JT Ringgold
JT Ringgold chalked up his eighth win on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour on the weekend of December 2-3; the most of any competitor on the tour in the five years of its existence. He did so by defeating Zach Leonard two out of the three times they met at the event that drew 35 entrants to the Gate City Billiards Club in the tour’s backyard, Greensboro, NC.
They met first in the hot seat match. Ringgold had sent Mike McPherson to the loss side 10-5, as Leonard was defeating Jose Irizarry 7-5 in the two winners’ side semifinals. With Leonard racing to 7, Ringgold claimed the hot seat 10-3 and waited for Leonard to get back from the overall event semifinals.
On the loss side, McPherson picked up Jim Lewis, who’d downed Ken Mizelle 8-2 and Daniel Adams 8-4 to reach him. Irizarry drew Josh Williams, who, in his most recent two matches, had given up only two racks over 14 games (one each) to Cameron Lawhorne and Brandon Stiltner.
Williams gave up four racks to Irizarry, but not before he’d chalked up his requisite six to advance to the quarterfinals. McPherson joined him on the heels of a 7-5 win over Lewis. Williams stepped back into his established pattern, giving up only a single rack to McPherson in the quarterfinals.
Leonard ended Williams’ bid for a spot in the finals with a 7-4 win in the semifinals. He employed the momentum to win the first set of the finals 7-7 (Ringgold racing to 10). Ringgold was shy by three racks in that first set. Leonard came up three short in the second set, as Ringgold won it 10-4 to claim the event title.
Tour directors Herman and Angela Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Gate City Billiards Club, as well as title sponsor Viking Cues, Delta 13 Racks, AZBilliards and Professor Q Ball. The next stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for this weekend (December 9-10), will be hosted by Borderline Billiards in Bristol, TN.
