Brett Stottlemeyer and Shaun Wilkie
October 13, 2012 – Shaun Wilkie goes the distance to win the Maryland Open 9-Ball Championship.
35 players came out to Big Daddy’s Billiards in Glen Burnie Maryland for the 2012 Maryland Open 9-Ball Championship. States of residence represented by the entrants included Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The tables were 9 foot Brunswick Gold Crowns and Diamonds. The format was double elimination with races to 7 on the winner’s side and 5 on the one-loss side. The use of alternate breaks allowed everyone a chance at the table and produced a number of close matches.
Early round action saw top player Brett Stottlemeyer prevail by identical 7 to 5 scores in his first 3 matches against Bill Gallagher of New Jersey, Richard Keefe, and Alan Duty. Two other favorites also met early on, with Adam Kielar facing off against Shaun Wilkie. Shaun moved to a 3 to 1 lead before Adam brought it back to 2 to 3 with tough cut shots on the 8 and 9 balls. A safety battle on the 3 ball in the next game went Shaun’s way and he cleared the table to go up 4 to 2. A scratch by Adam in the next game let Shaun move to 5 to 2. Adam ran out the following game after Shaun’s push-out from the break to get to 3 to 5. A tightly played safety by Shaun in the next game got him to 6 to 3. Shaun then closed out the next rack for the win.
By mid-day, the winner’s side had narrowed down to 4 players: Shawn Jackson against Brett Stottlemeyer and Shaun Wilkie versus always improving Rob Cord – now sponsored by Lambros Custom Cues. Brett and Shaun pulled out wins to face each other for the hot seat. The match began with Shaun moving quickly to a 3 to 0 lead. Game 4 featured a good safety battle on the 1 ball. Shaun got the first clear shot but then rattled the 3 ball to allow Brett to get to 1 to 3. Game 5 also featured a safety exchange on the 1 ball. Shaun again got the first clear shot to sink the 1. He then played a combination to break the 2 ball out of a cluster and ran out to go up 4 to 1. In the 6th rack, Brett’s safety on the 6 ball allowed a small window for Shaun to go up 5 to 1. Brett came back with a break and run to make it 2 to 5. The next rack started with a dry break by Shaun. Brett missed but left Shaun hooked behind another ball. Shaun’s jump attempt ended in a scratch. Brett used a combination on the 9 ball to get to 3 to 5. Game 9 saw Shaun get on the hill after his kick shot caromed off another ball and sent the 9 down. Shaun then took the final rack for a 7 to 3 win.
On the one-loss side, Adam Kielar and Alan Duty each won 3 matches to meet up for a chance at Brett Stottlemeyer. Alan got on the board first. A miss on the 1 ball by Alan in the second game allowed Adam to run out to tie the score. In the third game, a long 2/9 ball combination moved Adam to 2 to 1. In the fourth game, the 3 ball refused to drop for Adam, allowing Alan to get out and tie it at 2 all. Adam broke in the 5th game and had his cue ball kicked into a pocket. Alan ran to the 7 ball which hung in a corner pocket, allowing Adam to clear the remaining balls to go up 3 to 2. Alan came back in the next game to knot the score at 3 all. The layout of the 7th game required a heavy draw stroke from Adam and the cue ball found its way into a side pocket. Alan finished that rack to be first on the hill at 4 to 3. Alan broke dry to start the 8th game, leaving a congested layout. A later scratch by Alan allowed Adam to play a table length 4/9 combination to make it hill-hill. The final game started with a dry break by Adam. Alan ran through the rack until a scratch on the 8 ball brought Adam to the table for the win.
Late in the day it came down to Adam Kielar versus Brett Stottlemeyer to decide who would move on to the final. Both players were in top form and it showed in their play. Adam opened by clearing a tough table. Brett countered with a run out to tie it. Brett also took the next game for 2 to 1. In the 4th game, Brett’s safety on a tied up 2 ball left a little space and Adam got out from there to tie it at 2 all. The score continued to go back and forth until the match was hill-hill, with Brett breaking and running the final rack for the win.
The final was played in double elimination style. Coming from the one-loss side, Brett Stottlemeyer had to defeat Shaun Wilkie twice – first race to 9 games and second race to 7 games. The match opened with both players getting on the board at 1 to 1. Shaun then broke and ran to 2 to 1. Rack 4 was heavily congested and a safety battle that began on the 1 ball continued on to the 2 and 3 balls. Brett eventually got free and was able to play a 6/9 combination to tie it at 2 all. Excellent play by both players brought the score to 3 all. Shaun then put on a charge that moved him to 5 to 3. In the next game Shaun dropped 4 balls on the break but was left with no shot. Brett cleared that table and broke and ran the next one to tie it at 5 all. Shaun moved ahead 6 to 5 when Brett had the 9 ball rattle in a pocket. Brett came back to take the next three racks to get on the hill at 8 to 6. Shaun broke and ran to pull back within one game, but Brett broke and ran the next rack to take the first set 9 to 7.
The final race to 7 games saw Shaun move out quickly to a 4 to 0 lead. Brett countered to get to a score of 1 to 4 after both players used safeties, jumps, kicks, and banks to solve a tied up rack. Shaun went ahead 5 to 1 after the 5 ball rattled on Brett in a corner pocket. Shaun broke and ran the next rack to get on the hill. Brett broke and ran to make it 2 to 6, but Shaun took the next game for the win and title of 2012 Maryland Open 9-Ball Champion.
The finalists would like to acknowledge the following for their support: Shaun Wilkie is sponsored by Big Daddy’s Billiards, Black Heart Billiard Tips, CueShark.com, Lucasi Hybrid Pool Cues, and Q-Pod Chalk Holders. Brett Stottlemeyer is sponsored by Big Daddy’s Billiards and Lambros Custom Cues.
Thanks go out to room owners Cindy and Rick Molineiro, Tournament Director Debbie Davis, the staff at Big Daddy’s Billiards, and all of the players for a successful event.
Results:
1st: Shaun Wilkie - $530
2nd: Brett Stottlemeyer - $310
3rd: Adam Kielar - $185
4th: Alan Duty - $120
5th/6th: Rob Cord/Shawn Jackson - $75 each
7th/8th: Bill Gallagher/Brian Y - $65 each
