LAKE SAINT LOUIS, MO (May 9, 2007) — More than $300,000 in cash and prizes was awarded to APA members at the APA National Singles Championships held April 26-28 in Las Vegas at the Riviera Hotel & Casino. The National Singles Championships consisted of both the 8-Ball Classic and 9-Ball Shootout Singles Championships and the Jack & Jill Doubles Championship.
The final round of the 9-Ball Shootout featured three championship matches, one for each skill level tier, with two shooters in each match competing for $10,000 in cash and prizes.
The finals of the Green Tier (Skill Levels 1-3) pitted Brenda DuMont of Wyandotte, Mich., versus Susan Cherkowsky of Lakeland, Fla. Cherkowsky took the match 25-15 for the championship. Cherkowsky advanced to the finals after a semifinal round victory over Michael Cabellero of Bayonne, N.J. DuMont advanced to the finals after defeating Yvonne McCrory of Huntsville, Ala.
Karl Lavergne of Kenosha, Wis., defeated Joey Scalzi of Mrytle Beach, S.C., 46-17 in the finals of the White Tier (Skill Levels 4-5) for the championship. Lavergne defeated Edward Conklin of Bayonne, N.J., in the semifinal round to advance to the finals. Scalzi advanced to the finals by defeating Stacey Eason of Jonesboro, Ark.
The finals of the Black Tier (Skill Levels 6-9) featured Jose Garcia of San Antonio, Texas, against Jerry Lin of Northridge, Calif. Garcia defeated Lin 55-58 (Lin needed 75 points to win based on skill level). Lin advanced to the finals after defeating James Johnson of Utica, N.Y., in the semifinals. Garcia advanced to the final round match after a victory Tim Carns of Jacksonville, Fla., in the semifinal match of the Black Tier.
Each of the three Champions received a prize package worth $10,000. Runners-Up in each tier took home a prize package worth $5,000.
Nearly 13,000 amateur shooters attempted to qualify for the 2007 APA 9-Ball Shootout Singles Championship in their local league area. More than 1,800 poolplayers made it to the regional level of the 9-Ball Shootout before the field was whittled down to 145 men and women competing for 9-Ball crowns in each of three skill level tiers.
More than 33,000 shooters attempted to qualify for the 2007 8-Ball Classic. Nearly 4,800 poolplayers made it to the regional level before the field was narrowed to 362 men and women competing for 8-Ball crowns in each of three skill level tiers.
In the finals of the 8-Ball Classic, three champions each took home a prize package worth $15,000 for their performances.
In the Blue Tier (Skill Levels 2-3) of the 8-Ball Classic, it was Jada Monroe of Accokeek, Md., defeating Diane Pizzato of Wheeling, Ill., 3-0 in the final match. Monroe defeated Doris Conerly of Kentwood, La., in the semifinals to advance, while Pizzato defeated Aimee Marlar of Nashville, Tenn.
The finals of the Yellow Tier (Skill Levels 4-5), saw Diane Romano of Orlando, Fla., defeat Scott Abbott of Kentwood, La., 3-2 in the finals. Romano advanced to the finals by defeating Wendell Cox of Oklahoma City earlier in the day in the semifinal round. Abbott defeated Austin Ouellette of Bristol, Conn., in the semifinals.
The finals of the Purple Tier (Skill Levels 6-7) pitted Kevin Adams of Chicago, against Jeff Sergent of Joliet, Ill. Sergent defeated Adams in the finals 5-3. Adams defeated Jim Bogie of Clark, N.J., in the semifinal round. Sergent advanced after defeating Scott Morgan of Peoria, Ill.
First place winners received cash and prizes worth $15,000. Each Runner-Up received cash and prizes worth $9,000.
In the annual Jack & Jill Doubles Championship, held in the MiniMania Room during the Singles Championships, Charles Barringer and Jamie Swisher-Gibbs of Yorktown, Va., defeated Thomas Johnson and Heather Denham of Nashville, Tenn. Barringer and Swisher-Gibbs took home $5,000, while Johnson and Denham received $3,000 as Runners-Up.
Sportsmanship Awards were presented to Kato Lin of Chatsworth, Ca., and David Fritz of Mountain City, Tenn., for their outstanding conduct throughout their matches in the 9-Ball Shootout and 8-Ball Classic, respectively.
The APA, based in Lake Saint Louis, Mo., sanctions the world's largest amateur pool league, known as the APA Pool League throughout the United States, and as the Canadian Pool League in Canada. More than 260,000 members compete in weekly 8-Ball and 9 Ball league play. The APA is generally recognized as the Governing Body of Amateur Pool, having established the official rules, championships, formats and handicap systems for the sport of amateur billiards.
The APA produces three major tournaments each year—the APA National Team Championships, the APA National Singles Championships and the U.S. Amateur Championship—that, together, pay out nearly $1.5 Million in cash and prizes annually!
The APA and its championships are sponsored by Cuetec Cues, Aramith Billiard Balls, Valley Teflon Ultra Cloth by Championship, and Valley Tables.
For more information on the APA, visit www.poolplayers.com.
