Lazaro Martinez III
Open Division
Date: November 25-26, 2023
Location: Fast Eddies At 1604/Braun – San Antonio, TX
The 8th and final stop of the 2023 Predator Arcadia CenTex Pool Tour season ended with the spectacular Thanksgiving weekend finale at Fast Eddie’s Braun in San Antonio, where local pool aficionados took center stage in the 2-day double-elimination 9-ball event to showcase the exceptional talent in the San Antonio, Austin and surrounding areas. Thanks to title sponsor, Predator, and its premier table cloth in the industry, Predator Arcadia, all Predator Arcadia CenTex Pool Tour stops are played using Predator Arcos II ball sets and Predator Aero Rack. This finale stop featured an additional $1500-added money to the $45 entry and the crowning of the 2023 tour season winners.
With match races set to 7 on the winner’s side and 5 on the one-loss side, the tournament began with a field of 62 determined players with several favorites spread throughout the bracket. San Antonio’s Albert Luna and Matthew Shoemaker were first to battle on the streaming table with Albert emerging victorious 7-4, forcing Matthew to the one-loss side early. Matthew ventured on to eliminate Brian Murphy and Ernie Castro only to end his bid for the top when, in his match against Gilbert Villanueva, falling short with 1-5 loss. However, Matthew Shoemaker was able to secure his overall tour standing and awarded the 2023 Tour Runner-Up for his triumphant 2nd place finish in the overall tour season. Joseph Cannata, in the running for the 2023 season title, Under 600 Leader, was graced with a BYE on the first round, trounced Daniel Salinas 7-0 in the next round before resigning into the one-loss side by Eric Reyes 4-7. In the fourth round, Joe skirted with a hill-hill win over Jesse Rizo then suffered a hill-hill loss against Roger Senn. Joseph Cannata (590 Fargo rating) placed 9th in the overall 2023 tour season and rightfully earned the title, Under 600 Leader, as the top performer amongst players with 599 and less Fargo.
On the second day, the top 12 competitors were guaranteed paid places and one contender would emerge on top. The remaining eight players on the winners side kicked off the fourth round: Scott Kephart defeated Rudy Sanchez 7-4, Eric Reyes inched by Jaden Dupree 7-6, Daniel Schneider took a definitive win against Eric Aicinena 7-3, and Laz Martinez prevailed over Jude Rosenstock 7-5. Waiting in the one-loss side, Roger Senn, Mario Juarez, Albert Luna and Justin Espinosa would face the recent outcome of the previous match to play in the 9th-12th place match while Scott and Eric and Daniel and Laz continued on for a place in the hotseat match. After several rounds of heated battles, Scott and Laz defeated their opponents, Eric Reyes and Daniel Schneider, to earn a place in the hotseat match, Roger, Mario, Albert and Jaden settled for 9th-12th place and Justin and Jude captured 7th/8th place. In both undisputed 5th/6th place matches, Eric Reyes finished in his highest standing in the 2023 season after receiving an exacting loss from Eric Aicinena 0-5 and Daniel, after his loss in an extremely close hill-hill match against Laz, was unable to overcome Rudy Sanchez 1-5.
Rudy and Eric Aicinena convened in the quarterfinals with Eric surfacing as victor 5-3, garnering Rudy’s 4th place finish and Eric’s undertaking in the semifinals. In a dramatic hotseat match between Scott Kephart and Laz Martinez that reached hill-hill, Scott overcame formidable Laz to secure the hotseat in the finals match and force Laz and Eric to face-off in the semifinals. Laz spared no expense and deftly toppled over Eric 5-3 to re-engage Scott in the finals. Eric Aicinena respectably finished 3rd in his stirring run in this season’s final stop.
The championship match was marked by unbridled enthusiasm: in his first appearance at the finals in the Predator Arcadia CenTex tour but no stranger to high pressure and high stakes competition, Scott Kephart would face in true double-elimination format the challenger, Laz Martinez: a seasoned and precocious contender in his third finals appearance and runner for the principle title of this year’s season, 2023 Tour Champion. Unlike their neck-and-neck first encounter in the hotseat match, Laz quickly secured the first set with an impressive 7-1 win and forcing a second set with the pinnacle race set to 5. The second set was closer in race and still favored the ultimate victor: Laz won in a resounding 5-2 triumph against Scott and was crowned both the finale stop winner and 2023 Tour Champion in the Open Division, an impressive and well-deserved feat showcasing Laz’s ever going prowess on the table.
