Inaugural Virginia State 14.1 Championships a Hit

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Inaugural Virginia State 14.1 Championships a Hit
Virginia State 14.1 Championships / Newport News, VA

by Brian Keller

As a lifetime student of the game, tournament director Joshua Dickerson has always had an interest in straight pool. After successfully running the Virginia State 9-Ball Championships for the past six years, he decided it was time to add something new. Thus, the Virginia State 14.1 Championships were born.

The inaugural event took place February 27-28 in Newport News at the Obelisk Billiards Club, a room with a rich straight pool culture that includes a 20-year-old league and annual room championship. When Dickerson looked for a venue, he didn’t have to go far to find it.

The event began Saturday morning with 25 players vying for a first-place prize of $1,280, part of which was paid entry into the Predator World Straight Pool Championship. Obelisk also supplied a gorgeous, solid crystal trophy for the winner. The high run during the event would net the winner a Nick Varner Signature cue and case.

Play began shortly after 10 a.m. and the players immediately could see that the room’s nine tables with tight pockets were going to play tough. By the end of the first day, six players remained with a high run of only 40 in the races to 100.

The six finalists included John Elvidge, Greg Ferguson, Ozzy Reynolds, Dave Perry, Eric Moore, and Bobby Chamberlain.

In the hot seat match against Dave Perry, Chamberlain laid down the one of the tournament’s long run of 40 to help move him towards the finals. He also had the longest run of 72 in the prior match. While he waited, Eric Moore defeated Ozzy Reynolds and then moved on to play Perry in the semifinals, where he won 100-48, setting up the final race to 150 for the title.

In the title match, Eric Moore started things off with a run of 38 to take the early lead. Chamberlain battled back as the players traded off medium-length runs. Finally, with both players over the century mark, Chamberlain with his very aggressive break shot, was able to string some racks together and get out to win 150-108.

After the event Dickerson noted that the field had been 80% full, an excellent showing for a first time. He feels confident that this event is in for a long run. Every participant was very excited to be there and play the grand old game; as players were knocked out of the tournament, to a man, they were already looking forward to next year’s version. Straight pool is alive and well in the Old Dominion.

14.1 Challenge at the Super Billiards Expo

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14.1 Challenge at the Super Billiards Expo

By Charles Eames

In a time when the discipline of 14.1 continuous straight pool seems to be on the back burner of professional pool there are those that remain loyal. What started out as a simple idea thrown around by two friends over a friendly game has quickly grown to become one of the most talked about and highly anticipated events of this year’s Super Billiards Expo. Originally the brain child of Steve Kurtz this year’s Straight Pool Challenge is the first of its kind at the expo, and one we hope to continue as the years go on. Steve Kurtz is quickly becoming a name synonymous with Straight Pool and is an accomplished player in his own right playing in events like the North Jersey Straight Pool Pro Am and plans to play in qualifiers for the World Straight Pool Championships for 2010. This challenge is starting to get the attention of some very big names like John Schmidt, Thorsten Hohmann, and newly crowned Virginia State 14.1 Champion Bobby Chamberlain as well as top amateur players in and around the area.

First and foremost we would like to thank our incredible sponsors. Bob Jewett, Diamond Billiard Products, Pete Tonkin Custom Cues, and Milliken Cloth in association with Sterling Fury. Without them this event would not be the reality that it is today. They have shown us unconditional support in the planning and execution of this event and we can’t thank them enough. Also to the members of the 14.1 community whose donations have poured in from across the country we say a heartfelt thank you. They have been with us from the early stages and we look forward to seeing them at the expo during the challenge. A huge thank you also goes to InsidePOOL Magazine for maintaining a standard of excellence in the billiard and cue sports world. A wealth of knowledge can be found within its pages and it has proven to be an incredible resource both on the internet and in print.

There have also been two people that have been detrimental in the planning of this event. Kevin Vidal and Allen Hopkins. Kevin has provided logistical support and is providing the incredible trophies for our winners. Allen Hopkins is owed a debt of gratitude for donating an extra booth to us giving us a total of four to hold our two nine foot Diamond tables.

The challenge will run all four days of the expo. For a twenty five dollar entry fee a player will get five attempts at the table with ball in hand and a break shot of their choosing. That player will then shoot until he or she misses or fouls thereby ending their run. The five runs will be added up to create a final total. The players with the top eight totals will be invited into an eight man single elimination tournament which will take place on Sunday. Races during this tournament will be to 100 with the final match being a race to 150 points.

We encourage everyone to play in this awesome event as we will have many raffle items up for grabs as well as other great things going on throughout the expo. Again to Steve Kurtz and his incredible idea we cannot thank you enough for breathing new life into a game that while seemed to be fading is now making a massive recovery. Events like this and many more are what are needed for a true resurgence of this discipline of champions.

Baraks Double-Dips Wilgus for Title

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Baraks Double-Dips Wilgus for Title
Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour / Decatur, IL

by InsidePOOL Staff

James Baraks bested Dustin Wilgus twice in the final set to take the Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour by storm February 27. Held in Decatur, IL, this $500-added event featured a 52-player field in a double-elimination 9-ball format on 8-foot tables.

Wilgus took the undefeated route to the hot seat, including an A-side semifinal win over Sergio Perez 8-6 and the A-side finals win over Mike Dunklin 8-6. Dunklin won his A-side semifinal match over Chris Austin 8-7 prior to his loss to Wilgus, and Dunklin then awaited his opponent in the B-side finals.

