Shane Van Boening and Mike Dechaine teed off in a race to 21 10-Ball Challenge Match last night at the Rio in front of the CAPL and USAPL amateurs who are here for their prospective National Championships.
The match was played on a Diamond 7-foot table and began as a break and run show that many felt would carry throughout the evening as these sharpshooters were making the small track appear effortless. But that changed in rack #3 when Van Boening missed a tough reverse cut on the two ball to bring Dechaine to the table for a runout. Dechaine took the next rack on his break (alternate break format) and then led the match 3-1. But SVB won the next three racks in part due to Dechaine scratching on the one ball in rack #6 and was briefly on top 4-3.
Rack #8 went to Dechaine to tie us at 4 and then we had an unusual rack as SVB broke dry. Mike Dechaine felt this was so unusual that he took out his cell phone and took a photo of the spread just to be able to prove it had actually happened. Dechaine then began his run but got out of line on the three ball and had to play a safety. That did not work as the three ball kept rolling until it found the side pocket (which meant Dechaine had to keep shooting) and he was safe on the four. He made the hit and left Shane tough. Shane made the hit but scratched on the shot and that brought Dechaine back up for the runout.
Shane tied us back up at 5 apiece when Dechaine had a dry break in the next rack but Van Boening had to jump to hit the one ball. He hit it and made the shot and ran out.
The rest of the match belonged to Van Boening. He took the next four racks, then Dechaine claimed two of his own. But Van Boening just kept stretching out his lead and soon the score was 16-9 in favor of Van Boening. A few racks were traded back and forth but when Van Boening got to the hill Dechaine scratched when he made the one ball and that left Van Boening with an easy 2-10 combination to take the title 21-13.
There was also a challenge 8-Ball match the night previous between Corey Deuel and Jayson Shaw. We were not able to be in attendance for that match but the outcome was soon well known. The match went to double-hill and Deuel was running out for the win. With only two of his balls and the eight left on the table Deuel needed to put a little extra spin on the ball and he miscued, giving Shaw ball-in-hand. Shaw ran the table for the win.
Our thanks go out to Kamui for sponsoring the Eight Ball Challenge and to Tiger Products for the 10-Ball Challenge.
