David Airfield may have chalked up his victory on the Q City 9-Ball Tour by taking advantage of a short, handicapped field (15), but he had to get by a wily veteran, Larry Kressel, twice, to do it. The August 8th event was hosted by Diamonds Billiards in Midlothian, VA.
They met first in a winners' side semifinal, while James Hicks and Doug Carter met in the other one. Kressel, who's been chalking up victories and cashing on tours for over a decade now, was racing to 11, while Airfield needed six games. He got his six, as Kressel's five moved him to the loss side. Battling for the hot seat, Airfield faced Hicks, who'd defeated Carter 8-4. Airfield claimed the hot seat with a shutout and waited on Kressel's return.
On the loss side, Kressel picked up Collin Hall, winner of the previous week's stop on the tour. Hall had defeated Joey Mastermaker 6-4 and Lauren Kauffman 6-2 to reach Kressel. Carter faced Mat Lemire, who'd eliminated Wayne Richards and Ricky Dickson, both 7-3.
Over the next three games, propelling him back to the finals, Kressel gave up only a single rack more (7) than he'd given up to Airfield in the winners' side semifinal (6). He gave up two of them to Hall, as Lemire defeated Carter 7-5. He gave up two more to Lemire in the quarterfinals, and three to Hicks in the semifinals.
Kressel chalked up one more rack in the finals (6) than he had against Airfield in the hot seat match (5). Airfield, though, completed his undefeated day 6-6 to claim the event title.
The next stop on the Q-City 9-Ball Tour, to be hosted by Grady's in Lexington, SC, is scheduled for Saturday, August 15.
