Landon Shuffett
The 2010 Billiard Education Foundation's Junior National 9-Ball Championship saw three champions retain their crowns from last year, and one new champion crowned. The event, which drew 93 players across the four divisions, took place at the Huskies Den at Northern Illinois University.
Both Ladies divisions were won by returning champions as Brianna Miller completely crushed the 14 & Under Girls event and Liz Lovely came back from the one loss side to defend her 19 & Under Girls Crown from last year. Miller was so dominating in her four matches that she never allowed an opponent more than 1 game against her. She finished with an amazing 30-2 record over the four matches. Lovely, on the other hand, dropped a 7-6 decision to Stephanie Stone in the second round of play. She then came back and five straight matches on the one loss side, including a 7-1 win over Stone in the semi-final match, to earn her place in the finals against Jauslinn Arnold. That match was close, by Lovely won it 9-6.
The Boy's 14 & Under division crowned a new champion in the form of Billy Thorpe. His final match against Kevin Sun may have been the most brutal match for anyone this year as Sun led the match 8-7 and pocketed a 3-9 combo to earn what he thought was his final rack only to be shown that the 2 ball was still on the table. Thorpe cleaned up that rack and won the next for the 9-8 win.
The Boy's 19 & Under division was an intriguing one as reigning champion Landon Shuffett was sharing the spotlight with up-and-coming Brendan Crockett. Crockett had won the 14 & Under division last year and looked to continue his winning ways in the 19 & Under division this year. The young guns met up in the 4th round and it was Shuffett who scored the 9-8 win to send Crockett to the left side of the board. Shuffett would also be tested by Jesse Engel in the match for the hot-seat, which Shuffett won 9-8. Engel made quick work of Crockett 9-3 on the one loss side, but had no answer for Shuffett in the extended final match. Shuffett won that match 11-7 to retain his 19 & Under Crown.
