Bernie Store - Photo courtesy of Rick Schmitz
The AWBT’s yearly trip to Tucson on October 25th and 26th saw Bernie Store get her first win of the year, and regain her spot at the top of the AWBT points list with just one event to go. The event also saw the emergence of a player, Tina Hess, who looks fully capable of winning events on tour.
The extra distance to Tucson may have dissuaded the Nevada players, but Tucson and Southern California were both well represented along with most of the top ladies from the Phoenix area in the field of 25 players.
It took no time at all for the upsets to start piling up as both Barbara Lee - Runner up from last month - and Susan Wilbur dropped first round matches. Lee would still make it to Sunday play, but Wilbur would not get past Sonia Flores on the one loss side.
Tour veteran Susan Williams came up just short of Sunday main event play as she won her first two matches and then lost to last month’s winner (and World traveller) Sara Miller 7-5. Things went from bad to worse for Williams as she lost to Alicia Streenz 7-5 in her next match and was eliminated out of the money.
The final four on the winners side on Sunday morning were Bernie Store, Sara Miller, Tucson’s Michelle Trevino and Tina Hess. Hess recently moved to Phoenix from Indiana, but she has been playing on regional tours across the country for many years and was expected to make a splash on the tour in a short period of time.
The final four on the one loss side were Alicia Streenz, Anne Gray, Barbara Lee and Sonia Flores.
Sunday matches got underway and the winners side saw Store send Sara Miller to the one loss side 7-3 and Hess defeat Trevino 7-2. Bernie would capture the hot-seat with a hard fought 7-5 win over Hess.
On the one loss side, Streenz and Flores settled for 7th place after losses to Gray and Lee. Gray had lost her second match of the event, but had put together an impressive run of four wins on the left side of the board and Michelle Trevino became win #5 for Gray. Trevino was joined in 5th place by Barbara Lee as Sara Miller handed Lee loss #2 by the score of 7-3.
Sara Miller kept her hopes for a repeat win on tour alive with a decisive 7-3 win over Anne Gray, but those hopes would be dashed in the semi-final match as Miller lost to Hess 7-2.
Store came out on fire in the final match and raced to what looked like an insurmountable 8-1 lead. Hess mounted a comeback and took advantage of a couple missed shots by Store to get back within two racks at 8-6 before missing a six ball that left Store four balls for the tournament win. Store would run out for the final 9-6 win.
Store was complimentary of her finals opponent when it was all over. She commented, “(Tina) plays a very good game, I think she’ll be able to compete with the top contenders in the AWBT.”
Store also commented on her lack of time in the winners circle so far this year. She said “(I) can’t believe this was my first win this season. I’m excited that I won an event before the season was over. Hopefully winning more than one event next season, but placing high in most of the events has kept me in the top. It’s been fun, only my 2nd year playing and I won the tour last year, trying to win this season too.”
Hess had great things to say about her fellow competitors and the tour itself after the event finished. “The pool hall we played at in Tucson was one of the nicest rooms I have ever played in. (They had) great tables, food etc. The women who play on this tour are awesome. I learned … just by watching some of the talented players play. Tres and Kristie do a great job running the tour as well. I felt welcomed from the very beginning here.” said Hess.
Although she failed to cash in the main event, Susan Williams cruised through the second chance event on Sunday and took first place with a 5-2 win over Rayna Gainey.
Tour director Tres Kane passed on the tour’s thanks to Pockets Owner Lenny and his son Curtis Johnson for hosting and adding $300 to the main event and $50 to the second chance. He also thanks the friends of the AWBT for adding $100. Tres and fellow tour director Kristie Ortega also added $70 to the second chance event.
