by InsidePOOL Staff

After suffering a first-round loss to Dwight Cherry 9-4, Mike Conway Jr. rallied to roar back and win the next ten matches in a row to reach the finals against John Mitchelltree, whom he bested in the double-elimination final match. Conway Jr. joined 59 other players at Q-Master Billiards in Virginia Beach, VA, the weekend of February 4-5 for the $1,500-added amateur event.

Mike Conway, Jr, Shannon Daulton, & John Mitchelltree

Cherry went unchallenged through to the winners’ side final four, where Virginia State champ Chris Futrell knocked him to the one-loss side 11-7. Mitchelltree disposed of Cheryl Pritchard 9-5 and advanced to meet Futrell in the hot seat match, where he eked out a 9-10 victory.

Making his move through the west side, Conway Jr. ran into Cherry and ousted him in fifth place 9-7. Justin Spires tied with Cherry after Pritchard eliminated him 6-6. But Pritchard fell to Conway Jr. in the next round 9-3, ending up in fourth place.

Conway Jr.’s next victim was Futrell after their semifinal match ended with Conway Jr. advancing 9-10. The double-elimination final match against Mitchelltree was an uphill battle, but Conway Jr. met it head on, winning the first set 9-2 and the second 9-7.

Results:
1st Mike Conway Jr. $1,000
2nd John Mitchelltree $600
3rd Chris Futrell $400
4th Cheryl Pritchard $300
5th Dwight Cherry $200
Justin Squires
7th Dave Bollman $90
Jimmy Byrd
9th Tim Colvin $50
Saul McClinton
John Hernandez
Carey Dunn

by InsidePOOL Staff

Vincent Morris scored an unblemished victory over Mel McCullen in the finals of the Tri-State Tour’s February 4 event, going through the field without a loss to claim first place. The $1,000-added tournament drew 41 C-D players to Gotham City Billiards in Brooklyn, NY.

Vincent Morris scored an unblemished victory over Mel McCullen in the finals of the Tri-State Tour’s February 4 event, going through the field without a loss to claim first place. left to right: 2nd Place - Mel McCullen Mackin; 1st Place - Vincent Morris , 3rd Place - Dennis Kennedy

McCullen and Morris matched up first in the winners’ side final four, where Morris dealt him his first loss 6-3. In the other winners’ side match, Dennis Kennedy eked out a hill-hill, 6-5 win over David Danchak. In the hot seat match, it was Morris who took the match over Kennedy 6-4.

Once on the west side of the chart, Danchak quickly fell to Randy Mackin 6-3, tying for fifth place with Meshak Daniel, who was ousted by McCullen 7-3. However, Mackin soon followed after McCullen eliminated him in fourth place 7-4 in the quarterfinals.

McCullen kept the stream alive in the semifinal match against Kennedy, trumping him 6-3 to earn another chance at Morris. In the finals, though, Morris was the dominant force as he swept ahead to claim the match 6-3.

Results:
1st Vincent Morris $635
2nd Mel McCullen $420
3rd Dennis Kennedy $260
4th Randy Mackin $150
5th David Danchak $100
Meshak Daniel
7th Steve Wade $75
Tyronnie Harlee

by InsidePOOL Staff

Pro player Mike Davis took off the January 21 stop of the Tiger Classic Tour, double-dipping John Souders in the finals to take the title. The open event drew 32 players to Cue Phoria in Winter Park, FL.

Davis first encountered Souders in the winners’ side final four, where Souders delivered Davis to the one-loss side 7-3.

Davis first encountered Souders in the winners’ side final four, where Souders delivered Davis to the one-loss side 7-3. In the other bracket, Harry Nathan bested George Sanders 7-5 to move on to the hot seat match and face off with Souders, who took that match 7-4.

Nick Applebee eliminated Sanders in fifth place to advance to the quarterfinal match. Meeting him there was Davis, who had just ousted Julio Aquino in a fifth-place tie with Sanders. Davis dominated Applebee 7-2 and continued his trek through the west side.

