The 4th Season of the PVA/NWPA National Wheelchair Billiards Series has officially begun. On March 5th – 7th, the Mid-America PVA Chapter hosted its yearly billiard event at Magoo's Billiards and Restaurant in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This is the 3rd straight year for the event, which is officially known as the “Mid-America PVA Sooner Shootout.
Player turnout for the event was small, as only 11 players showed up to compete in the tournaments associated with the event. The reasons for the low turnout are not clear, other than simply blaming the poor economy. Despite the low turnout, the competition was fierce and the weather was great, especially for those who had have endured too much snow for far too long.
Magoo's is very accommodating for players who compete from a seated position. There is plenty of space between the tables and it is easy to find a good location to sit and watch others play. The staff at Magoo's is great and there is a full menu to keep one's belly full and lips wet.
John Reynolds, returning main event champion from the 2009 Mid-America PVA Sooner Shootout, was on hand to defend his title. In the first round of the main event, Reynolds, who resides in Tulsa, was matched up against Johnny Holland from Goldsboro, North Carolina's. Reynolds quickly defeated Holland, 7 games to 0. Also in the first round, Chris Parnell, who is from Lincoln, Nebraska, drew Bill Frisby of Floodwood, Minnesota and Stephen Smith of Moore, Oklahoma was paired up with Charles Interrante of Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Frisby won against Parnell, 7 games to 3, and Smith upset nationally ranked Interrante in a hill-hill nail biter, 7 games to 6. Loretta Moon of Moore, Oklahoma, Richard Layton of Bethany, Oklahoma, Gary Dornbrack of Westville, Oklahoma, Richard Harrell of Earlsboro, Oklahoma, and Jeff Anderson of Duluth, Minnesota had the good fortune of receiving a Bye into the next round.
Second round action on the no-loss side saw: Reynolds vs. Moon (Reynolds; 7 games to 2); Frisby vs. Layton (Frisby; 7 games to 3); Dornbrack vs. Smith (Dornbrack; 7games to 1); and Harrell vs. Anderson (Harrell; 7 games to 2).
In the third round, Reynolds and Frisby went head to head, with Reynolds winning 7 games to 2. Dornbrack was paired against Harrell, who emerged victorious 7 games to 4. This left only Reynolds and Harrell on the no-loss side. In their fourth round match, Reynolds moved into the tournament “hot seat” with a 7 games to 0 win over Harrell. Reynolds was now guaranteed no less than 2nd place in the main event and would play against the eventual winner of the one-side of the tournament bracket for the main event championship.
On the one-loss side, Anderson defeated Holland, Parnell, and Frisby and Interrante toppled Layton, Moon, and Dornbrack. This left Anderson and Interrante to play against each other for the chance to earn a match against Harrell, who had just lost to Reynolds in the hot seat match. In a hill-hill match, Interrante won against Anderson, 5 games to 4. Anderson finished the main event in 4th place, a personal best for him in a PVA/NWPA event. In the Interrante/Harrell match, Harrell was determined to get another crack at Reynolds. As such, he kept his focus and outplayed Interrante, winning their match, 5 games to 2. Interrante finished the main event in 3rd place.
In the main event championship match between Reynolds and Harrell, Reynolds was determined to repeat as the tournament champion. He won the match, 7 games to 1 and earned the championship title for a second year in arrow. Harrell finished the event in 2nd place.
In the Second Flight Championship event, Gary Dornbrack took home the championship trophy after defeating Chris Parnell, 5 games to 3. Parnell had earned a shot at the championship title for this event by getting past Stephen Smith, 5 games to 3. Smith finished the second flight event in 3rd place.
Special thanks to the owners and staff of Magoo's for their outstanding support and service, to Richard Harrell and Loretta Moon for their efforts as co-tournament coordinators), to Connie Williams for serving as the tournament director, to Shawn Interrante for her assistance with NWPA matters, to Alan Earl, PVA Sports & Recreation Associate Director for his oversight and attention, and to the friends and family that assisted with racking.
Finally, thanks to our national tour sponsor Viking Cue Manufacturing for its generous support and product donations for this event.
Order of Finish
Main Event
1st John Reynolds; 2nd Richard Harrell, 3rd Charles Interrante; 4th Jeff Anderson; 5th/6th Bill Frisby, Gary Dornbrack; 7th/8th Chris Parnell, Loretta Moon; 9th/12th Johnny Holland, Stephen Smith, Rick Layton
2nd Flight Event
1st Gary Dornbrack; 2nd Chris Parnell; 3rd Stephen Smith; 4th Rick Layton; 5th/6th Loretta Moon, Johnny Holland
