Lucasi Hybrid Cues ACS Midwest 8-Ball Championships Continue To Grow In Iowa

With over 450 players, 100 teams and a venue that drew accolades from every attendee, the 2011 Lucasi Hybrid Cues ACS Midwest 8-Ball Championships at the Riverside Casino & Resort in Riverside, Iowa, January 20-23, enjoyed significant growth amidst choruses of “we can't wait to come back next year!”  The $10,400-added championships – produced by the American CueSports Alliance (ACS) - enjoying its second year in Iowa, offered competition in six primary events and three secondary events:  Men's and Women's Master 8-Ball Singles, Men's and Women's Open 8-Ball Singles, Men's and Women's four-person 8-Ball Teams, Scotch Doubles 8-Ball and handicapped men's and women's 9-Ball Singles.

In the Men's Master 8-Ball Singles, favored Jesse Bowman (Moline, IL) was manhandled in the first round by Mark Pratico (Chicago Heights, IL) 6-1.  On the A-side, smooth-stroking Scott Hargens (Cedar Rapids, IA) claimed the hot seat, where he awaited his eventual opponent for the title…Jesse Bowman.  In set #1, Hargens took a big lead and was on the verge of winning before Bowman slipped by for a 6-5 decision to force a deciding set.  In set #2, Hargens again took a big lead, but this time he was not to be denied, as Scott took down the title 6-4!   

In the Women's Master 8-Ball Singles, multi-time national champion and defending ACS Midwest champion Jessica Frideres (Ft. Dodge, IA) once again marched to the hot seat, but Chicago's Any Latzko double-dipped Frideres in a very hard-fought finals 5-4/5-4 for the crown!

In the Men's Open 8-Ball Singles, Hobart Indiana's undefeated Bill Springer dispatched Mark McCaleb from Bloomington IL for the title in one set: 4-1.

In the Women's Open 8-Ball Singles, Omaha Nebraska dominated the head line, as Omaha native and undefeated Lorrie Lanham dominated good friend Shandy Faughn 3-0 in the first set of the finals for the championship.

In the Men's 8-Ball Teams, undefeated “Leisure Time” (IL) [Rick Frazelle (C), Mark Czerwinski, Don Boll and Dean Miller] captured the hot seat over the 68-team field and turned back “Finish Line” [Chris Wilder (C), Mark McCaleb, Doug Williams, Dean Foster and Bob Nodine] 9-7 in one set for the top honors!

In the Women's 8-Ball Teams, the team of “There Is No “I” In Drunk” (IL) [Amy Latzko (C), Janet Gorecki, Kim Mickulas and Jamie Strezo], recovered from an earlier round loss and spotting most teams two games to dispatch the 32-team field by double-dipping the hot-seat team of “Boo Bees II” [Sharon Rinkert (C), Angelique Damstron, Tracy Sheeler and Renee Cook] in a two-set finals, 9-4/ 9-6, for the title!

The team of Jessica Frideres and Harvey Helm, captured the Scotch Doubles 8-Ball event over a field of twenty-two teams, while Rick Frazelle of Fort Moline, IL, outpointed a 118-player field in the Men's 9-Ball Singles for the top spot.  Angelique Damstrom (Ankeny, IA) bested a field of 14 for the Women's 9-Ball Singles honors. “Master Z's Cue Club” (WI) [Tony Trevino (C), Art Young, Dan Albrecht and Jason Sprague] captured the Men's 2nd Chance Team division, while “The Pour House” (NE) [Cece Sempek (C), Shandy Faughn, Melanie Brandon and Amanda Grimes] took down the Women's 2nd Chance Team division .

The ACS would like to thank the title sponsor of the event – Lucasi Hybrid Cues, the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort for its support and outstanding hospitality, and other sponsors Iowa Sports Center apparel and Diveney Custom Cues; Nick Varner Signature Cues and Cases, whose multi-World Champion namesake took on all challengers throughout the event; and former World Artistic Pool Champion Tom “Dr. Cue” Rossman, who wowed the crowds for four days with his exhibitions! The event was conducted by Gary & Shelly Benson and John Maestry under the auspices of High Country Promotions.  Special thanks as well to ACS referees Cecil Messer, Robert Ball, James Reed and Tom Fankhauser, and to the equipment crew of Mike Peiffer, Chris Bringman, Curt Rogenstein and Jeremy Bush.