In the semifinal match, Davis easily handled Nathan 7-4 to reach the double-elimination finals against Souders. Souders struggled to take the title, but Davis notched a narrow 7-5 win in the first set and then whitewashed Souders in the second to claim his victory.

Results:
1st Mike Davis $450
2nd John Souders $200
3rd Harry Nathan $100
4th Nick Applebee $80
5th George Sanders $60
Julio Aquino

by InsidePOOL Staff

Alex Olinger skated through the Great Southern Billiard Tour’s first stop of the new year, surviving a double-hill final onslaught by Sam Monday to take the title. The $1,500-added stop hosted 46 amateurs players who came out to The Club House Bar and Billiards the weekend of January 7-8.

Olinger went undefeated to best Brad Black in the winners’ side final four 10-2 and reach the hot seat. Meeting him there was Monday, who had just bested Billy Thorpe double-hill 10-8. It was another hill-hill affair for Monday, but this time he was sent to the one-loss side 10-9 as Olinger awaited a finals opponent.

On the left side of the chart, D. J. Holloway easily handled Collin Hall 9-1, while Larry Kressel narrowly notched a 10-7 win over Chris Bruner. Holloway continued on to eliminate Thorpe at fifth place 9-4, while Black tied with Thorpe after Kressel ousted him 10-4. In the following quarterfinal match, it was all Kressel, as he took the match 10-4, sending Holloway home in fourth place.

Alex Olinger skated through the Great Southern Billiard Tour’s first stop of the new year, surviving a double-hill final onslaught by Sam Monday to take the title.

Kressel’s come-uppance came in the next round via Monday, who won their semifinal match 10-6. His rematch with Olinger, though, found Monday in the exact same spot as before, as Olinger eked out another hill-hill victory.

Results:
1st Alex Olinger $1,000
2nd Sam Monday $500
3rd Larry Kressel $300
4th D. J. Holloway $200
5th Billy Thorpe $140
Brad Black
7th Collin Hall $100
Chris Bruner

by InsidePOOL Staff

Ben Castaneros and Raymond Lee met three times at the Tri-State Tour’s January 7-8 event, with Castaneros double-dipping Lee in the finals to take the title. The $2,000-added stop drew a field of 61 players to Gotham City Billiards in Brooklyn, NY, for the A- through D-player, 9-ball event.

Castaneros and Lee first matched up in the winners’ side final four, where Lee dealt Castaneros his first—and only—loss of the tournament 6-1. In the other bracket, Bryan Jeziorski sent Alex Osipov to the west side of the chart 7-5. Jeziorski put up a fight in the hot seat match, but Lee was able to notch a 7-4 win.

Ben Castaneros and Raymond Lee met three times at the Tri-State Tour’s January 7-8 event, with Castaneros double-dipping Lee in the finals to take the title. left to right: 3rd Place Bryan Jeziorski, 2nd Place Raymond Lee ; righ most 1st Place Ben Cataneros

From the left side of the bracket, Castaneros sprang back with a 7-4 victory over Mike Strassberg, while Osipov sent Ron Gabia home in a fifth-place tie with Strassberg after their match ended 7-2. Castaneros and Osipov collided in the quarterfinal match, which saw Castaneros best Osipov 6-4 to stay alive.

It was another victory for Castaneros in the semifinals, where he eliminated Jeziorski in third place 7-4. In the double-elimination final match, Castaneros dominated Lee 6-2 in the first set and 6-1 in the second to take first place.

