Denny Sneed sent him to the loss side, so it was only fitting that Rick Stanley came back from a three-match visit to double dip him in the finals and claim the event title. The $1,700-added event, Stop # 3 on the Omega Billiards Tour, drew 85 entrants to Pockets in Euless, TX on the weekend of March 25-26.
Sneed's four-match jaunt to the winners' side semifinal against Stanley, saw him face opponents with increasing handicaps. Sneed (a "7") downed a "4" (7-0), a "5" (7-2), a "6" (7-5) and another "7" (7-1) to draw Stanley, a "9." Stanley came within a game of chalking up as many racks against Sneed (7) in the winners' side semifinal than all four of Sneed's previous opponents combined. The tie score, however (7-7), was not enough. Stanley moved to the loss side, as Sneed advanced to the hot seat match against Tony Sulsar ("8"), who'd sent Robby Cleland over 8-4. Sneed claimed the hot seat 7-5 over Sulsar and waited on Stanley's return.
On the loss side, Stanley's three-match trip back to the finals began against Phillip Palmer, whose eight-match, loss-side winning streak was about to come to an end. Wins #7 and #8 for Palmer came at the expense of Mark Szabo 7-4 and Cory Anderson 7-3. Cleland drew Mike Voelkering, who'd been sent to the loss side by Sneed in a winners' side quarterfinal match, and defeated Doug Winnett and Donnie Gregory, both 7-3.
Stanley defeated Palmer 9-3, as Voelkering was busy eliminating Cleland 7-5. Stanley then eliminated Voelkering 9-1 in the quarterfinals, and though Sulsar put up a respectable fight in the semifinals that followed, Stanley advanced 9-6 to his rematch against Sneed in the finals.
Sneed was racing to 7, while Stanley was racing to 9. Stanley took the opening set of the true double elimination final 9-2. Sneed chalked up an extra rack in the second set, but Stanley won it to claim the event title.
Tour Director Melinda Bailey thanked the ownership and staff at Pockets, in addition to sponsors Michael Hoang of OMEGA Billiards Supply, FargoRate.com and OB Cues. Stop #4 on the Omega Billiard Tour, scheduled for the weekend of April 29-30, will be a $1,700-added event, hosted by JR Pocket in Denton, TX.
