Eleanor Callado and Jana Montour played three matches to determine the WPBA's 2013 Regional Tour Championship. Heavily favored, Montour, who's been the top-ranked player two out of the last three years with the Northwest Women's Pool Association, took the first of those three to sit in the hot seat. Callado, though, went to the semifinals, downed Susan Williams and returned to take the last two to claim the title. The $3,000-added WPBA Regional Tour Championship drew 64 entrants, all top finishers from eight WPBA Regional Tours, to Bogie's Billiards in Houston, TX. It was the second time that the event had been hosted by Bogie's Billiards, under the tour directorship of Kim White-Newsome, and was live-streamed via GoPlayPool.com. The event's final matches (from quarterfinals) will be available on the site through Friday.
Callado's eight-match trip to the winners' circle went through Amber Stone, Angela Martinez, Kim Pierce, and Janet Atwell to arrive among the winners' side final four and a match against Suzanne Smith. Montour, in the meantime, got by Angela Garza, Shanna Lewis, Jeri Engh and Shawn Modelo, before hooking up with the NWPA's 2012 Rookie of the Year, Sandy Badger, in the other winners' side semifinal. Callado got into the hot seat match with a 9-2 win over Smith. Montour joined her after sending Badger west 9-4. Montour took the first of three against Callado 9-7 and sat in the hot seat, awaiting her return.
On the loss side, Smith picked up Susan Williams, who'd shut out Shawn Modelo and survived a double hill matchup against Mary Hopkin. Badger ended up with Debbie Cervantes, who'd gotten by Atwell 7-5 and Belinda Lee 7-4. Badger ended Cervantes RTC run with a 7-1 victory, and in the quarterfinals, faced Williams, who'd hung on to defeat Smith, double hill.
Another double hill struggle that seemed, at times, to go on forever, ensued. Williams, fresh off her double hill win over Smith, was in stroke, and survived the quarterfinal battle against Badger, only to run into a determined Callado. Callado wasted little time, winning the semifinal match 7-4 and moving back for a double elimination finals battle against Montour.
It was something of an epic struggle, with Callado gaining an early lead and Montour fighting back to challenge. Callado took the opening set 9-7, and went on to win the shortened second set 7-2 to claim the Regional Tour Championship title.
