HUNTER CLASSICS AMATEUR WOMEN'S TOUR
1st Hunter Classics Stop of 20043 at Fast Eddies in Austin, Texas February 7-8
Photos by Adam Zayas and Melinda Bailey. All photos copyright of AZBilliards.com
Fast Eddies!
The first
Hunter Classics Stop of 2004 was held at Fast Eddies in Austin, TX
February 7-8. With 23 tables, the 50 women who came to
play were in good hands as the two-day event dwindled down to just
one winner by Sunday evening. This winner, Leslie Anne Rogers,
from Arlington, TX, also won the WPBA
Qualifier.
Lisa Marr (2nd), Ellen
Van Buren (3rd), Patrick (manager), and Leslie Anne Rogers (1st)
Lisa Marr, from North Little Rock, AR, went undefeated on
her way to the hot-seat, which she won with a 7-6 victory in a classic match
against Ellen Van Buren.
The match featured everything from safety and kick battles, to jump shots
and table runs. Ellen, coming all the way from Florida for the Qualifier,
was having a wonderful time and playing very well in her first Hunter Classics
Stop.
Lisa's road to the finals included lopsided scores
until the winner's bracket. Lisa defeated newcomer Deborah Sharp (7-1),
Houston-area's Sybil Wingard (7-0), and then Board Member Melinda Bailey
(7-3). Teedaa Clarke was having a great tournament but ran into Lisa and
lost 7-3. Then Lisa defeated Belinda Lee (7-1) for her first match
on Sunday.
Leslie Anne Rogers, from Arlington, TX, was defeating
Austin's Deanna Henson on the one-loss side while the winner's bracket final was playing
out. Deanna placed 2nd
last year, and finished 4th this year after losing her very first match -
congratulations is in order not only for her 4th place finish but for her
baby boy who will be born in a few months.
Deanna lost her first match to Leslie Anne Rogers 7-1,
but Leslie then lost her second match to local favorite Heather Pulford 7-5.
Leslie then started her road to the finals with lopsided scores as
well. She defeated newcomers Sarah Richards (7-0) and Evangelina Elledge
(7-1), then South Padre's winner Amanda Lampert (7-1), and Dalllas' Becky
Rouse (7-1). On Sunday morning, Leslie kept it going by defeating Austin's
Diana Cardona (7-1), San Antonio's Teedaa Clark (7-3), Austin's Rachel Hurst
(7-3), and Deanna Henson (7-2) before meeting up with Ellen.
Ellen Van Buren then took on Leslie for the 3rd place spot. Ellen led the match 5-4, but was kept in her chair
as Rogers ran out the last three racks for the 7-5 victory. This was a sign of things to come in the finals.
Leslie took the first set against Lisa 7-1 to force
the final set in this true double elimination tournament. Leslie won the
second set 7-5 and earned $750 and the WPBA Qualifier for Peoria. Lisa earned
$600 for 2nd place, Ellen won $450 for 3rd and Deanna won $300 for 4th.
Other notables were several women who placed their highest finish to date
in the main event: Monica Anderson, Angela Elrod and Diana Cardona
(9th-12th), Belinda Lee (5th), and Teedaa Clarke (7th). Congratulations!
There were several new women at this event and they all played well for their
first big women's tournament and we want to see you again!
The beautiful
(and very expensive) Hunter Classics Custom Cue was raffled off right
before the finals and although the winner was not present, he is a regular,
local patron of the poolroom who was very happy when he showed up later.
Wes Hunter, our tour sponsor, donated this beautiful cue and this
is the eleventh year he has supported the Hunter Classics Tour. Thank
you, Wes!
On Sunday,
the Hunter Classics Tour also held it's famous second chance tournament
and in the end it was Amanda Lampert from San Antonio out of 34 ladies who
won the second chance event (and $110). Helen Hayes came in 2nd
($90) and Michelle Cortez came in 3rd ($70). Congratulations to all
the ladies!
Fast Eddies
treated the ladies well and we sincerely appreciate their hospitality
and look forward to more stops at Fast Eddies. Patrick and Kathy were very
helpful managers and we thank them for accommodating all of the women
during this great tournament!
And, again we would like to take this time to thank Wes Hunter for continuing
to support the largest, longest running women's regional tour in the
country!
The Hunter Tour will be at Shooters II in Lake Jackson, TX on March 6th - 7th!
Kathy (our great bartender) pulling the winning ticket for one of the locals of the
pool room.
1st
Leslie Anne
Rogers
$750 +
Qualifier
2nd
Lisa
Marr
$600
3rd
Ellen Van Buren
$450
4th
Deanna
Henson
$300
5-6th
Rachel Hurst and Belinda
Lee
$170
7-8th
Teedaa Clarke and Heather
Pulford
$100
9-12th
Monica Anderson, Diana
Cardona, Angela Elrod and Jennifer Kraber
$65
13-16th
Helen Hayes, Gail Roles,
Christa Mace and Becky Rouse
$40
17-24th
Melinda Bailey, Amanda
Lampert, Sybil Wingard, Tara McCracken, Natalie Esparza, Kim
Pierce, Shelly Johnson and Michelle Wilson
$25
2nd Chance Tournament
Results:
$115 added, 24 women
1st
Amanda
Lampert
$110
2nd
Helen
Hayes
$90
3rd
Michelle Cortez
$70
4th
Becky
Rouse
$50
5th/6th
Sharon
Townsend and Evangelina
$30
7th/8th
Lisa
Henderson-Majors and Melinda Bailey
$15
9th-12th
Suzanne Walkuski, Sybil Wingard, Gail
Roles and Shayla Neris