Final Results:

Men's Master 8-Ball Singles
[16 entries x $75 + $500 added = $1,700]
1st    Scott Hargens (Cedar Rapids, IA)    $600
2nd    Jesse Bowman (Moline, IL)        $400
3rd    Mark Pratico (Chicago Heights, IL)    $300
4th    Daniel Roach (Canton, MO)        $200
5-6th    Greg Scheffert (Cedar Rapids, IA)    $100
    Bruce Ribble (Swisher, IA)

Women's Master 8-Ball Singles
[8 entries x $75 + $500 added = $1,100]
1st    Amy Latzko (Chicago Ridge, IL)    $550
2nd    Jessica Frideres (Fort Dodge, IA)    $350
3rd    Kelly Spangenburg (Carlisle, IA)    $200

Men's Open 8-Ball Singles
[141 entries x $40 + $500 added = $6,140]
1st    Bill Springer (Hobart, IN)        $1,100      
2nd    Mark McCaleb (Bloomington, IL)    $800
3rd    Nathan Atkinson (Wellman, IA)    $520
4th    Christ Aiardo (Moline, IL)        $300
5-6th    Rex Houston (Ft. Madison, IA)    $225
    Billy Jones (Bartlett, IL)
7-8th    Anthony Asher (Savannah, MO)    $175
    Dennis Shumway (Ottawa, IL)
9-12th    Jonathan Bair (Muscatine, IA)    $125
    Greg Knight (Marion, IA)
Jamie Tipps (Wapello, IA)
    Greg Mantei (Camdenton, MO)
13-16th    Milton Strack (Monticello, IL)    $100
    Greg Hills (Muscatine, IA)
Mark Atkinson (Wellman, IA)
    Cory Data (Dubuque, IA)
17-24th    Allen Moore (North Liberty, IA)    $75
    Erin Youell (East Peoria, IL)
    John Gorsch Sr. (Cedar Rapids, IA)
    Bob Nodine (Streator, IL)
Jim Goldring (Canton, IL)
    Brian McNeeley (Pleasant Hill, IA)
    John Jaster (Rock Island, IL)
Martin Plumb (Silvis, IL)   
25-32nd    Pat Powers (St. Joseph, MO)        $60
    Cory Youngblut (Iowa City, IA)
    Jamie Martin (Cedar Rapids, IA)
    Dennis Reding (Morris, IL)
Ronald Miller (Stanberry, MO)
    Shane English (Crete, IL)
    Dave Gossar (Wedron, IL)
    Mike Ruoff (Valparaiso, IN)
33-48thDan Guzman (Altoona, IA)        $40
    Dustin Roach (Canton, MO)
    Mike Doe (Cedar Rapids, IA)
    Mike Clancy (East Dubuque, IL)
Steve Barnes (Iowa City, IA)
    Jeff Paxton (Sedalia, MO)
    Dave Gossar (North Prairie, WI)
    Dean Foster (Diamond, IL)
    Doug McComb (Morris, IL)
    Joe Massingale (Canton, IL)
    Doug Williams (Pontiac, IL)
    Doug Duncan (St. Joseph, MO)
    Greg Travis (Savannah, MO)
Shane Lee (Wayland, IA)
Rich Ciampa (Waukesha, WI)
Chris Nicholson (Des Moines, IA)

Women's Open 8-Ball Singles
[57 entries x $40 + $500 added = $2,780]
1st    Lorrie Lanham (Omaha, NE)            $700
2nd    Shandy Faughn (Omaha, NE)            $480
3rd    Denise Miller (Galva, IL)            $350
4th    Dawn Spencer (Hiawatha, IA)        $250                   
5-6th    Faith Eichman (Dubuque, IA)            $150
    Joleen Reinhardt (Dubuque, IA)
7-8th    Susan Leonard (Moline, IL)            $100
    Ellen Stuckey (Dubuque, IA)
9-12th    Tammie Richardson (Des Moines, IA)    $75
    Tricia Slade (Iowa City, IA)
Mary Lynn Breitenbach (Silvis, IL)
Betty Garza (Sterling, IL)
13-16th    Sharon Rinkert (Winterset, IA)        $50
    Donna Whitcomb (Port Byron, IL)
Catherine Harness (Silvis, IL)
Maria Lara (Sterling, IL)

Scotch Doubles 8-Ball
[22 entries x $30 + $250 added = $910]
1st    Jessica Frideres/ Harvey Helm (IA)        $350
2nd    Angelique Damstrom / Mike Ancell (IA)     $240
3-4th    Heide & Jerry French (IL)            $160

