Newsletter Volume 15 Issue 11

2016 Winter Singles League Standings – Final

PosTeamPTSWLDP

Singles League Highlights: For the second week in a row Katie’s match makes the headlines! She was up against a very good opponent in Gary but never backed down. Gary commented on how he was impressed with her game! Good Shooting Katie!

Only one player takes all 15. Jimmy scored 15 against Nigel. Walter get’s an honorable mention for taking 14 points against Todd.

 It’s hard to believe we are already finished with week 7. Gary is working on getting his makeup games done but we keep adding more to the mix. Austin was unable to play his match this week so we added another makeup game to Marty’s plate. Marty and Micks already have a makeup game to complete. Hopefully we don’t have to add too many more before the season is over! Those of you who have makeups to complete are asked to get on the ball so to speak and get your games made up. Thanks!

Also, we want to commend Stephanie McCuiston who played in an 8 Ball last pocket tournament for the State Finals for the VFW. Her team finished 2nd in the state. Congrats Stephanie, way to go lady. It was a great accomplishment.

Special Note: The Doubles league had to give up the tables for the second week in a row. This will force us to break up the newsletter one more time. They will be playing their matches on Monday and Wednesday.


Lady Pool PlayerTable 1: Katie M (11) vs (13) Gary L: 

This was a contest that deserves a second look! Gary is a very proficient pool player by any standard and if you can keep up with him on the table you are saying something. Well folks… Katie did a very good job of keeping pace with Gary this week. Good shooting girl!!!

Okay, onto the match details. Gary started the match with a straightforward no frills win in game 1 of the 8-Ball Set followed by a good runout win in game 2. Not to be outdone Katie found a few good shots and marked her first win in game 3. Katie was on a roll in game 4 when all of sudden she accidentally pocketed the 8-ball out of turn to give Gary and easy win. Gary was able to hold off Katie again in rack 5 for a commanding lead in the set 4-1. Katie gave it all she had and found a way to take game 6 away from Gary. But as you know you can’t keep a good shooter down for long as Gary answered with a win in game 7 so finish the 8-Ball set with a 5-2 win. 

Still hot from his dominating win of the 8-Ball set Gary continued to pound in balls to take the first 2 games of the 9-Ball Set. At this point Katie was upset and decided she had better play or go home. For the next 3 games in a row she was able to hold off Gary with great shooting and position play. As a matter of fact she ran 7 balls and out in game 5. This gave her a 3-2 lead in the 9-Ball set. Not to be outdone Gary stopped her run at 3 with a win in game 6. Katie answered Gary with a 3-9 combo to win game 7 and get to the hill first. Do you know how to keep your opponent off the table? Katie did as she broke in game 8 and nailed the 9 ball on the break to win the game and the set 5-3.

Katie was running hot and she continued to play excellent pool winning the first 3 games of the 10-Ball Set to take the lead for the first time in the match. Then all of sudden it was like someone poured cold water on Katie and lit a fire under Gary as he went on a very impressive run of 4 games straight to pull ahead. Katie fought back hard with a win in game 8 to get on the hill with Gary. Gary played smart pool and never gave Katie a good starting shot. This kept her cold and Gary was able to close the door with a win in game 9 for a set win 5-4.

This was a very good match! Great shooting by both players!!!

Player 8 9 10 8OB 9OB 10OB 8B&R 9B&R 10B&R
Total000000000
Player 8 9 10 8OB 9OB 10OB 8B&R 9B&R 10B&R
Total000000000

Table 2: Stephanie M (13) vs (07) Micks M: th_Billiards[1]

This match was between two of our newest members both of whom show great promise in their games! Based on the standings these two look very close in skill level. The score however did not favor Micks very well. Maybe it was nerves. Stephanie came out hot. I mean boiling hot. She strung together a very impressive 5 game shutout in the 8-Ball Set.

Micks still reeling from a bitter disappointment in his performance in 8-Ball was able to regain his composure and struck first winning the first two games of the 9-Ball Set. Stephanie was not about to go down without a fight and with an outstanding display of shooting and safety play she was able to execute another 5 game run in the 9-Ball set finishing games 6 & 7 with 7-9 combos. She now has a commanding 10-2 lead going into 10-Ball.

