Alex Olinger, Shannon Daulton, Stan Shuffett & Mike Medley (owner of Michael's Billiards & Games)
Stan Shuffett (father to up-and coming teenager, Landon Shuffett) came within a single match of competing in both finals of a double event on the Great Southern Billiard Tour on the weekend of September 24-25. He won five straight on the loss-side and double-dipped young gun Billy Thorpe in the finals of the $500-added 9-Ball Banks event, which had drawn 32 entrants to Michael's Billiards and Games in Fairfield, OH. In the concurrently-run, $1,500-added, straight 9-Ball competition, which drew 50 entrants, Shuffett got into the hot seat match against the eventual winner, Alex Olinger, and then, fell that single match short of being in both finals, when Shannon Murphey, in the midst of a seven-game, loss-side streak, took him down in the semifinals.
"This was my first time back after a four-year layoff," said Shuffett, explaining that at least part of that layoff time had been devoted to mentoring his son's efforts. "I'm back now, full steam, and the good Lord willing, I'll get to do some of the things I wanted to be doing a few years ago with competition."
Shuffett and Olinger got into the hot seat match in the 9-Ball event, after Shuffett had defeated Brad Farmer 9-4 and Olinger had sent Jason Thomas west 10-5. Olinger dominated the hot seat match, allowing Shuffett only a single rack, and waited for what turned out to be the return of Shannon Murphey.
Farmer moved over to meet Chris Lawson, and Thomas ran into Murphey, who, after being awarded a bye in the opening round, had been defeated in the second. Murphey downed Thomas 10-4, and was joined in the quarterfinals by Lawson, who'd defeated Farmer 7-1. Murphey then denied Shuffett his second appearance in the dual event finals, with a 10-7 victory that gave him the shot versus Olinger.
To no avail, as it turned out. Olinger took the opening set versus Murphey 10-7 and had the 9-Ball event title.
In the Banks event, Shuffett had worked his way among the winners' side final eight, when he ran into Chris Lawson. Lawson advanced to face Mike Medley among the winners' side final four, as Shuffett moved west for a five-game winning streak that would eventually put him back into the finals. Joining Lawson and Medley among the final four winners were T.J. Back and Billy Thorpe.
Medley sent Lawson to a re-match against Shuffett with a 3-1 victory, as Thorpe shut out Back. Thorpe then downed Medley 3-1 to sit in the hot seat with what proved to be his last victory behind him.
Shuffett opened his loss-side campaign 2-1 against Dean Lawson, and followed it with a 2-1 victory over Steve Hancock, which set up his re-match against Chris Lawson. Back drew Chris Hutchinson, who'd shut out Alex Olinger, and defeated Greg Ranson 2-1. Shuffett wreaked his vengeance on Lawson, as Hutchinson downed Back, both 2-1. Shuffett then shut Hutchinson out in the quarterfinals.
Shuffett then defeated Medley (owner of the venue) in the semifinals, and turned to face Thorpe, sitting in the hot seat. Both matches (race to 3 in the opening set; 2, in the second) went double hill, but it was Shuffett prevailing to take the Banks title.
Tour director Shannon Daulton offered thanks to Michael Medley and his staff at Michael's Billiards and Games, as well as sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks.