Results:
1st Ben Castaneros $1,250
2nd Raymond Lee $870
3rd Bryan Jeziorski $590
4th Alex Osipov $420
5th Ron Gabia $270
Mike Strassberg
7th Ed Culhane $190
Andrzej Kaldan
9th Robert Plaut $140
Arturo Reyes
Luis Jimenez
Alan Chan

by InsidePOOL Staff

Good friends Dan Cintron and Rick Shellhouse succumbed to the late night and opted to split first place at the December 10 stop of the Tri-State Tour. The $500-added event was hosted by Castle Billiards in East Rutherford, NJ, and drew a field of 41 A-D players.

Cintron and Shellhouse ended up facing each other in the hot seat match after winning their respective matches over Scott Bannon 7-5 and George Osipovitch 6-3 in the winners’ side final four. Cintron claimed the hot seat with a strong 10-7 victory, and Shellhouse went west.

Ed Culhane soon eliminated Bannon in fifth place 7-3, as Osipovitch ousted Greg Constanza in the same place after their hill-hill match ended 6-5. Culhane then went on to face down Osipovitch in the quarterfinal match 7-5 to advance to the semifinals.

Good friends Dan Cintron and Rick Shellhouse succumbed to the late night and opted to split first place at the December 10 stop of the Tri-State Tour.

Results:
1st Dan Cintron $500
Rick Shellhouse
3rd Ed Culhane $250
4th George Osipovitch $150
5th Scott Bannon $100
Greg Costanza
7th Kyle Bubet $75
Mike Zimny

by InsidePOOL Staff

It was an unchallenged trip to the winner’s circle for Brian White at the December 3-4 stop of the Great Southern Billiard Tour, where he bested a field of 73 players to take first place. The $1,500-added amateur 9-ball event was hosted by The Shore Thing in Myrtle Beach, SC.

White faced down Wendell Thompkins in the winners’ side final four 10-8 to advance to the hot seat match, while Scott Roberts bested Jason “J Bird” Brown 9-9 to do the same. It was White who claimed the hot seat after an easy 10-4 victory over Roberts.

Brown’s wings were soon clipped on the one-loss side by Greg Dix, who won their match 10-9. Tying with Brown in fifth place was Thompkins, who was eliminated by Jared McGee 10-8. McGee then went on to oust Dix 10-8 in the quarterfinal match.

Clearly on a roll, McGee then advanced to the semifinals, where he sent Roberts home 10-6 to earn a chance at the main prize against White. But White had other ideas, and he only allowed McGee to take one rack before he won the final match 10-1.

It was an unchallenged trip to the winner’s circle for Brian White at the December 3-4 stop of the Great Southern Billiard Tour, where he bested a field of 73 players to take first place.

Results:
1st Brian White $1,000
2nd Jared McGee $600
3rd Scott Roberts $450
4th Greg Dix $300
5th Wendell Thompkins $200
Jason Brown
7th Dylan Letchworth $120
Mike Slaughter
9th Richard West $60
B.J. Hucks
Chris Ruesseger
Daniel Rutledge

by InsidePOOL Staff

Greg Smith came back from a late loss at the November 26-27 stop of the Great Southern Billiard Tour to double-dip Adam Bryan in the finals to take the title. The $1,500-added amateur 9-ball stop was held at Mickey Milligan’s Billiards and Pub in New Bern, NC, and attracted a field of 32 that Thanksgiving weekend.

A hill-hill defeat in the winners’ side final four at the hands of Smith 9-8 sent Sidney Champion to the one-loss side of the chart, as Smith advanced to the hot seat. His opponent was Bryan, who had just squeaked past Larry Faulk 7-8. Bryan went on to best Smith 7-5 and await a finals opponent, while Smith headed west.

On the left side, Charlie Brinson whitewashed Champion 7-0 and sent him home in fifth place, as Faulk defeated Montez Lloyd 9-6, who tied with Champion. Faulk gave Brinson a taste of his own medicine in the quarterfinals, handing him a donut 7-0.

But Faulk reached the end of his event in the next round as Smith eliminated him 9-7 to advance to the double-elimination final match against Bryan. Smith only allowed Bryan to win a total of 5 racks as he himself claimed 18 by winning the finals 9-2, 9-3 to take first place.

