Chip Compton, Mike Durbin-sponsor and Joey Gray
Kent goes undefeated to capture Ladies' title
By Evelyn Dysart's calculations, Chip Compton and Joey Gray have, over a number of years, battled in the finals of a Midwest 9-Ball Tour event a minimum of 10 times.
"Probably more," she said. "They've been doing it ever since I've been running this tour, and it goes either way. It's not like either one of them has dominated the (series) of matches."
They met in the finals again, during the December 13-14 stop on the tour. They battled, first, for the hot seat and then, at the end, with Compton chalking up the win in both. The $1,900-added Open event drew 40 entrants to Jamaica Joe's in Midwest City, OK. A concurrently-run, $600-added Ladies event drew 13, and was won by Wendy Kent, who took two out of three over runner-up Debbi Aldridge.
After participating in the Open event and finishing just out of the money in the tie for ninth place, Mike Massey conducted a 30-minute, impromptu trick shot exhibition for participants and spectators.
In the Open event, once Gray had shut out James Walden and Compton had sent Coy Lee Nicholson west 9-7, they met in the battle for the hot seat (which has presumably happened as many times as their meetings in the finals). Compton took that hot seat match 9-4 and waited on Gray's return.
Over on the loss side, Walden picked up K.C. Massey, who'd been responsible for eliminating Mike Massey (not related), and Moe Ali 9-8. Nicholson drew Jacob McMichael, fresh off his 9-5 victory over Marlon Isbell.
Walden and Nicholson got right back to work; Walden surviving a double hill battle against Massey, Nicholson downing McMichael 9-4. Walden took the quarterfinal match 9-7 over Nicholson before himself being eliminated 9-6 by Gray in the semifinals.
Compton and Gray duplicated their hot seat match. Compton chalked up the only set necessary in the finals 9-4 to claim the event title.
In the Ladies event, Wendy Kent's run went through Debbi Aldridge three times; once in the hot seat (7-2) and twice, in the double elimination finals. Aldridge moved to the loss side for a semifinal match against Diana Wolfe, who'd just eliminated Jessica Westbrook 7-5. Aldridge got her second shot at Kent with a 7-3 win over Wolfe, and then won the opening set of the finals, double hill. Kent didn't allow the second set to get that close, completing her title run 7-3.
The next stop on the Midwest 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for February 19, will be a triple tournament - One Pocket, 9-Ball and Ladies 9-Ball - hosted by Shooter's in Olathe, KS.
