Frigid single-digit temps and wind chills well below zero didn't stop the first stop on the Fury Midwest tour or the 36 players that turned out for the event at Hit N Run Billiards in Grand Blanc, Mi. Even though no women were there to compete several Junior competitors did.
First place finisher and Lansing resident George Kieselat beat Bob Constable, Frank Lorenz, Casey Ward & Lee Lambaria to take the Hot Seat, while Lambaria navigated a tough bracket by defeating Mark Ritter, "Bar Box Barry" Childers, Kurt Hosken, and Ardell Hargrave before his loss to Kieselat. After Bob Constable's loss to Kieselat in the first round the Warren Hall of Fame player won his next six matches in a row before his loss to eventual second-place finisher Casey Ward. The 23 year-old Ward from Playtime Billiards in Kalamazoo had already bested Dan Brewer, Ed Duensing and Joe Henry before his first loss to Kieselat early on Sunday. On the "B" side he defeated Duensing again and followed that with wins over Constable and Lambaria to earn the right to a rematch with Kieselat. The final match was much tighter than the first time they butted heads, with Casey making it to six before the final ball fell.
Results:
1st George Kieselat $440
2nd Casey Ward $250
3rd Lee Lambaria $180
4th Bob Constable $100
5th/6th Eddie Duensing, Ardell Hargrave $75
7th/8th Dorn Taft, Bob Talford $50