Greg Smith came back from a late loss at the November 26-27 stop of the Great Southern Billiard Tour to double-dip Adam Bryan in the finals to take the title. Daulton, Adam Bryan, Greg Smith, and Gerry Shephard (owner of Mickey Milligan's Billiards & Pub)

Results:
1st Greg Smith $1,000
2nd Adam Bryan $500
3rd Larry Faulk $350
4th Charlie Brinson $205
5th Montez Lloyd $100
Sidney Champion

by InsidePOOL Staff

Scott Herbeck bounced back from earlier loss to take down John Gorsch Sr. twice in the finals of the October 8 stop of the Lucasi Hybrid Cues All-American Tour. Held at Cuemasters Billiards in Dubuque, IA, the $500-added 8-ball handicapped tourney on 7-foot Valley bar boxes drew 21 players.

On the A-side, Gorsch Sr. marched to the hot seat, including a 4-1 win over Ron Pluym in the winners’ side final four and a hot seat win over Al Birkett 4-3. Birkett had previously bested Mike Rohner 6-3.

On the west side, Herbeck recovered from a 6-1 loss to Pluym to eliminate David Duggan 6-4 and Rohner 6-2 to meet Pluym again. After ousting Pluym 6-4 and Birkett in the semifinals, Herbeck gained a shot at the undefeated Gorsch Sr. in the final match. The finals went two sets, with both sets ending on the hill 6-3 in favor of Herbeck, the winner.

Scott Herbeck bounced back from earlier loss to take down John Gorsch Sr. twice in the finals of the October 8 stop of the Lucasi Hybrid Cues All-American Tour.

Results:
1st Scott Herbeck $400
2nd John Gorsch Sr. $250
3rd Al Birkett $200
4th Ron Pluym $175

by InsidePOOL Staff

It was a grind, but ultimately Shannon “The Cannon” Daulton took home the top prize at the October 8-9 installment of the Great Southern Billiard Tour over Keith Bennett. The stop opened up to allow pros as well as amateurs to their U.S. Open warm-up event, hosted by Speak Eazy Billiards in Sanford, NC, and the $1,500-added prize purse attracted a field of 71 hopefuls.

Ranked as an AAA player, Daulton raced to 13 against double-A-ranked B.J. Ussery in the winners’ side final four, sending him to the one-loss side with a 13-8 win. AA-ranked Bennett and A-ranked Tony Morrison raced to 11 in the other winners’ side match, with Bennett routing Morrison 11-3. In the following round, Daulton and Bennett went head to head for the hot seat, where Bennett eked out an 11-11 win.

Larry “The Truth” Nevel was taking advantage of the opportunity to warm up for the Open, eliminating Carlos Cruz at seventh place 13-8. Tying with Cruz was Sam Monday, who was sent home by Mike Fuller 11-4. Nevel went on to dominate Ussery 11-2, while Morrison ousted Fuller at fifth 9-10. In the quarterfinal match, Morrison held Nevel back from reaching the required 13, winning there 9-11.

It was a grind, but ultimately Shannon “The Cannon” Daulton took home the top prize at the October 8-9 installment of the Great Southern Billiard Tour over Keith Bennett.

Eagerly awaiting an opponent after his hot seat match loss, Daulton devoured Morrison 13-2 in the semifinals to earn a rematch with Bennett in the double-elimination finals. The first set saw Daulton win over twice as many racks as Bennett did to take it 13-6 and force a second set. There Daulton again dominated, winning this time by the score of 13-8.

Results:
1st Shannon Daulton $1,100
2nd Keith Bennett $600
3rd Tony Morrison $425
4th Larry Nevel $325
5th Mike Fuller $160
B.J. Ussery
7th Sam Monday $90
Carlos Cruz
9th Antonio Slaydon $50
Mike Higgins
Steve Page
B.J. Hucks