Dustin Coe, sitting in the hot seat during the June 4-5 event on the Q City 9-Ball Tour, might well have assumed that to win the title, he'd have to beat his hot seat opponent, Jonathan Ailstock, a second time. As it turned out, he faced a friend of Ailstock's, Mike Hancock, who'd won seven on the loss side, and won the opening set of the true double elimination final. Coe took the second set and won the event that had drawn 56 entrants to Borderline Billiards in Bristol, TN.
Coe and Ailstock squared off in the hot seat match, once Coe had sent Darren Musser to the loss side 5-5 (Musser racing to 7), and Ailstock had shut out Cole Parsons. Coe chalked up a second 5-5 win (Ailstock, as well, racing to 7), and sat in the hot seat, waiting on Hancock.
Sent to the loss side by Jordan Grubb, Hancock defeated four opponents, including Jody Musselman and Daniel Adams, both 6-3, to draw Musser. Parsons, in the meantime, picked up Scott Roberts, who'd gotten by Dwain Barberie 7-3 and survived a double hill fight versus Dakota Harris to reach him.
Hancock survived a double hill match against Musser, and in the quarterfinals, faced Parsons, who'd defeated Roberts 5-4 (Roberts racing to 7). Over the next three matches, Hancock gave up a total of four racks; two in winning the quarterfinal match against Parsons, none in the semifinal matchup against his friend, Jonathan Ailstock, and two, in the opening set of the true double elimination final versus Coe.
Coe reversed his fortunes in the second set. He allowEd Hancock only a single rack and claimed the event title with a 5-1 win.
Although Borderline Billiards' owner, Janet Atwell, was in Virginia, competing in the National Pool Tour's 10-Ball Women's Invitational Tour, director Herman Parker thanked her and her staff, as well as sponsors Viking Cues and Delta-13 Racks. The next stop on the Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for June 11-12, will be hosted by Brass Tap Billiards in Raleigh, NC.
