MAKE IT HAPPEN 1-POCKET INVITATIONAL – Match #5
Jeremy Jones 3 – Danny Smith 1
Danny Smith opened the scoring with a single ball and hung another, which Jones kicked in for him. So it was 2-0, Smith. Jones made a bank and two more to lead, 3-2, but Smith replied with two banks and he ran four to grab a 6-3 advantage.
Jones made a long rail bank, a combo, and hung a ball, which Smith pocketed, so the score was now tied at 6-6 heading into the end game! Jones reached the hill first with a billiard. Smith went for an ill-advise combo-bank, and scratched in the side. Jones missed a spot shot, but Smith conveniently went for a flyer and left Jones with an easy combo, which he made to win game one, 8-5.
Smith scratched in the early going and Jones ran four before missing a combo. Smith made a single shot, then missed, and Jones ran four and out, including a three ball combo on game ball. The score was 8-0 and Jones now led in the match, 2-0.
In game three Smith made a long three ball combo and ran two more. He then added two more balls to take a 5-0 lead. A thin cut extended his margin to 6-0. He closed out the game with a bank-combo and a long cut shot to win, 8-0. He now trailed in the match, 2-1.
In the fourth and final game Jones got a shot in the early going and ran seven before playing safe. A bank by Jones stopped in the jaws, and he left Smith a shot. Smith made it, but scratched on his next attempt and Jones pocketed the hanger to win the game, 8-0, and the match, 3 games to 1.
Jones evened his record at 1-1 while Smith, who made it to the finals in the last MIH 1-Pocket, dropped to 0-2.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
MAKE IT HAPPEN 1-POCKET INVITATIONAL – Match #6
Efren Reyes 3 – Tony Chohan 1
Efren Reyes won the lag and that was a good omen as the old master turned back the clock with a dominating performance in beating Tony Chohan, who had won a big 1-Pocket event recently.
After the break Chohan went for a kick safety, but missed the ball, leaving Reyes with a shot. Reyes promptly ran five before barely missing a double carom shot. Chohan banked in two balls but then fouled – so the score was now 5-0 in Reyes favor. Reyes made a ball but missed a bank. Chohan made one ball, missed a moderately difficult bank, and Reyes ran two and out to win game one, 8-1.
Reyes left Chohan a shot in game two but he could only make one ball before missing position. Reyes then left Chohan with a long shot off the end rail and he made it and ran out to the game ball before hanging it in the jaws. Reyes made a bank, missed another bank attempt, and Chohan made the hanger to win game two, 8-1.
In game three Reyes ran two, then missed a shot out of the rack. Chohan followed with a make, the hung a ball. Reyes ran two and made Chohan’s hanger, at which point the score was 3-1 in Reyes’ favor. Chohan made a super tough long shot, then missed and easy shot, leaving Reyes with an open table. He quickly ran five and out to win the game, 8-2, and to assume a 2-1 lead in the match.
In game four Reyes made a ball for Chohan. Chohan pocketed a carom, but then scratched on the next shot. Reyes took ball-in-hand and ran eight and out to win the game, 8-1, and the match by a score of 3-1.
Reyes is now tied with Shane Van Boening for first at 2-0 while Chohan is 1-1. Reyes and Chohan are done for the day while Van Boening plays Jeremy Jones at 7:00 pm.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
MAKE IT HAPPEN 1-POCKET INVITATIONAL – Match #7
Shane Van Boening 3 – Jeremy Jones 0
It looked as if Jeremy Jones was off to a good start in game one when he broke and left a ball in front of his pocket. But Van Boening found a dead ball in the stack, slammed into the balls, and proceeded to execute the game’s strongest move – Eight & Out – to take a 1-0 lead.
Van Boening opened the scoring in game two with a very unusual/lucky shot – as long rail carom/bank – then he made one more ball before missing a makeable shot. He left Jones a shot, and he made two to tie the score at two apiece. Van Boening pocketed a long cross table bank to go ahead, 3-2.
On a subsequent turn, Van Boening left a bank in the pocket, forcing Jones to make it for him. Then Van Boening jawed a long slow roll shot and Jones had to make another for his opponent. Van Boening now led, 5-2.
Jones fouled on a safety, and then was forced into making yet another hanger for Van Boening. Van Boening then made a bank and left another ball near the pocket. Jones scratched on his take out attempt and Van Boening made a long shot to win the game, 8-1. He now led the match, 2-0.
Jones drew first blood in game three with a kick into a dead ball in the stack, but he unluckily had no other shot. Van Boening made a nearly dead bank/combo to tie the game at 1-1. Moments later he opened another inning with a long rail bank, igniting a closing run of seven and out.
Van Boening is now 3-0 and appears to be a lock to reach the finals if he can beat either Efren Reyes or Tony Chohan. Meanwhile, Jones fell to 1-2 and must now win his last two matches to have any hope of reaching the finals – probably through a tiebreaker.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
MAKE IT HAPPEN 1-POCKET INVITATIONAL – Match #8
Danny Smith 3 – Alex Pagulayan – 2
Danny Smith left Pagulayan a shot, which gave him 1-0 lead. Pagulayan was then left a long shot, and this set off a run of six balls. On game ball he hung a bank shot. Smith missed and Pagulayan made the hanger to win the first game, 8-0.
In game two Pagulayan played an intentional foul, but left Smith with a shot. Bad mistake – for Smith ran eight and out to win the game 8 to -1, tying the match at 1-1. In game three, Smith ran seven and jawed the potentially gamewinning bank. Pagulayan made one, then missed, and Smith made the hanger to win the game, 8-1. He now led the match, 2 games to 1.
Game four was a complete reversal in form as both players were in contention until the very end. Pagulayan broke and left a ball in the jaws, which Smith made for him. Smith then left Pagulayan with a bank which he made, and one more before fouling.
Smith made a long shot and Pagulayan countered with a tough shot to take a 3-1 lead. But he left a shot and Smith made it. After Pagulayan hung a ball Smith made a super long shot and one more ball before missing. Pagulayan responded with a three ball run before leaving a ball in his pocket. He now led, 6-4. Smith tied the game at 6-6 before Pagulayan made a hanger. Then, after barely missing a couple of lengthy double banks, Pagulayan rifled home a table length crossover bank to win the game, 8-6. He also tied the match at 2-2.
In the double hill thriller, Pagulayan missed a bank and sold out. Smith made only one, then jawed a carom. Pagulayan kicked in the hanger for Smith, who now led 2-0. Smith scratched on a safety, then scratched again while playing a bank and the score returned to zero-zero.
Pagulayan ran two and missed a combo. Smith made a ball, then played safe. Pagulayan sold out – badly – on a safety and Smith was off to the races. He played superb position while running seven and out to win the game, 8-2, and the match, 3 games to 2.
Smith is now 1-2 after two days of play while Pagulayan dropped to 0-3 and now has no chance of winning the event.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
DAY 2 RESULTS
Match 5 - Jeremy Jones 3 – Danny Smith 1
Match 6 – Efren Reyes 3 – Tony Chohan 1
Match 7 – Shane Van Boening 3 – Jeremy Jones 0
Match 8 – Danny Smith 3 – Alex Pagulayan 1
STANDINGS – After Day 2
Shane Van Boening 3 – 0
Efren Reyes 2 – 0
Tony Chohan 1 – 1
Jeremy Jones 1 – 2
Danny Smith 1 – 2
Alex Pagulayan 0 – 3
