On this weekend we were so happy to return to Cue Phoria Billards and Cafe after their short hiatus from the tour scene. With the changes to the formats for each event, we still booked a full field in both events. We even threw in a bonus event for the amateur players. The Amateur 9-Ball event was capped at 64 players and it filled up quickly. The Super 16 Open 10-Ball was a prepaid full field to start. The BONUS Super 16 Amateur event drew 14 players, with 10 players actually making the start.
We also held a raffle in support of the Lepak Fund. We raised $350 almost instantaneously by donating a pool cue for raffle, and Mr. and Mrs. Crosby added $50 to provide the Lepak’s with $400 toward efforts to save their home. If you would like information regarding helping the Lepak’s please visit www.gofundme.com/thelepaks and support them if you can. We appreciated the support from the Lepak’s toward our tour when they were pool room owners. Thank you!
Amateur Bar Box Breakdown
Che Mrvos put on a clinic all weekend long. He found that grove that everyone else was struggling to get a piece of. Posting wins over Mike Fitzgerald 7-1, Jose Del Rio 7-5, Ed Kiess 7-4, David Uwate 7-3, and Doc Torres before getting to Barry Partridge for the hotseat.
Barry Partridge, makes his presence known with wins over Shanelle Loraine 7-2, Nathan Rose 7-4, Mark Peters 7-6, Richard Murray 7-6, and Nick Applebee before getting to Che Mrvos.
On the west side of the charts, Jose Del Rio picks up Evan Ford and Ford wins the set 5-3. Gary Gilsinan picks up David Uwate and gets by him 5-3. Amine Ouahbi and Marc Coats square off with Amine taking that set 5-3. Richard Murray picks up Francisco Diaz with Diaz pushing through.
Amine blisters Diaz 5-1 and Gary Gilsinan gets by Evan Ford 5-2. Nick Applebee in wait for Gilsinan puts their set away 5-2 to move into the one-loss semifinal. Amine Ouahbi starts to get a taste for the win and puts Doc Torres down 5-3 and moving into the one-loss semifinal.
It’s a showdown between Applebee and Ouahbi on the left side and Partridge vs Mrvos on the winner side hotseat match. Apple just could not stop the Florida based Moroccan Ouahbi with a stinging 5-1 loss.
In the hotseat arena, Che Mrvos would not let anyone deter him from wining. Winning the set 7-2 over Barry Partridge with Partridge going west to take on Amine Ouahbi. Partridge would continue his coming out party as he handed Amine the 3rd place envelope this time.
Che Mrvos and Partridge would square off in the Finals and Che just kept on grinding and claim his first Florida Pool Tour Amateur 9-Ball title.
Super 16 Recap
An explosive set of skills and talent comprised the 16 player field for the Super 16 Open 10-Ball event. Tony Crosby, Anthony Meglino, Tommy Kennedy, and Mike Davis all make quick jumps to the quarterfinal rounds.
Tony Crosby puts a hurt on John Souders 7-2, and then barely escapes a close one with Mike DeLawder. Trading rack for rack all the way to hill/hill and closing the set 7-6. Using the first two sets as a warm up, Crosby squares off with Meglino.
Anthony Meglino gets in the box with Jose Del Rio and starts his warm up 7-2 before taking on Marc Coats. Coats would be formidable and take Meglino to the hill. Anthony would have enough to pull through and face Crosby.
Tommy Kennedy starts out with Dave Bremer, and controls the entire set with some lock tight safety play. Bremer forced to kick out of every turn could not produce and goes down 7-2. Playing super strong still Kennedy puts a stinger on Nathan Rose 7-0 and moves forward to match up with Mike Davis.
Mike Davis survives a close opener with Han Berber and escapes 7-6. Next up was Jerry Calderon, a close set goes down at 7-5 putting Davis forward to match up with Kennedy.
On the west side there was still a lot of heart being shown.
Adam Wheeler being sent west first round by Jerry Calderon, beats Han Berber 7-5 and then Mike DeLawder 7-2. Before facing Marc Coats who was sent over by Meglino. At 7-5 Coats would move forward and wait for an opponent.
Jerry Calderon on the west would match up with Nathan Rose. Rose sent west by TK and Jerry sent over by Wheeler, would square up and play a super intense match. Rose would yield the shot of the event with a full table 5/10 jump shot that pleased the entire room. Using that momentum Rose would eek by Calderon 7-5.
Back on the winner side, Crosby would play Meglino and put the heat on dispatching Meglino swiftly at 7-3 and move into the hotseat match.
Kennedy also has his eyes on the hotseat and storms through Davis 7-2 and prepares to take on Crosby.
In the one-loss quarterfinal, Rose and Meglino would showdown and Coats and Davis would show down. Meglino would review his notes from the loss to Crosby and hope to put it together against Rose. Meglino would hand Rose the 5th place envelope and move forward to play Mike Davis who set Marc Coats in stone at 6th place.
On the West Side semi final we have Meglino vs Davis. Davis holding enough together to get past the moster breaking Meglino would wait on his opponent and the shot at moving back to the east.
In the winner side semi-final Crosby and Kennedy match up and it was close all the way up to 5-5 when a few unforced errors by Crosby would let Kennedy slip into the driver seat and rest while Crosby goes west to play Davis. As the day grew late, Crosby would prove to be worthy of the win and sits Davis down in 3rd place before taking a short break.
Now in the Final, Kennedy is poised to stop the attack from Crosby and on this day it appears fatigue would get the best of Crosby. At 5-2 Kennedy starts to pull away and Crosby just could not catch up, thus allowing Kennedy to capture his second title in a row on the Florida Pool Tour. Who will knock off King Kennedy, find out at our next stop Cunningham’s in Vero Beach, FL.
We would like to say Thank You to Faheem Zia, Kendall Morris and staff at Cue Phoria Billiards and Café in Winter Park. The service was excellent, on point, and the food was pretty good as well. Ask for chicken and rice, you won’t be disappointed. Overall Cue Phoria knows how to have a good time!
