After eight years, Jeremy Jones returned to the winners' circle of the Houston Open on the weekend of September 26-27. He won the event's 17th annual occurrence in 2007, and on this past weekend, claimed the 25th title (the event was held more than once a year in its earlier days). The $7,500-added Open division of the event drew 128 entrants to Legends Billiards in League City, TX.
In a concurrently-run, $500-added Ladies event, Jennifer Kraber stepped out of a runner-up shadow that's seen her fall just short in four events since January, including the Texas Open, three weeks ago, when Vivian Villareal successfully defended that Ladies' title for the third straight time. Tara Williams, who did not compete in this event, claimed title over Kramer in the other three events. Kraber went undefeated through a field of 27 entrants.
Though you'd be hard pressed to find anybody who'd be surprised by Jeremy Jones chalking up another title, the 25th Annual Houston Open had its share of competitors who fell by the wayside early; a relative term, of course, in a field of 128. Gone by the time the tournament had whittled down to 12 players were Skyler Woodward (13th), Robb Saez, Shane McMinn, PoolActionTV host, Ray Hansen and Joey Barnes (17th). Charlie Bryant, Tommy Tokoph, James Davis, Sr., and Danny Smith (25th) were gone, as well.
Left, were winners' side semifinalists Jones and Tony Chohan, along with Alex Pagulayan and Shane Winters. Lurking on the loss side were Jerry Calderon, Richie Richeson, Ruben Bautista, Dennis Orcullo, Josh Roberts, Jundel Mazon, Robert Gomez and James Davis, Jr.
As Jones was busy earning his spot in the hot seat match with a 9-6 win over Chohan, Winters locked up in a double hill battle he eventually won over Pagulayan. Jones claimed the hot seat 9-3 over Winters.
On the loss side, Chohan drew Jerry Calderon, who'd eliminated Richeson, double hill, and Bautista 7-5. Paguylan picked up Roberts, who'd defeated Mazon 7-5 and Gomez 7-3. Emphasizing the strength of the loss-side field, the average score over the loss side's final 10 matches was 7-4.6 (three double hill and four 7-5 matches). Unwilling to relinquish their shot at the title, Chohan survived a double hill fight against Calderon, as Pagulayan defeated Roberts 7-3.
Chohan played a steady quarterfinal that saw "The Lion" stay close until the end. Chohan won it it for a shot at Winters in the semifinals. Winters ended Chohan's bid 7-4 in those semifinals for a second shot at Jones. Winters doubled his rack total from the hot seat match, but Jones completed his undefeated run 9-6 to claim the title.
In the Ladies event, Kraber won both the hot seat match and finals by the same 7-5 (read "tight") score. Against different opponents. Kraber defeated Natalie Rocha 7-4 in a winners' side semifinal, as Belinda Lee was busy surviving a double hill fight against Terry Petrosino. Kraber sent Lee to the semifinals 7-5.
On the loss side, Ming Ng, who'd been sent over by Kraber in a winners' side quarterfinal, was on a five-match run that would give her a second shot against Kraber in the finals. She drew Petrosino, who'd defeated Rebecca Arcangeli 5-3. Rocha picked up Sybil Barron, who'd defeated Lorna McEwen 5-3. Ng eliminated Petrosino 5-3, as Rocha downed Barron 5-1. Ng then dropped Rocha into fourth place 5-3 and gave up only a single rack to Lee in the semifinals. Apparently not interested in a fifth, second-place finish, Kraber downed Ng a second time 7-5 and completed her undefeated run to claim the title.
The entire event was streamed live under the auspice of Ray "Big Truck" Hansen's PoolActionTV.
