Jeannie Seaver and Kaylee McIntosh
Coming off a wildly successful year in which she recorded pool earnings that were three times as much as she’d earned in 2021, Kaylee McIntosh was awarded the Tiger Florida Tour’s 2022 Most Improved Player award at the tour’s season-opening event this past weekend (Sat., Jan. 14). And then, she went undefeated through the $500-added event that drew 24 entrants to Brewlands Billiards South in Lakeland, FL.
“I played confidently and consistently all day,” she wrote on her FB page, modestly not mentioning her Most Improved Player award. “I hope I can carry (the) momentum into the Kamui World Women’s 9-Ball Championship this coming week (Jan. 19-22 at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City).”
The event played out with a modified, double-elimination format, with the last two on the loss-side of the bracket drawing back into the final two on the winners’ side. Two, single-elimination semifinal matches were followed by the finals.
McIntosh opened up against Lisa Perez, advancing to defeat Lauren Kowalski and then, surviving a double hill battle versus Shannon Dunn. This moved her into an advancement qualifier against Michell Monk, determining which of them would immediately advance to the event’s final four and which would move to the loss side for an opportunity to draw back in among the final four. From the opposite end of the bracket, Jeannie Seaver, awarded an opening round bye, met and defeated junior competitor Sofia Mast 7-2, downed Stephanie Mitchell 7-1 to face Shanelle Lorraine for the opportunity to advance from the winners’ side.
McIntosh defeated Monk 7-1, advancing to the final four, as Seaver got by Lorraine 7-5, also advancing. Monk moved to the loss side, defeated Stephanie Mitchell 5-3 and came right back to face McIntosh a second time in one of the semifinals.
The last slot in the semifinals, destined to face Seaver, proved to be Kimberly Housman, who’d lost her opening match in a double hill battle against Shannon Dunn. Housman ended up winning five on the loss side, defeating tour director Mimi McAndrews, Lisa Perez, Chris Baumg and in one of the defacto quarterfinals, survived another double hill match, against The Pink Dagger, Sofia Mast. This set her up against Shanelle Lorraine. Housman completed her loss-side with a 5-3 victory over Lorraine and turned to join Seaver in the semifinals.
Michell Monk managed to add a single rack to her earlier score against McIntosh, but it wasn’t enough, as McIntosh moved into the finals. Seaver joined her after a 7-4 win over Housman. McIntosh completed her undefeated run with a 7-5 win over Seaver.
“It’s always a good match when we run into each other,” wrote McIntosh, “and it was certainly entertaining.”
Though Seaver went home as the event’s runner-up, she also walked away with the Tiger Florida Tour’s 2022 Tour Champion award, her fourth in a row, and the qualifying spot for the West Coast Challenge. The event was also a qualifier for entry into the Women’s Pro Event at the Super Billiards Expo later this spring and was won by Kimberly Housman.
Tour representatives thanked Larry Walthal, Mike Dauskart and the Brewlands South staff for their hospitality and continued support for the tour. Thanks were also extended to sponsors Tony Kalamdaryan and Tiger Products, Brutal Game Gear, Stitch It To Me, Boynton Billiards, AZBilliards, Eastern Billiards, Andy Cloth, Josh Arnold “for running the tournament,” Jessica Human “for technical help” and Stephanie Mitchell “for her invaluable assistance in keeping the tour running every year.”
The next stop on the Tiger Florida Tour (#2), scheduled for Saturday, Feb 18, will be hosted by Stix Billiards in Tampa, FL.
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