Megan Smith
For the second time in three stops on the J. Pechauer Northeast Women's Tour, Megan Smith and Briana Miller battled it out in the finals with Smith emerging as the undefeated victor. That second victory, on the weekend of May 1-2, was at the WPBA Maryland State Women's 9-Ball Championship, and earned Smith her first-ever state championship. The $1,000-added event drew 27 entrants to Champion BiIliards Sports Café, in Frederick, MD, which was also the site for Smith's previous victory.
On the previous stop, at the end of March, Miller had to come from deep on the one-loss side to defeat five opponents before facing Smith in the finals. This time, the two first squared off in the hot seat match. From among the winners' side final four, Smith sent Kathy Friend west 7-5, as Miller won the first of two straight hill-hill matches by defeating My-Hanh Lac. In the hot seat match that followed, Smith and Miller battled to double hill before Smith preserved her undefeated bid for the state championship title, and then waited for Miller to come back.
On the one-loss side, Kim Jones advanced to meet Friend, after defeating Borana Andoni and Sharon O'Hanlon, both 7-5. Lac faced Stacie Bourbeau, who'd gotten by Shanna Lewis 7-4 and Pam Ogarek, double hill. Jones and Lac advanced to the quarterfinals with identical 7-5 wins over Friend and Bourbeau, respectively. Lac went on to the semifinals against Miller with a 7-4 win over Jones.
Miller prevailed decisively in those semifinals with a 7-3 win over Lac. Smith was just as decisive in the finals match that followed, defeating Miller 7-1 to chalk up her first state championship. Having already qualified for the US Open, the slot at stake in this championship event went to Miller for her second place finish.