The 10-Ball Set started like the 8-Ball set as Stephanie methodically finished games 1 and 2 to make it 7 wins in a row. Micks finally found a way to win a game, he won game 3 to finally stop the bleeding. Like pouring salt in an open wound Stephanie came right back with a win in game 4. Then all of a sudden Stephanie went cold and Micks found his eye. With smart play he found a way to win the next four games in a row to win the 10-Ball Set 5-3. Great comeback for Micks and awesome shooting by Stephanie in what was a very lopsided match between two evenly skilled players. Stephanie wins 13-7.

Player 8 9 10 8OB 9OB 10OB 8B&R 9B&R 10B&R
Total000000000
Player 8 9 10 8OB 9OB 10OB 8B&R 9B&R 10B&R
Total000000000

Table 3: Austin H (0) vs (0) Marty M: 

To be played!

Player 8 9 10 8OB 9OB 10OB 8B&R 9B&R 10B&R
Total000000000
Player 8 9 10 8OB 9OB 10OB 8B&R 9B&R 10B&R
Total000000000

Pool SharksTable 4: Walter W (14) vs (11) Todd  C: 

Todd and Walter were at one time team members, but this week they found themselves playing against each other. Todd seemed to take advantage of missed shots by Walter throughout the first four games of the 8-Ball Set. Todd would get a gift starting position and would make Walter pay. Todd had a few decent runs and all of a sudden, Walter found himself four down as Todd climbed on the hill.  With the way Todd was shooting, it looked like it would end without Walter putting anything on the score sheet. Then, Walter seemed to get some extra adrenaline in his stroke and mounted a great comeback. Todd wasn’t too concerned as Walter nailed a game winner in game 5 or 6 with some superior shooting and position play by Walter. Then as Walter nailed four and out in game 7 to cut the lead to one, Todd had to be thinking this couldn’t last. Oh, but it did and what turned into a rout at the start of the set turned into an all even match as Walter finished off game 8. Walter completed the comeback as he made the game winner in #9 to take the set, 5-4.

Todd got off to another good start in the 9-Ball Set as he opened with a quick win, nailing the 1 ball into the 9. Walter continued to stay focused and notched back to back wins in games 2 & 3 as he too took advantage of a couple of mistakes made by Todd. Todd got things back even as he ran 4 balls to notch the win in game 4. Then Walter again went back to work. Shot making and good position play got him into the lead for good in the set. He notched game 5, nailed a 3-9 combo in game 6 and slammed the door with the win in game 7. He had a four point lead heading into the final set. Walter takes a 5-2 set win.

The players split the opening two games to start the 10-Ball Set with both players staying in a nice shooting rhythm. Walter nailed 3 and out in game 3 and then Todd started making shots that he had missed in the previous racks. He nailed a 2-10 combo to take game 4, and then added more drama on the next game. He put himself into a poor shooting spot for the 10 ball had to come up with a bank shot to assure him of the win. He may have given Walter a bit of false hopes when he missed getting on the 10 ball for an easier shot. Todd continued to shoot well and nailed the win in game 6 to get on the hill, giving him a 2 game cushion. Walter just wouldn’t go away and came right back with some nifty shot making and safety play to get right back into the set. He nailed wins in games 7 & 8 to tie the set up at 4 each. Todd had come too far and when he got his chance to close out the final game, he did so with some nice shots. Todd wins the set, 5-4 but loses the match by 3 points. Great shooting by two very accomplished shooters in a tough match.

Player 8 9 10 8OB 9OB 10OB 8B&R 9B&R 10B&R
Total000000000
Player 8 9 10 8OB 9OB 10OB 8B&R 9B&R 10B&R
Total000000000

Ball FrustrationTable 5: Nigel M (04) vs (15) Jimmy F: 

Jimmy continues to shoot very well and punished another opponent with great shooting and position play. Nigel got on the score sheet first in the 8-Ball Set with some nice shot making on a couple of mistakes by Jimmy. Then Jimmy got warmed up. He nailed the win in game 2 and never looked back. Is all Nigel saw was his opponents group of balls dropping into pockets as Jimmy notched the next 5 games. Jimmy posted some very nice runs and closed out the set with a 5-1 win.

