Independent league operators sanctioned with the American CueSports Alliance from throughout the Rocky Mountain front range invited their players to the ValuStay Inn in Pueblo, Colorado the weekend of February 18-20, to compete in the association's first ACS Rocky Mountain Regional Singles/ Scotch Doubles 8-Ball Championships. This was host Pueblo's first-ever state pool championships, and the proceedings were first-rate thanks to the host tournament producers Ray Armenta and Wayne Barnes, their local staff, and some very able tournament direction from Denver, featuring ACS Regional President, David Howell, Terri Howell, Jimmie Dean Birdsall and John Fuller, and play on twenty-seven Valley Cougars provided by High Country Promotions.
In the Men's tough AA/AAA singles division, local star, Sam Martinez, had his hands full being down 2-4 to 2004 national amateur Player of the Year, Scott Tollefson, in the first round before recovering to upset Mr. Tollefson, 5-4. Tollefson recovered by eliminating all opposition on the B side to gain a chance for revenge against Martinez, who had taken the A side undefeated. But alas, Martinez was ready to hold off Tollefson and did so by a convincing 5-1 margin in the finals to claim his first-ever state title.
A similar scenario took place in the Women's A singles division, as Aurora's Carol Raudebaugh outpaced 2004 BCA National Women's Open champ, Debbie Snook, to take state division honors.
The Men's A singles division featured the courageous play of Colorado Spring's Laura Lo, as the former collegiate national champion and BCA Nationals Open runner-up spurned the women's division so she could take on the men. She eliminated some strong talent on both sides of the bracket before facing undefeated James Hildebrandt (Pueblo) in the finals. Hildebrandt remained undefeated, claiming a first-set win for the title, but our hats are off to Ms. Lo for earning the respect of many of the state's top players with her inspired performance.
The Women's B singles division was all Terry Duncan of Littleton. Duncan was vowing to improve on her 4th place showing from 2004 when the state event was under the auspices of the BCA, and she succeeded by running the table in the bracket, including a win over Aurora's Pam James in the finals.
Despite the distractions of overseeing the event production, Pueblo's Ray Armenta remained focused on straight shooting throughout the Championships, as he bested the largest field in the tournament - the Men's B singles division - with an undefeated run, capped by a strong win over Littleton's Jay Goplin in the finals to claim his first-ever state title!
In the Scotch Doubles division, Carol Radebaugh added to her hardware, as she teamed up with partner Roy Treggiari (also of Aurora) to out-pace the undefeated team of Seenae Kim/Norm Meder (Colorado Springs) in two sets in the finals for the crown.
Congratulations to the independent league operators, officers and volunteers who unselfishly spent countless hours of pre-planning and work in the previous months to make this state championship a very special benefit for the ACS league players throughout the region. The success of this event is spurring the association to plan adding an annual state ACS team championships for next year at a separate quarter of the year from the singles/scotch doubles, the success of which assures an annual championships for the future.
Final Payouts:
Men's AA/AAA
1st Sam Martinez (Pueblo) $375 + Trophy
2nd Scott Tollefson (Erie) $200 + Trophy
3rd Jim Calderone (Colorado Springs) $75 + Trophy
Women's A
1st Carol Radebaugh (Aurora) $140 + Trophy
2nd Debbie Snook (Pueblo) $70 + Trophy
3rd Samantha Diep (Aurora) $35 + Trophy
Men's A
1st James Hildebrandt (Pueblo) $430 + Trophy
2nd Laura Lo (Colorado Springs) $255 + Trophy
3rd Douglas Golden (Pueblo) $125 + Trophy
4th Joe Ross (Colorado Springs) $85
5-6th Jerry Cisneros (Colorado Springs) $60
Bob Rose (Denver)
7-8th William Armenta (Pueblo) $35
Victor Solano (Pueblo)
Women's B
1st Terry Duncan (Littleton) $235 + Trophy
2nd Pam James (Aurora) $135 + Trophy
3rd Kassie Riegel (Northglen) $80 + Trophy
4th Anne-Marie Birdsall (Wheat Ridge) $50
5-6th Teresa Frederick (Aurora) $25
Linda Jury (Aurora)
Men's B
1st Ray Armenta (Pueblo) $370 + Trophy
2nd Jay Goplin (Littleton) $220 + Trophy
3rd Greg Martinez (Denver) $110 + Trophy
4th Darren Brett (Lakewood) $75
Scotch Doubles
1st Carol Radebaugh / Roy Treggiari (Aurora) $225 + Trophies
2nd Seenae Kim/ Norm Meder (Colorado Springs) $125 + Trophies
3rd Pam James/ Danny Kulp (Aurora) $75 + Trophies
