Jose Irizarry
Jose Irizarry and Hunter White battled twice this past weekend (March 4-5), winners’ side semifinal and in the finals, looking to claim title to a stop on the PremierBilliards.com’s Q City 9-Ball Tour. Irizarry, a tour veteran, was looking to claim his first title, while Hunter White was looking to claim his second this year, having been the ‘official’ winner while splitting the top two prizes with Jeff Abernathy at a stop in late January. They both got what they wanted. White shared the title, while splitting the top two cash prizes with Irizarry, who, as the undefeated occupant of the hot seat at the time, was the event’s official winner. The $500-added event drew 40 entrants to West End Billiards in Gastonia, NC.
Awarded a bye in the opening round, Irizarry got by David Seeley, Jeff Pete and Jacob Brooks (double hill) to arrive at the winners’ side semifinal against White. Christian Green, in the meantime, also awarded a bye, opened with a double hill win over Johnathan Ard before getting by Steven Yarab and Bryant Cooper, drawing Jimmy Tanner in the other winners’ side semifinal.
With White racing to 10, Irizarry advanced to the hot seat match 7-6. He was joined by Greene, who’d sent Tanner to the loss side 6-4. Jose Irizarry, playing what was his final match, claimed the hot seat 7-4 over Greene.
On the loss side, White picked up Junior Gabriel, who’d followed his winners’ side quarterfinal loss to Jimmy Tanner with victories over Jeff Pete 6-1 and Bryant Cooper, double hill. Tanner drew Jason Blackwell, who’d shut out his first winners’ side opponent, Chris Baucom and then been shut out by his second opponent, Junior Gabriel, was working on a four-match loss-side run that had eliminated Chad Vinesett 6-3, Jordan Newman, double hill, Jacob Brooks 6-1 and Matthew Lucas 6-3.
White and Tanner spoiled a potential Blackwell/Gabriel rematch in the quarterfinals, when White defeated Gabriel 10-2 and Tanner eliminated Blackwell 6-2. White downed Tanner 10-4 in the quarterfinals and shut out Greene in the semifinals.
White and Irizarry decided not to play the final. They split the top two prizes, allowing Irizarry to claim his first title, albeit one with an *, assigned for the ‘no final’ event.
Tour director Herman Parker, who was unable to attend due to illness, thanked West End Billiards owner, Ricardo Carcamo (for filling in during his absence) and his staff for their hospitality, as well as title sponsor PremierBilliards.com, BarPoolTables.net, Dirty South Grind Apparel Co., Realty One Group Results, Diamond Brat, AZBilliards.com, Federal Savings Bank Mortgage Division and TKO Custom Cues.
The tour will be idle this weekend and the following weekend (March 18-19), the PremierBilliards.com’s TOP (The Open Players) Tour will take center stage at the 2nd Annual West Virginia 9-Ball Championships, hosted by The League Room in Parkersburg, WV.
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