LAKE SAINT LOUIS, MO (May 20, 2014) — More than $600,000 in cash and prizes were awarded to APA members at the APA National Singles Championships held May 1 – 4 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, 8-Ball and 9-Ball Doubles Championships and the Wheelchair Challenge.
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. In the Green Tier, Mackenzie Hoover of Walkerton, Ind., defeated Mona Mendoza of New Iberia, La. Rita Singh of Kitchener, Ontario, and Rebecca Norgan of Round Rock, Texas, finished in 3rd Place. In the White Tier, Andrew Winans of Camarillo, Calif., defeated Elena Lane of Tucson, Ariz. Jamie Mauldin of Port Saint Lucie, Fla., and Mark Ware of Camp Springs, Md., tied for 3rd Place. In the Black Tier, Gregory Harada of San Gabriel, Calif., defeated Zachary Hummel of Kalamazoo, Mich. Leslie Pasieka of Oshawa, Ontario, and John Paul Ramirez of Lake Jackson, Fla., tied for 3rd Place.
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. Third Place finishers each received $3,000 in cash and prizes.
Robyn Thrash of Arlington, Texas, was awarded the Sportsmanship Award in the 9-Ball Shootout.
Nearly 3,200 poolplayers made it to the Regional Level of the 9-Ball Shootout before the field was whittled down to 264 men and women competing for 9-Ball crowns in each of three Skill Level Tiers.
Nearly 5,500 players throughout North America qualified for Regional competition in the 8-Ball Classic, with 459 of them advancing to the national championships.
In the finals of the 8-Ball Classic, five champions each took home a prize package worth $15,000 for their performances. In the finals of the Blue Tier, Dannielle Richardson of Stuart, Fla., defeated Tina Apgar of Splendora, Texas. Brandon Weber of Ankeny, Iowa, and Bobbie Weehunt of Dee City, Okla., tied for 3rd Place. In the Yellow Tier, Tim Dittmar of Alvin, Ill., defeated Bradley Harris of Aubrey, Texas. Paul Panebianco of Hamilton, N.J., and Ernest Westfall of Middletown, Ohio, tied for 3rd Place. In the Red Tier, Judy Johnston of San Antonio, Texas, defeated Tesha Finley of Easley, S.C. Joshua Jones of Des Moines, Iowa, and Fazir Baksh of East Hartford, N.J., tied for 3rd Place.
In the newly added Orange Tier, Barry O’Sullivan of Garwood, N.J., defeated Mike Rimay of Joliet, Ill. Robert Wilson of Toledo, Ohio, and Victorino Lara of Upland, Calif., tied for 3rd Place. In the Purple Tier, Christopher Miller of Lafayette, La., defeated Bob Vallas of E. Peoria, Ill. David Rowell of Birmingham, Ala., and Dennis Mersman of Colorado Springs, Colo., tied for 3rd Place.
First Place winners received cash and prizes worth $15,000. Each Runner-Up received cash and prizes worth $9,000. Third Place finishers each received $4,000 in cash and prizes.
Matthew Boyagain of Wayne, Mich., was awarded the Sportsmanship Award in the 8-Ball Classic.
In the 8-Ball Doubles Championship, Scotchoholics – Lance Harmon and Jason Lindsay– of West Monroe, La., defeated Jake & Elwood – Jimmy Coleman and John O’Donnell– of Falls Church, Va. The victory earned them a $5,000 payday. As Runners-Up, Jake & Elwood took home $3,000.
In the 9-Ball Doubles Championship, What the Baby Gonna Do 1 – Michael Hill and William Hill– of Proctor, Ark., defeated J & J – Jason Juliano and Dimosthenis Maniatis– of Medford, Mass. The victory earned them a $3,500 payday. As Runners-Up, J & J took home $2,300.
In the finals of the Wheelchair Challenge, Charlie Hans of Middletown, Ohio defeated Josh Johnson of Rayville, La., to take home $1,700 in prize money. Johnson received $800 as the Runner-Up.
By clicking on this link, visit the album of the winners' pictures on AZBilliards.
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. Nearly 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 Aramith, Action Cues and PoolDawg.
For more information on the American Poolplayers Association, visit www.poolplayers.com.
