by Lea Andrews

While head coach Sean Payton was leading the New Orleans Saints to their first Super Bowl victory at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, another Payton—Roy—was finishing up an undefeated weekend at Zoo City Saloon in Asheboro, NC. He did so at the expense of the field of 30 who gathered February 6-7 for the $1,500-added Great Southern Billiards Tour event.

B-ranked Payton got past fellow B-player Jeff Baumgarner 7-2 to reach the hot seat match against A-ranked Tony Morrison, who’d gotten by A-ranked Kevin Boggs 9-7. In the weighted race for the hot seat, though Payton notched one less game, he scored the win 7-8.

On the one-loss side, B-ranked Charles “Cotton” Trivett eased by B-ranked Robert Ash 7-3 to meet up with Paul Mullins, who’d ousted fellow A-player Sidney Champion 9-7. After taking care of Mullins 7-4, Trivett moved on to Baumgarner. Meanwhile, B-ranked James Blackburn held B-ranked Joe Edmonds to three games to face Mike Basha, who’d held fellow B-player Tony Williams to four games. Edging out Basha 7-6, Blackburn advanced to Boggs, but landed in fifth after managing just two games. In the quarterfinals, Boggs met Baumgarner, who’d put Trivett in fifth 7-5, and though Boggs managed to reach his hill of 8 games, Baumgarner marked up the final rack, earning his spot in the semifinals 7-8. There he found himself in another tight hill-hill match with an A-player, which, fortunately for Baumgarner, yielded the same result—he put Morrison in third 7-8 to get his rematch with Payton in the finals.

In the true double-elimination final match, Payton could afford to get behind or even lose the first set, but he hadn’t lost a set all weekend, and he wasn’t about to start. After jumping out to a two-game lead, Payton stayed in front, and when Baumgarner missed his chance to tie it up by scratching on the 5 ball at 6-5, Payton took ball in hand and the final rack to earn his win 7-5.

While head coach Sean Payton was leading the New Orleans Saints to their first Super Bowl victory at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, another Payton—Roy—was finishing up an undefeated weekend at Zoo City Saloon in Asheboro, NC.

by Lea Andrews

Sam Monday, an extremely familiar face in the late rounds of the Great Southern Billiard Tour, went undefeated November 7-8 through a talented field to earn his first win on the tour this season. Monday and 71 other players gathered at Speakeazy Billiards in Sanford, NC, for the $1,500-added event.

AA-ranked Monday breezed past A-ranked Larry Faulk 11-2 to arrive in the hot seat match versus B-ranked Scott Johnson, who’d gone hill-hill 7-8 against A-ranked Eric Charlton, who was racing to 9. Cruising to victory once again, Monday allowed Johnson just two games to claim the hot seat.

On the left side of the bracket, Chuck Cuneo eased by James Blackburn 7-2 to face Michael Fuller, who’d ousted room owner Jimmy Bullis 11-6. Getting past Fuller 7-7, Cuneo moved on to Faulk and moved on 7-7 once again to the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, B-ranked Kevin Boggs edged out last stop’s winner Adam Pendley 7-10 to face another previous winner, B-ranked Brad Shearer, whom he held to 2 games. Boggs didn’t fare as well against the next former winner he faced, Charlton, who advanced hill-hill 9-6 to meet Cuneo, who’d been on a west-side mission to the finals since falling to Boggs in the first match he played. Cuneo wasn’t about to stop, and he moved decisively past Charlton 7-4 to face Johnson, managing to hold him at bay 7-6 to face Monday.

On the way to the finals, Monday had given up, on average, not even two games per match. Cuneo, therefore, did very well to manage four games in the only set of the true double-elimination finals. Cuneo’s valiant effort earned him second place, while Monday’s stellar play all weekend earned him first. Another winner, Terri Faulk, earned $50 as the highest-finishing lady.

Sam Monday, an extremely familiar face in the late rounds of the Great Southern Billiard Tour, went undefeated November 7-8 through a talented field to earn his first win on the tour this season.

Results:
1st Sam Monday $1,000
2nd Chuck Cuneo $500
3rd Scott Johnson $400
4th Eric Charlton $200
5th Kevin Boggs $125
Larry Faulk
7th Brad Shearer $75
Michael Fuller
9th Jack Miller $50
Adam Pendley
Jimmy Bullis
James Blackburn