Shannon "The Cannon" Daulton, Billy Thorpe, Alex Olinger, & Danny Farren
He's been at it for a few years now, trying to chalk up a win on the Great Southern Billiard Tour; four times this year, in fact, and though he's finished among the top five in three of his last four outings, the "W" has eluded Billy Thorpe. No longer. On the weekend of June 2-3, at a $1,500-added event at BJ's Billiards in Havelock, NC, Thorpe worked his way through a field of 42 entrants, including road partner, Alex Olinger (twice) and went undefeated to capture his first GSBT title.
Thorpe and Olinger met first in the battle for the hot seat, once Thorpe had sent Chris McSorley west 9-3 and Olinger had done likewise to Jordan Grubb 11-6. With a two-game advantage, Thorpe got into the hot seat 9-9 over Olinger and waited for his return.
Over on the loss side, Mac Herrell defeated Brian White 9-8, and Larry Faulk 9-6 to pick up Grubb. McSorley drew Nolan Leonard, who'd defeated Jason Lawson 7-3 and Delton Howard 7-2 to reach him. Herrell and Leonard ended Grubb and McSorley's trip to the loss side quickly; Herrell 9-8 over Grubb and Leonard 7-1 over McSorley. Herrell won the quarterfinal battle that followed 7-3 over Leonard, but ran right into a determined Olinger, who defeated him 11-6 in the semifinals for a second chance against Thorpe.
Both Thorpe and Olinger, who will reportedly travel together and be on hand for the next GSBT stop on June 9-10 at Shore Thing Billiards in Myrtle Beach, SC, entered the finals playing as though they were late for a bus to the beach. Thorpe got out to an early lead and held on to it throughout the length of the match; extended it, in fact, as he took his second match from Olinger 9-3 to chalk up that first win on the GSBT.
Tour directors Shannon and Marge Daulton thanked BJ Billiards in Havelock, NC for their hospitality, particularly Danny Farren and Mike Coleman for their hard work at coordinating the event. The tour, noted the Daultons, will be back "very soon." The Daultons also thanked sponsors Andy Gilbert Custom Cues, Nick Varner Cues and Cases, Mike Davis Exterminating, Tiger Products and Delta-13 racks.