2023 8TH STOP FINALE RESULTS
1st: Lazaro Martinez
2nd: Scott Kephart
3rd: Eric Aicinena
4th: Rudy Sanchez
5th-6th: Daniel Schneider, Eric Reyes
7th-8th: Jude Rosenstock, Justin Espinosa
9th-12th: Jaden Dupree, Mario Juarez, Roger Senn, Albert Luna
2023 OPEN DIVISION OVERALL RESULTS1st: Lazaro Martinez
2nd: Matthew Shoemaker
3rd: Buddy Chilton
Under 600-Leader: Joe Cannata
Angie Payne
Women’s Division
A resplendent field of 20 fiercely talented and competitive women attended the final stop of the 2023 Predator Arcadia CenTex Tour Women’s Division on November 26th in a one-day double elimination 9-ball tournament event that would result in crowning this stop’s winners and 2023 women’s season tour champions for their exemplary performance throughout the year. The finale event was hosted by San Antonio’s Fast Eddie’s – Braun: a popular local pool hall that accommodates 21 8-foot Olhausen tables and three 9-foot tables (exempt from tournament play). Thanks to the tour’s sponsor, Predator, and its top-ranking table cloth, Predator Arcadia, the Women’s Division featured an additional $500-added to the total payout and matches were played using Predator Arcos II ball sets and Predator Aero Rack. The 9-ball double elimination format set matches on the winner’s side to 5 and one-loss side to 4, and followed Texas Express rules that allow an optional push after the break, 3-foul rule, cue ball fouls only and ball-in-hand on foul.
The tournament featured a roster of exceptionally skillful female players from the local and surrounding area: San Antonio’s April Larson, Sophie Lopez, Kawania Watson and Barbara Wisdom, Odessa’s Mille Almaraz and Austin’s Angie Payne and Stephanie Reyes. The early rounds predictably favored the higher skill-leveled contender: April, Angie, Mille and Sophie breezed through their rounds and quickly secured a guaranteed paid finish by comprising as the remaining four undefeated in the start of the fourth round. Kawania faced an unlikely foe in her first round in the hands of Sophie that resulted in her early send-off to the one-loss side 3-5 where she eliminated two of her opponents before falling short in her hill-hill battle against Lisa Bailey. In the next round, Lisa lost in her own hill-hill battle against Stephanie Reyes, settling for 7th-8th in the tournament and 4th place overall in the 2023 women’s season tour.
This year’s women’s season title, 2023 500-Under Leader, which is awarded to the overall top performer with a 499 or under Fargo rating, was achieved by Janet Saenz with her Fargo rating of 419. Janet claimed a top 3 finish in the fifth stop and fantastically placed 5th overall in the season.
Sophie Lopez, a daunting competitor in the Predator Arcadia CenTex Tour with her three top-3 finishes for the 2023 women’s season including holder of the 4th stop women’s crown, sent Kawania and Naomi Garcia to the one-loss side in her first two rounds before succumbing to a 0-5 shut-out by Mille Almaraz. Stephanie sealed Sophie’s fate 4-2 in the following 5th-6th place match, ending her run for the top in the finale event. Regardless, Sophie’s striking accomplishments in the 2023 season culminated to a second place overall finish and rightfully earned her title, 2023 Women’s Runner-Up.
The front runner for the Women’s Division season title, 2023 Women’s Champion was clearly earmarked for Angie Payne with her perfect attendance to all 2023 Women’s Division events and two outstanding first place finishes in the 1st and 3rd stop. Angie steam-rolled through her opponents until she came face-to-face with April Larson in the fourth round on the winner’s side, falling short with a 2-5 loss and enabling April to face Mille in the hotseat match. Afterward, Angie deftly eliminated Yvette Villareal in the 5th-6th place match 0-4 and handed Stephanie Reyes the 4th place finish in a tight hill-hill victory to move forward to the semifinals and await for the outcome from the hotseat match. Stephanie finished this year with a solid 3rd place finish in the 2023 women’s season tour.
Meanwhile, in the hotseat match that was streamed worldwide by local streamer, Backwards Billiards, April Larson and Mille Almaraz found themselves in a highly contested and marginally tight battlefield laden with skillful runouts and strategic safeties. In the end, Mille inched by April with an astounding hill-hill victory to win the hotseat and handing April her first loss and trek to the semifinals where Angie was waiting. April shut-out Angie with a swift 0-4 in the semifinals, awarding Angie the 3rd place finish for the finale Women’s stop and securing her title crown, 2023 Women’s Champion of the season. Player constraints between the top two finishers, challenger April and hotseat-occupant Mille, enabled the decision in favor of splitting the top prize.
8TH WOMEN’S FINALE STOP RESULTS
1st – 2nd: Mille Almaraz, April Larson
3rd: Angie Payne
4th: Stephanie Reyes
5th-6th: Yvette Villarreal, Sophia Ann Lopez
2023 WOMEN’S OVERALL SEASON RESULTS
1st: Angie Payne
2nd: Sophia Ann Lopez
3rd: Stephanie Reyes
Under-500 Leader: Janet Saenz
Conclusion
As the curtains fall on the 2023 Predator Arcadia CenTex Tour season, both the Open and Women’s Division leave an indelible mark. This tour’s third season showcased the growth in popularity, incredible skills the players display and also underscored the passion, inclusivity and diversity thriving within the world of pool. The exponential growth in contestants, viewership and participation will undoubtedly continue to inspire men and women to pursue their love for this game, and provide greater opportunities for more to come in the tour’s coming seasons. We are deeply grateful for every person, player, venue, sponsor and partner for making this tour as well-received and in-demand today.
Sincerest thank you to each of you and stay tuned for the upcoming 2024 season! 2024 stops and locations Facebook events are here: https://www.facebook.
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