The AWBT ladies love playing at On the Snap Billiards in Beautiful Prescott Valley and that was proven when 35 women braved the snow and made the trip to come and play!
The competition was awesome! There were the usual suspects from around Arizona and the Phoenix area, plus many others from all over the US! There were 4 new ladies from San Diego, 3 ladies from Las Vegas, 3 from Tucson and one came all the way from Wisconsin!
Right away the top 12 made their mark and started knocking off the competition. These top 12 ladies came back on Sunday for the finals. The A side on Sunday started off with Michelle Trevino playing Susan Williams and Julie Nogiec playing Kristin Haney. On the B side, there was Liz Bernreuter playing Marney Teague, newcomer Susan Lance playing Sara Miller, Kristie Ortega playing Jane Fujinaga and Susan Mello playing Bernie Store. I was able to sit and watch these matches and they were all terrific! All these women just are amazing to watch play!
One by one, the matches ended, weeding out the best of the best and the top 3 emerged. The hot seat match was between Phoenix lady Susan Williams and Vegas gal Julie Nogiec. Susan won the lag and the game was on! Susan got off to a quick 4 to 2 lead. Then Julie won the next game making in 4-3, Susan won the next one making it 5-3. Then Julie won the next making it 5 to 4. In the next rack, Julie missed a tough cut on the 9-ball, leaving it sitting in the pocket. Susan made the 9 which put her on the hill. Julie wasn't out just yet, she came back and won the next 2 games making it hill-hill. The final game went back and forth until the 7, 8 and 9 were left. Susan was up to the table, made the 7 and 8 but bobbled the nine. Julie was up and bobbled the 9 as well and left Susan with a straight in shot on it, which Susan made with ease, winning herself the hot seat.
Meanwhile, a huge upset took place in one of the matches playing for 5th place! The current points champion, Kristin Haney, who was a favorite in this event, lost a heart-breaking match to underdog Bernie Store! They were tied 4 to 4 until Bernie made put together a great run-out, then snapped the nine on the break, and all of a sudden Bernie was on the hill! We thought for sure Kristin had the next game until a fatal mistake on the 5 ball left Bernie with a relatively easy 4 ball out. Bernie made the balls and won the match 7 to 4!
Bernie met up with Michelle Trevino from Tucson next for the 4th place match. Michelle had just come from a tough match with Liz Bernreuter for 5th and she was ready to play! On the 4th game of the set, Michelle was on the 7 ball, but was hooked by the 9. She jumped over the 9-ball, made the 7 in the side AND the 8 in the corner and left a long half ball cut on the 9! It was an awesome shot! That win made the score 3 to 2. From there it was all Michelle. She won the next 4 games and the match! Congratulations to Bernie for 4th place! Bernie played awesomely all weekend long and is definitely a force to be reckoned with!
The next match was for 3rd place and Michelle met up with Julie Nogiec. Michelle jumped off to a 4 to 1 lead. Julie won the next one which made the score 4 to 2. The matches went back and forth until the score was 5 to 4, then Michelle snapped the 9 on the break and got on the hill! Julie won the next game making the score 6 to 5. The next game, Julie got to the 9-ball first but missed leaving Michelle with a really tough back-cut, which Michelle missed. Then Julie missed it once more and Michelle got back to the table, made the 9 and won the match 7 to 5! Congratulations to Julie for a great 3rd place finish! Julie is a joy to watch! Her love for the game is portrayed every minute she's in a match!
Next up was the final match and Michelle faced Susan Williams! Since this was a true double elimination tournament, Michelle would have to beat Susan in 2 races to 7. The first set started and Michelle quickly jumped off to a 2 to 1 lead. Then in rack 4 Michelle bobbled the 9-ball and left it hanging for Susan, which Susan made to make the set tied at 2-2. Michelle won the next game then Susan won the next making it tied 3-3. Susan won the next game and on the next made an awesome combo on the 9, which made the score 5 - 3. The next game both had a case of the bobbles, but Susan pulled it out and won, putting her on the hill. The next game Michelle broke and scratched and the 9-ball ended up perilously close to the 1-ball. Close enough where it was possible for a carom with two pockets to choose from. Susan tried the carom in the side but missed. Michelle played a safety, which left Susan unable to make contact with the 1, giving Michelle ball in hand. Then Michelle tried to play another safe, but left Susan able to see the ball. From there it was a battle of safeties back and forth until the balls were a little more spread out. Michelle was up to the table with the 2 ball on. Michelle made the 2, 3 and 4, but then scratched, which left Susan with a tough but do-able 5 ball out. She made all the balls and won the match like a true Champion!!! Congratulations to Michelle Trevino for an awesome 2nd place finish and $255 in prize money!
A huge congratulations goes out to Susan Williams for her very first qualifier win! We'll be looking forward to seeing you in the Vegas for the WPBA Enjoypool.com 9-Ball Championship! Good luck Susan! We'll be cheering for you!
15 Women came back to play in the 2nd chance tournament! Newcomer Hydred Makabali from San Diego easily won the hot seat. Diana Clayton, who Hydred had knocked to the B-side in the hot-seat match, was her challenger for the final match! Diana beat Hydred the first set by 4 to 2. Hydred came out victorious, beating Diana by a score of 4 -2 in the second set. Congratulations to the top 4 women in the second chance: Hydred Makabali (1st & $50), Diana Clayton (2nd & $35), Katy Moore (3rd & 20) and Linda McBride (4th & $10)! Awesome payouts for a free tourney!
Larry at On the Snap held a raffle for a beautiful, funky green Jacoby Cue valued at $430 and graciously donated half of the monies earned to the AWBT! We sold $409 in tickets all together so the AWBT earned $204 for the AWBT points fund! THANK YOU to Larry, Eric and all the folks at ON THE SNAP!! The winner was Brandi Davis! The hometown bartender at On the Snap!
1st Susan Williams $375
2nd Michelle Trevino $255
3rd Julie Nogiec $185
4th Bernie Store $130
5th/6th Liz Bernreuter, Kristin Haney $85
7th/8th Jane Fujinaga, Susan Lance $52
9th/12th Susan Mello, Sara Miller, Kristie Ortega, Marney Teague $25
13th/16th Ann Inbody, Hydred Makabali, Katy Moore, Susan Wilbur $14
