

 

Joey Gray, who captured the One-Pocket title, gave up only three games in the entire tournament, and none at all over his last three matches. He was challenged in the finals by Skyler Woodward, who'd been defeated in the opening round by Chip Compton, and won nine straight on the loss side. 

 

Gray faced Shane McMinn in one of the winners' side semifinals, as John Gabriel squared off against Marc Vidal in the other. Gray shut McMinn out, while Gabriel was busy surviving a double hill match against Vidal. Gray went on to shutout Gabriel and claim the hot seat.

 

On the loss side, Woodward, with four down and five to go to get back to the finals, defeated Kevin Carron 3-1, and survived a double hill match against Mark Haddad to pick up McMinn. Vidal drew Will Freeman, who'd defeated Compton 3-1 and shut out Dale Pence. 

 

Vidal defeated Freeman 3-1 and in the quarterfinals met Woodward, who'd shut out McMinn. Woodward won the quarterfinal match 3-1 over Vidal, and then took out Gabriel in the semifinals 3-1. Gray, though, chalked up his third straight shutout, stopping Woodward's loss-side run in the finals to claim the event title.

 

Olinger and Compton battle three times to decide Open 9-Ball event

 

In the end, Alex Olinger and Chip Compton faced off in a single match to claim the 9-ball event title, each with one loss, both by 9-6 scores. Olinger had advanced to the hot seat match after defeating Dustin Gunia 9-6, and was met by Compton, who'd sent Jonathan (Hennessee from Tennessee) Pinegar west 9-5. Olinger took the first of three against Compton 9-6.

 

Gunia and Pinegar moved west and picked up Billy Thorpe and Mark Haddad, respectively. Thorpe had gotten by Johnny Neels and Marc Vidal 9-4. Haddad had downed former US Open 9-Ball Champion Gabe Owen 9-7 and David Matlock 9-4. Pinegar eliminated Haddad 9-6, while Thorpe was handing Gunia his second straight loss 9-7. Thorpe took the quarterfinal match against Pinegar that followed 9-7, but had his loss-side streak ended by Compton in the semifinals; 9-7, as well.

 

Both sets of the true double elimination final ended with 9-6 scores. Compton took the opening set, but Olinger took the second to claim the title.

 

Little goes undefeated to claim Ladies title

 

Melissa Little faced different opponents in the hot seat match and finals, defeating them both to claim the top prize. She faced Brittany Colbert in the battle for the hot seat, and defeated her 7-1. Colbert moved over to face Nicole Keeney, who'd just downed Liz Lovely 7-5 in the quarterfinals. Keeney thwarted Colbert's chance for a second shot against Little with a 7-3 win in the semifinals. Little, though, stopped Keeney's loss-side run with a 7-3 victory of her own that put the top prize in her pocket.

Mike Banks, Jr. came from the loss-side to meet and double dip hot seat occupant Chip Compton to capture the One-Pocket title of the Midwest 9-Ball Tour’s stop on the weekend of November 12-13. Banks would go on to finish in the tie for fifth place in the 9-Ball event, which was still in progress, as of 10 p.m. (EST) on Sunday night. Peggy Fusselman went undefeated to capture the $500-added Ladies Event title, which had drawn 15 entrants to Shooter’s in Olathe, KS. The $1,000-added One-Pocket event drew 38 entrants to the same location.

Banks, Jr. and Compton both advanced to the winners’ side final four in the One-Pocket event, but only Compton advanced to the hot seat. Banks was sent west by Will Freeman, as Compton was busy sending Tommy Tokoph over, both by 3-1 scores. Compton gained the hot seat by the same score, sending Freeman to the semifinals from which he was destined not to return.

As if moving to the loss-side wasn’t bad enough, Banks, Jr. moved over and ran right into Nick Varner, who’d shut out Robb Saez and survived a double hill battle against Gary Lutman to reach him. Tommy Tokoph drew Joey Gray, who, after being sent west in a double hill battle against Banks, Jr., had defeated Jody McLaughlin, double hill, and shut out Mickey Brandt.  The quarterfinal proved to be a Banks, Jr./Gray re-match, as Banks, Jr. downed Varner 3-1, and Gray survived a double hill battle against Tokoph.

Banks, Jr. then defeated Gray a second time, this time 3-1, and turned to face Freeman in the semifinals. A shutout victory there, gave Banks, Jr. a shot at Compton in a true double elimination final. Both sets went double hill, and Banks, Jr. won them both to snatch an undefeated day and event title from Compton.

Fusselman won the Ladies event with a 7-2 finals victory over Linda Brown. Brown had survived a double hill battle against Julie Guzman in the event semifinals. Guzman, as well, had survived a double hill win versus Lorraine Jessepe in the quarterfinals.

One Pocket Results | Ladies Results