The AWBT’s 9th Tour Stop – Alexander’s Bar and Grill, Phoenix Arizona

12 teams showed up for this $500 added scotch-doubles 9-ball fundraiser!   This was one of the most fun tournaments and Alexander’s was the perfect place for it!

While Michelle and Colin waited patiently, Susan and Ann had to face Natalie Hostler and Bull Becker.  Their tattoos alone were intimidating let alone how they had been kickin’ butt all weekend!  But Susan and Ann are not easily intimidated and beat up on Nat and Bull, winning the match 7 to 2.

So for the final match and all the marbles, it would once again be team Susan and Ann against team Michelle and Colin.  Since this was a true double elimination tournament, Susan and Ann would have to beat Michelle and Colin in 2 sets of a race to 7. 

The first set started and Susan and Ann were the dominant team throughout the entire set, winning this first set by 7 to 4.  But it wasn’t over and Michelle and Colin weren’t out of it just yet.  They had one set left to try to capture the win.

The second set started and the wins kept going back and forth 1 to 1, 2 to 2 and so on until the match was tied hill-hill.  The last game started… Michelle broke and didn’t make a ball.  Susan went 1st for her team.  She played a safety and the cue rolled out a bit farther then expected leaving Colin not only able to see the 1 ball, but the 1 ball was perilously close to the 9 ball.  From there, the 1-9 combo was not a factor as each team chose to play safes.  In fact, there were several great safeties made by both teams until Michelle’s cue ball rolled out a bit too far leaving Susan up at the table with shape on the 1.  Susan made the 1 ball and from there it seemed it was going to be an easy out.  Ann made the 2, Susan made the 3 and so on.  Each player leaving beautiful shape for the other until they had ran the rack down to just the 8 and 9 balls.  Ann had a straight-in shot on the 8, making it difficult for her to leave anything else but a reaaaaally long, difficult cut on the 9 for Susan.  Susan came up, concentrated and shot but alas the 9 ball just missed the corner pocket.  You could hear the whole crowd gasp in shock as the ball rattled and then bounced out.  Colin came up to the table and sank the 9 ball for the game, set and match!

Congratulations to Susan and Ann for taking an outstanding 2nd place and $164 in prize money.   A big huge congratulations goes out to Michelle Trevino and Colin Winter for an awesome 1st place victory, awesome playing all weekend and $250 in prize money!  It was really a treat watching you two play all weekend!  It was like you two had been partners for years!

Rounding out the top 6 teams were:  Natalie Hostler/Bull Becker (3rd Place & $98); Justine Karber/Evans Bishop (4th Place & $65), Dawn Anderson/Kevin Swader & Cathy Kelley/Mike Hill (5th Place & $39 each)!

For the free second chance tournament on Sunday, we decided to mix it up a bit and held a free singles 9-ball tourney, allowing anyone who played on Saturday (guy OR girl) to play! It was SOO much fun and I heard from many guys that they wished there was something like our tour for them!  And just by chance, the two people who placed in the money happened to be 1 guy and 1 girl!  Congratulations to Tucson gal Tracey Elliott for a fabulous 2nd place finish and $10 in prize money!  Congratulations to Terry Michaud for spectacular play all day and a 1st place finish with $20 in prize money!

We were also honored to raffle off a Dale Teague Custom Cue valued at $450!  The winner was a very excited Steven Henderson from Phoenix Arizona!  I have to tell you this story that Steven told me.. Steven had only been to one other Regional Tour tournament – it was one somewhere back east.  He had gone to that one just as a spectator and ended up buying a raffle ticket just as he had at this AWBT tourney!  And guess what!  HE won the cue at THAT event too!  So he’s only been to two women regional tours and BOTH of them he was the cue winner!  That was too funny!  I think he needs to come and support these women players more often!  It may be lucrative for him!  Seriously, congratulations Steven!  We were so happy for you!  We know you’ll have many years with this beautiful cue!

We’d like to give a BIG HUGE thank you to Ron, Ann, Francis and Dana at Alexander’s for making this a terrific weekend!  For those of you who haven’t been there, you should stop by and check it out!  The tables and all the equipment are in perfect condition and the food is AMAZING!  Thanks a bunch you guys!

We’ll see you all at our next tournament, which will be December 3rd and 4th at Sixshooters on 35th Ave and Peoria!  Remember… this will be a PAID qualifier sponsored by Arizona Paralegal Services so the entry is ONLY $25!  Thanks to Arizona Paralegal Services, everyone who enters will automatically be able to try to with the paid seat into a 2006 WPBA Classic Event!