The Tiger Tour's amateur 8-ball tour season final event produced a tough field at First Break Cafe in Sterling, VA this past weekend. Most of the points list leaders were there, as well as 9-ball tour performers such as Jim Henson and Richard Keefe, not to mention one or two strong newcomers who also joined the show to make this a difficult tournament to win. Tour points leader, Nick Prinsloo needed not to falter in this event to end up tops for the season, and started off strong by winning his first two matches--one of which turned out to be a nailbiter against Trevor Dentz. But Doug Whiting snuffed Prinsloo's hopes of a straight path to the hotseat with a 5-3 win. Richard Keefe eliminated Prinsloo the very next match. Tour number two, Wayne Bean, saw his chance to finish strong in this event to snatch top spot on the points list, but ran into Brandon Shuff, who had earlier lost to newcomer, Harry Delpilar. Shuff took care of Bean, but then young Richard Barney, who won the last event, sent Shuff home as well.
Meanwhile, Paul Helms marched on in the winner's bracket, taking down Jim Henson in the process, while Alan Duty carved out his own road to the winner's bracket final. Duty took care of Whiting, and then faced Helms--who enjoyed a Sunday noon forfeit by Delpilar--in the hotseat. Helms was too sharp for Duty, taking him down 5-2.
Jim Henson ousted Barney and Doug Whiting in the elimination bracket giving Prinsloo a lock on the points list, while Delpilar saved face after his late showing by beating Joe Pierce II. Henson was too strong for Delpilar and earned his spot in the final by beating Alan Duty 4-3. Helms was on fire and held back Henson while the match see-sawed, but it was finally Helms who kept it together for the win.
In the women's event it was all Kathleen Lawless, the 2006 tour points leader. She whizzed by Ceci Strain, Natalie Posey, and newcomer Bethany Krotz to find herself waiting in the finals. Krotz had earlier beaten Marcie Hanifee in a match that went back and forth. Natalie Posey and Hanifee then won their matches on the one-loss side to face each other for a shot at Krotz in the semi-final. Hanifee eliminated Posey in 4th place, and did the same to Krotz to find herself in the finals facing Lawless. The final match went all the way to the wire with Hanifee refusing to lay down, but it was Lawless who proved that her number one position on the women's points list was no fluke by winning the match 5-4.
It was once again a very successful year for the Tiger Tour, and they would like to thank their sponsors, in particular Tiger Products and Z9 Billiard Cloth, as well as all their regular tour players and supporters. The next event will be the 2007 season opener event, to be held at Hagerstown Billiards on February 17-18.
