Saturday, June 11th, the AWBT stopped into "Kitty's Lounge" for a weekend of ladies bar table 9-ball. Located in the Central Phoenix area, Kitty's has been a longtime tournament sponsor and home to a women's BCA National 8-ball Championship team.
Eighteen ladies from Arizona and Nevada made up the field.
The game: 9-ball - Race to 7. The AWBT uses an alternate break format using the "Magic Rack".
Highlights of the first day.
Owner/player Kitty Carroll, that for her big day of hosting, she would show up with a pulled muscle in her leg. It was painful to watch her tend to her duties as bar manger and then limp over and try to play competitive pool. When she was sent to the losers side in round 3 by Leandrea Gaff, it looked like her day might be mercifully over early. Instead she showed a lot of grit in beating a strong Justine Bishop with the tournaments most amazing run out 7-5. She then beat Pat Shultz to make it to Day 2 on Sunday.
Early tournament favorites Susan Williams and Las Vegan Stacy Allsup met in round 3. This match went 5-5 and then 6-6. But in the 13th rack Stacy miscued and missed a one ball. Susan ran out the rack for the win. Susan then beat Sara Miller 7-5 to reach the Sunday winners bracket final.
In the other winners bracket semi-final, Diana Clayton faced Leandrea Gaff. No player was able to lead by more than one game as the match seesawed back and forth to 6-6. Diana had won the lag and therefore the last break. She made a ball on the break, made the one ball and then she faced a table length 3-9 billiard. She saddled up and rode the 9 to end this very entertaining match.
Sunday saw the return of 6 players.
Two on the winners, four on the losers. Kitty showed up refreshed and without the pain in her leg. Unfortunately her game vanished too. She was beaten by AWBT favorite, and birthday girl, Sara Miller 7-2 and finished 5th-6th.
In the other loser's semi-final, Leandrea Gaff was shooting her way to a 4-1 lead and appeared to be headed for an easy win. But then the match changed. Stacy, who can nightly be seen playing one-pocket at Pool Sharks in Las Vegas, started playing hide-n-seek with the cue ball. This allowed her to get ball-in-hand for a 3-9 combination and then win game seven by three-fouling Leandrea. This strategy change seemed to take Leandrea out of her rhythm and she never won another game. In the end Stacy won 7-4 and Leandrea finished 5th-6th.
The matchup for third and fourth appeared to be a pickem. With the match close, Sara Miller missed two easy nine balls which gave Stacy all the breathing room she would need rolling to a 7-4 win and Sara finished 4th.
In the winners final, Diana Clayton's concentration seemed to fade when she needed it the most at 5-5. She began to miss the long tough shots that had helped her to get to this match. Susan Williams, a many time AWBT champ, seized the opportunities and won 7-5. Stacy made quick work of Diana, 7-1, to make the finals and a rematch with Susan Williams. Congratulations to Diana for a strong 3rd place finish.
The final was one race to nine with Susan breaking first. She was having trouble making balls on the break and was trailing 3-5. She appeared to change her break location and while addressing the ball she fouled. This gave Stacy a bonus break. She broke, made a ball and then had an early 2-9 combo to go up 6-3. Susan was never really able to recover as Stacy cruised to a 9-5 win and the championship. Congratulations to Stacy Allsup for her exciting play and great championship. Congratulations to Susan Williams for her 'sportswomanship' and another great finish.
Thanks to all the ladies who came out and especially to those who traveled from out of town.
Thanks to Kitty Carroll for hosting this event and adding the money to the prize fund.
Thanks to our secret sponsor who added another $100 to this event, and to all future events for 2011 season. We encourage this behavior and hope more individuals will help sponsor our tour.
Way to go Pat Shultz who cashed in 7th place.
Our next event is at Pockets in Tucson, August 6th & 7th.
Bring a friend or two and come down and play!
