Roman Bayda, Jason Dutchover, Robert Clark and Gus Briseno
Jason Dutchover’s victory on the Cuetec DFW 9-Ball Tour this past weekend (April 17-18), only his second appearance on the 2021 tour, rocketed him from tour-ranking obscurity among the 18 tour competitors who share #116 on the points list to #5 on the tour’s list (a three-way tie with Erik Smith and Jeff Sullivan). Had it not been for the 20 points Dutchover chalked up for his appearance in the season opener, this most recent victory would have tied him with the late Jalil Al Sarisi, who won the tour’s season opener back in January, before losing his battle to COVID on April 12. Al Sarisi was awarded a moment of silence at this event and an impromptu collection was taken up for his family.
Dutchover and Roman Bayda, who won seven on the loss side to meet him, fought to double hill twice in the finals of this event. Dutchover won the second set to claim the event title. The $1,500-added event drew 96 entrants to Snookered Billiards, Bar & Restaurant in Frisco, TX.
Dutchover’s path went through Jason Dixon, Calaia Jackson, Charlie Smith, Darrell Smith and Robin Barbour to arrive at a winners’ side semifinal match versus Chris Gaither. Dutchover had chalked up an aggregate score over those five matches of 45-14, or, having won three out of every four games he played. In the meantime, Gus Briseno had gotten by Jordan Gartenberg, Casey Dawson and Don Baker before sending eventual-finalist Roman Bayda to the loss side. Briseno advanced to defeat James Davis, Jr. in a winners’ side quarterfinal (aggregate score now at 45-17; 73%) to draw Harold “Woody” Paine in their winners’ side semifinal match .
Dutchover downed Gaither 9-6, while Briseno was busy shutting out Paine. Dutchover claimed the hot seat 9-5 over Briseno and waited on the return of Bayda.
On the loss side, Gaither picked up Robert Clark, who’d lost to Bayda in the opening round and was working on a nine-match, loss-side winning streak that had recently eliminated Clint Palaci 8-6 and, double hill, James Davis, Jr. “Woody” Paine drew Bayda, who was four matches into his loss-side run and had recently defeated Crispian Ng 8-6 and Tony Loeper 8-1.
Bayda got into the quarterfinals with an 8-2 win over Paine. Clark eliminated Gaither 8-6 to earn himself a rematch against Bayda. Bayda, though, stopped Clark’s run and defeated him a second time, this time 8-6.
He’d come a long way and Bayda’s final hurdle had to leap over the competitor who’d increased the number of matches he’d had to win, considerably. The Bayda/Briseno rematch went Bayda’s way 8-3, as did the opening set of the true double-elimination final versus Dutchover, which went double hill (8-8). Now both with a single loss, they went into a second double hill match, won by Dutchover to claim the event title.
In addition to the ‘finish’ payouts, $60 went to the last player standing at Skill Levels 4 (Phoebe Simon), 5 (Matt Wilson, Dennis Hall), 6 (Carson Jeffrey, Darrell Smith) and Last Lady (Phoebe Simon, Tina Soto). A $100-added Second Chance tournament drew 20 entrants and was won by Sean King ($200). Jerry Yang was runner-up ($140), with Nayan Tamrakar in 3rd place ($80), Blake Kamiab in 4th ($40) and Phoebe Simon and Ruben Flores in the tie for 5th ($20).
Tour representatives thanked Craig and Jana Lucas and the Snookered Billiards staff for their hospitality, as well as title sponsor Cuetec and Associate Title sponsor Fort Worth Billiards Superstore. The next stop on the Cuetec DFW 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for May 22-23, will be hosted by Rusty’s in Arlington, TX.