In the B-side round of eight, Baraks and Rick Halls eliminated Chris Winschief 8-4 and Ike Runnels 8-6, respectively, at seventh place. The B-side quarterfinals featured Baraks and Halls continuing by ousting Perez 8-5 and Austin 8-7, respectively, at fifth place. In the B-side semifinals, Baraks edged Halls at fourth place by an 8-7 margin. Baraks maintained his momentum in the B-side finals by defeating Dunklin 8-5. Versus the undefeated Wilgus in the finals, Baraks displayed conviction in winning two sets for the title, 8-2 and 8-6.

Results:
1st Jamie Baraks $240
2nd Dustin Wilgus $200
3rd Mike Dunklin $160
4th Rick Halls $140
5th Sergio Perez $120
Chris Austin
7th Chris Winschief $100
Ike Runnels
9th Mike Durbin $60
Tony McCray
Marco Jyawook
Richard Southwell

Davis Jr. Scores First Lone Star Billiards Win

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Davis Jr. Scores First Lone Star Billiards Win
Lone Star Billiards Tour / Houston, TX

by InsidePOOL Staff

James Davis Jr., formerly of Bastrop, TX, bested 57 other Texas sharpshooters who converged on Q Stix Billiards and Sports Bar in Houston, TX, to duel for the cash the last weekend in February. With not only a 9-ball but a one-pocket event as well, the Lone Star Billiards Tour yielded a total of 97 players, with 21 entrants in the one-pocket and 18 in the ladies’ 9-ball. The total added money was $1,850, the tour’s largest added money event to date.

The final four on the winners’ side of the 9-ball event paired James Davis against John Newsome and Danny Tam versus Ernesto Bayaua. Newsome and Davis went double-hill, but when Newsome scratched on the 4 ball in the final game, it was all over. After Tam defeated Bayaua, the hot seat match pitted Davis against Tam. Davis staked his claim over Tam and awaited his west side opponent.

On the one-loss Mike Alonzo bested Aaron Springs, and Doug Young finished David Mendiola. In the next round on the one-loss side, Bayaua bested Young in a hill-hill thriller, and Newsome finished Alonzo 7-5. In the end, it was Newsome meeting Bayaua on the west side. Bayaua played impeccably and emerged the victor 7-3 to meet up with Tam, who succumbed to Bayaua’s drive.

Both Davis and Bayaua displayed utter determination and conviction. Davis finished undefeated by a final score of 9-7. Davis also finished second to Doug Young in the one-pocket event, and Joe McNamara finished a respectable third.

On the ladies’ side, 18 entrants competed for over $1,000 in prize money. Courtney Peters, vying for her first win, made it to the hot seat match with tour newcomer Ming Ng, only to be ousted in third place after Terry Petrosino bested her for a chance at first place. It was Petrosino over Ng 7-6 the first set of the final match, but the second went Ng’s way 5-2.

Open 9-Ball Results:
1st James Davis Jr. $800
2nd Ernesto Bayaua $550
3rd Danny Tam $350
4th John Newsome $250
5th Mike Alonzo $160
Doug Young
7th Aaron Springs $85
David Mendiola
9th Dalton Riley $60
Andy Jethwa
Jason Abate
Leroy Hawkins
13th Sonny Demetro $40
Dennis Strickland
J.C. Torres
Jacob Pena

Ladies’ 9-Ball Results:
1st Ming Ng $350
2nd Terry Petrosino $250
3rd Courtney Peters $125
4th Belinda Lee $55
5th Rebecca Riley $20
Kim Pierce
7th Courtney McClure
Robyn Petrosino
9th Teresa Garland
Jillian Valles
Michelle Prince
Laura Hsu

One-Pocket Results:
1st Doug Young $425
2nd James Davis Jr. $225
3rd Joe McNamara $155
4th Aaron Springs
5th Aaron Salinas
Shonn Ballew
7th Coby Rabourn
Danny Lee
9th Ernesto Bayaua
Eugene Epstein
Jerald Jackson
Jimmy Neal
13th Mike Alonzo
Ryan Holley
Dennis Strickland
Jim Walker

Billiard Education Foundation 2010 Scholarship Deadline Approaching

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Billiard Education Foundation 2010 Scholarship Deadline Approaching

High School Seniors Apply Now

The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) is currently accepting applications for the 2010 scholarship awards. The BEF Academic Scholarship Program is administered annually under the direction and guidance of the BEF Board of Trustees. Applications must be postmarked no later than April 1, 2010 and can be downloaded by going to the BEF website at www.BilliardEducation.org.

The BEF Academic Scholarship Program is divided into two categories: Excellence in Education scholarship (one $5,000 scholarship awarded over a two-year term) and Aiming for Higher Education scholarships (seven individual scholarships at $1,000 each). The objective of the BEF Academic Scholarship Program is to grant scholarships to high school seniors who have benefited from the sport of billiards and are pursuing a college education.

Prospects must adhere to the following scholarship criteria: 1) hold a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale); 2) must have an ACT score of at least 23 or SAT combined score (critical reading + math) of 1050 or higher; 3) submit a 500-1000 word essay on how billiards has been an integral part of their life; 4) must be accepted to an accredited undergraduate academic program by June 1, 2010; 5) must attend an accredited undergraduate institution and carry at least 12 hours per semester.

The final application must also include a letter from the applicant outlining academic achievements, leadership and/or community service work, a description of the applicant’s background and career objectives, personal and professional (academic) goals. Applicants must also submit an official High School Transcript and SAT/ACT scores.

The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) is a 501(c) (3) non-profit charitable organization and is committed to promoting education and encourages the development of life skills through youth billiard programs. For more information, visit www.BilliardEducation.org , phone 303.926.1039 or e-mail info@BilliardEducation.org.