It was all Jimmy in the 9-Ball Set right from the opening break. Jimmy continued to keep Nigel at bay most of the set. If he did get any type of shot, it seemed unlikely that it would go in. The good thing about 9 ball is that luck can come into play in any given turn. It was unfortunate, but none of that kind of luck seemed to funnel into Nigel’s game and he found Jimmy posting 5 straight wins. This made it 10 straight wins for Jimmy and a 9 point lead in the match.

Nigel again led the way to get things going in the 10-Ball Set as he opened with a 4 ball finish in game 1. Jimmy still hadn’t cooled off much and nailed a win in game 2. Nigel was unable to get any chance in game 3 as Jimmy nailed the 10 ball on the break and the momentum carried right into game 4 with three in a row for Jimmy. Nigel again found a few extra chances in game 5 and made it count. He nailed the win to close within a game of Jimmy in the set. Jimmy again increased his lead to 2 games posting a solid win in game 6, that also put him on the hill, a game from winning the set. Nigel made several nice shots in game 7 and again got close to Jimmy with the win. Jimmy just wasn’t waiting for Nigel and capped off a 5 ball run in game 8 to take the final set, 5-3. A valiant effort by Nigel and nice shooting by Jimmy.

Player 8 9 10 8OB 9OB 10OB 8B&R 9B&R 10B&R
Total000000000
Player 8 9 10 8OB 9OB 10OB 8B&R 9B&R 10B&R
newsletter-banner103000000
Total103000000

 


Table 6: Mike B (13) vs (11) Ray R: DSC_5522.cr

This was the third close match of the night. Mike seemed to get off to a slow start in the 8-Ball Set, with missed opportunities that Ray was able to take advantage of. Ray got a short run win in game 1 and another miss by Mike gave Ray a 2-0 lead in the set. Mike finally got some game control and ran 5 balls to cap off the win in game 3. Game 4 seemed to go back and forth and several safety plays dictated most of the game. It was Ray outlasting Mike on the safeties and got a chance to close out game 4. This again gave him a 3-1 lead. Then something clicked in Mike’s game as he got back to running balls and leaving tough shots for Ray on his misses. Mike made it four straight games as he picked his way through the racks to notch game winners. Mike takes the first set 5-3.

Ray got his game back into a groove and started with the opening win in the 9-Ball Set. The momentum seemed to stay with Ray as he played decently and nailed wins in the next two games as well. Ray had a 3-0 lead early in this set. Mike never gives up and got on the sheet with a nice run and the win in game 4. It was Ray again finding enough of an opening to post 3 balls and out in game 5 to get on the hill. Mike continued to fight and made a nice 4 ball run to close out game 6. He cut the lead to one game with Ray still sitting on the hill as he finished off game 7. Ray found a way to take game 8 and win the set 5-3. This put the match dead even going into the final set.

It was Mike leading the way to start the 10-Ball Set nailing game 1 and then making a great bank shot in game 2 to take a two game lead. Ray seemed to feed off the good shooting by Mike and he also got enough chances with some nice runs to notched games 3 & 4 and the set was even. Mike made it another two in a row, a 5 ball finish in game 5 and a short run to notch game 6. This gave Mike a 4-2 lead sitting on the hill. Ray would get as close as one game as he put together a nice run in game 7, but that would be as close as he got. Mike pounded in the game winner in game 8 and take the set 5-3 and the match. Nice shooting by both players in a very good and competitive match.

Player 8 9 10 8OB 9OB 10OB 8B&R 9B&R 10B&R
Total000000000
Player 8 9 10 8OB 9OB 10OB 8B&R 9B&R 10B&R
Total000000000

Tips & Tricks: “Billiard University (BU) – Part V: Stun Shots” ILLUSTRATED PRINCIPLES David Alciatore, PhD (“Dr. Dave”)

This month’s topic is the stun-shot drill from Exam I.

To read more, follow the link below.

http://billiards.colostate.edu/bd_articles/2013/dec13.pdf

Comments are closed.