Randall McLuckie, Che Mvros and Kyle Bova
Bova goes undefeated in Amateur 9-Ball and is runner-up in Open 10-Ball, won by Meglino
By any measure, the last five years have been tumultuous, no matter what your politics or job or your Fargo rate as a pool player. Five years ago, apparently not engaged enough with a full-time job as an office manager for a dentist and having run the USA Pool League franchise in Central Florida for about four years, Janene Phillips established the Sunshine State Pro/Am Pool Tour.
Initially designed for Amateur 8-Ball events and restricted to Central Florida, the tour organized six stops in its 2016 debut year. There were 10 stops in 2017 and they’d picked up some sponsors. There were 12 stops in 2018, by which time the tour was playing host to 300 different pro and amateur players. By 2019, they’d found themselves a title sponsor, became the Sunshine State Predator Pro Am Pool Tour and were able to offer incentives for Player, Junior and Lady of the Year awards.
And then . . . well, we all know how 2020 went, pretty much for everybody. . . the year that wasn’t, so to speak.
“We survived COVID,” wrote Phillips on the tour’s Web site, “and our tour managed to have seven stops, including a One Pocket event and a Ladies Only Open event.”
This year, its fifth, they’ve got 14 events scheduled, and along the way, have begun dual events in places that can accommodate them, as well as special, ‘no tour-point’ events like their “575 and under Fargo rate” events, which, according to Phillips, “sell out within 48 hours.”
So, overall, while it’s been as tumultuous for the Sunshine State Predator Pro Am Pool Tour as it has been for the general populace, Phillips and her tour partner, Bobby Garza are not complaining. Garza joined the tour in its first season, is responsible for providing the streaming services that the tour utilizes and was instrumental in attaining the title sponsorship of Predator Cues (and, one would be remiss in failing to add, is a good pool player, too).
“Honestly,” said Phillips, “I’m happy with the position we’re in.”
“We’ve had goals since the beginning,” she added, “and the only one we haven’t hit was to have a large, added-money Pro event. I still have it on the list, though.”
This past weekend, at Brewlands Carrollwood in Tampa, FL, the tour celebrated its 5th anniversary by holding one of its ‘dual events.’ They held a $1,000-added ($500 from Brewlands and $500 from a Predator raffle) Amateur 9-Ball event that drew 64 entrants and an $800-added ($400 from Brewlands and $400 from the Central Florida USA Pool League) Open 10-Ball event that drew 32 entrants. The two winners – Kyle Bova in the 9-Ball event and Anthony Meglino in the 10-Ball event – went undefeated to claim the tour’s 5th anniversary title.
Kyle Bova, who came into the Amateur 9-Ball event, having already finished as the runner-up in the concurrently-run 10-Ball Open event, went undefeated through the 64-entrant field. His opponents chalked up an average, few-percentage-points-above three racks against him throughout the tournament. With four notches on his match-belt, of the six he needed to win, he faced Joselito Martinez in one of the winners’ side semifinals. Randall McLuckie and Che Mvros, who’d end up being Bova’s last two opponents, squared off in the other one.
Bova downed Martinez 7-4, as McLuckie was busy surviving a double fight against Mvros. Bova claimed the hot seat 7-2 over McLuckie and awaited the return of McLuckie.
On the loss side, Mvros picked up Jomax Garcia, who eliminated Dale Stanley and Jerry Arvelaez to reach him. Martinez drew Desi Derado, who was in the midst of a four-match, loss-side streak which had recently knocked out Edward Porter and Serafin Serrano. By the same 7-3 score, Mvros defeated Garcia and Martinez downed Derado.
Mvros took the quarterfinal over Martinez 6-3 and, in his rematch versus McLuckie in the semifinals, wreaked his vengeance 7-4 for a place in the finals. Bova, though, completed his undefeated run with a 9-4 victory over Mvros.
Donny Mills, Anthony Meglino and Kyle Bova
Meglino chalks up second Open win on the tour, Bova is runner-up
Back in April, Anthony Meglino came from winning a single, semifinal match on the loss side to defeat Bobby Emmons in the final of one of the tour’s Open event, held in conjunction with one of its “Fargo-rate-defined” events; in that case, it was 600 and under. This time, the Open 10-Ball event which drew Meglino was in conjunction with the Amateur event detailed above and this time, Meglino went undefeated to claim the title. Kyle Bova, finished as runner-up, and went on to win the 9-ball event.
Meglino faced separate opponents in the hot seat and finals of this one; Donny Mills in the hot seat match and in their second match, Bova in the finals. Meglino, whose opponents averaged between two and three racks against him throughout the tournament, advanced to a winners’ side semifinal versus Bova, as Mills was battling Tommy Kennedy.
Mills downed Kennedy 7-4. Meglino sent Bova to the loss side 7-2. Meglino gave up only a single rack to claim the hot seat and wait in it for Bova’s return.
On the loss side, Bova picked up Mike Delawder, who’d been defeated in a winners’ side quarterfinal by Tommy Kennedy and subsequently defeated Carlos Gomez 5-2 and Alec Saputo 7-2. Kennedy drew Joselito Martinez, who was working on a four-match, loss-side winning streak that had recently eliminated Derrick Santos, double hill, and Anthony Fisher 7-2.
Bova downed Delawder 7-5, as Martinez dropped Kennedy 7-3. Bova ended Martinez’ streak in the subsequent quarterfinals 7-4. Bova defeated Mills in the semifinals 7-4 for a shot at Meglino, waiting for him in the hot seat. Meglino completed his undefeated run with a 9-5 victory over Bova in the 10-Ball Open finals.
The thanks of Janene Phillips and Bobby Garza extended this past weekend to include all who had come within their sphere of influence over the past five years. As usual, they thanked the ownership (Larry Wathal) and staff at this weekend’s venue, Brewlands Carrollwood, for their hospitality and noted the title sponsorship of Predator Cues. They also thanked sponsors Kamui, AZBilliards, Diamond Products, Stitch It To Me Embroidery, and the Central Florida USA Pool League. Phillips thanked Bobby Garza for his since-the-beginning support and for this past weekend’s stream with fellow commentator Jimmy Antonietta. They gave further thanks to Nicolle Cuellar for her assistance and to Dain Cirilo, and Nick and Gia Fiore for their assistance with the raffles.
“Most of all,” they said (together, in two-part harmony, with feeling), “we want to send our love and appreciation out to all of the players and spectators for coming out and supporting our tour and celebrating 5 years with us!!”
The next stop on the Sunshine State Predator Pro Am Pool Tour, scheduled for the weekend of July 31-August 1, will be hosted by Stroker’s in Palm Harbor, FL.