Jodi Peckham [IA]/ Chris Wilder (IL)           

Men's 9-Ball Singles
[118 entries x $20 + $200 added = $2,560]

1st    Rick Frazelle (Moline, IL)        $640   
2nd    Bruce Ribble (Swisher, IA)        $400
3-4th    Jamie Henson (Crawforsville, IN)    $200
    Mason Parks (Moline, IL)
5-8th    Steve Aldrich (Cedar Rapids, IA)    $100
    Blake Byrket (Muscatine, IA)
    Dennis Wolrab (Cedar Rapids, IA)
    Doric Smith (Galesburg, IL)
9-16th    Roger Harris  (Iowa City, IA)        $50
    Andy Rounceville (Iowa City, IA)
    Jim Goldring (Canton, IL)
    Neil Shank (Tilton, IL)
    Dave Webb (Fort Madison, IA)
John Gorsch Sr. (Cedar Rapids, IA)
    Colin Brandt (Rock Island, IL)
    Randy Tenley (Galesburg, IL)
17-32nd    Jeremy Bush (Kalona, IA)        $20
    Clarence Hunter (Sedalia, MO)
    Doug McComb (Morris, IL)
    Allen Moore (North Liberty, IA)
    Martin Plumb (Silvis, IL)
    Marc Czerwinski (Moline, IL)
    Geno Robertson (Cedar Rapids, IA)
    Dennis Reding (Morris, IL)
    Dave Gossar (Wedron, IL)
    Chris Nicholson (Des Moines, IA)
    Derold Judson (Des Moines, IA)
    Dustin Roach (Kirksville, MO)
    Shane English (Crete, IL)
    Harvey Helm (Des Moines, IA)
Mike Peiffer (Washington, IA)
Lee Styer (Cedar Rapids, IA)   

Women's 9-Ball Singles
[14 entries x $20 + $200 added = $480]

1st    Angelique Damstrom (Ankeny, IA)    $200   

2nd    Heide French (Moline, IL)        $100

3-4th    Sue Koshinski (Decatur, IL)        $50
    Sheree Hill (Muscatine, IA)

5-8th    Miranda Krueger (North Liberty, IA)     $20
    Lacy Lewis (Muscatine, IA)
    Dee Strack (Monticello, IL)
    Tracy Sheeler (West Des Moines, IA)
   

Men's Teams
[68 entries x $80 + $4,000 added = $9,440]

1st    Leisure Time (IL)            $2,000

2nd    Finish Line (IL)            $1,480

3rd    Q-Slingers (IA)            $1,080

4th    Boardwalk (IL)            $780

5-6th    Sharks (MO)                $500
    The Old Guys (IA)

7-8th    Danny's Thud (IN)            $350
    Table Hoggz (IA)

9-12th    2nd Avenue Corner Pocket (IA)    $250
    PD Ques (IA)
N.S.B.O.A. (IA)
Hartley's (IL)

13-16th    Pocket This (IA)            $150
    Lucky Penny (IL)
Balls Deep (IL)
Sporties Pimpin Ain't Easy (WI)

17-24th    The Untouchables (IL)        $100
    Hillbilly Golfers (IA)
Startin' From Scratch (IA)
Road House (MO)
Pool Hall Junkies (MO)
Camo crew (IN)
Team Varner (IN)
Table Rats (IA)

Women's Teams
[32 entries x $80 + $3,000 added = $5,560]
1st    There Is No “I” In Drunk (IL)        $1,500   
2nd    Boo Bees II (IA)            $1,100       
3rd    Diamonds In The Rough (IL)        $800
4th    Good Girls (IL)            $560
5-6th    Which Witch Is Witch (NE)        $350
    Jokers Wild (IA)
7-8th    QT's (IL)                $250
    Sporties Chalk Dirty To Me (WI)
9-12th    Knickers – Deckert (IL)        $100
    Chix w/Stix (IL)
    Wide Open Bar & Grill (IA)
    Gus's (IA)

Men's Teams – 2nd Chance
[16 entries x $40 + $450 added = $1,090]
1st    Master Z's Cue Club (WI)        $450   
2nd    Stumble Inn (IL)            $300
3-4th    Ruthless (IA)                $170
    Bad Boys (IL)       

Women's Teams – 2nd Chance
[8 entries x $40 + $300 added = $620]
1st    The Pour House (NE)            $300   
2nd    WTF 8 Ball (IA)            $200
3-4th    What The Hell? (IL)            $60
    Ball Busters (IL)