Torres Wins Big at Bogies

Junior National Qualifier / Houston, TX

by InsidePOOL Staff

Eleven-year-old Joey Torres, pool-playing prodigy, made his way through a 22-player field at Bogies Billiards in Houston, TX, to earn a ticket to the Junior Nationals in Tucson, AZ.

In the quarterfinals, Torres wreaked revenge upon Brandon Turner, who had sent him to the one-loss side earlier, in a hill-hill match that ended in a tough loss for Turner. Torres moved on to play Aaron Hughey in an all-Texas shootout, with Torres capturing the win.

The final round saw the undefeated Eric Calhoun, who traveled all the way from Albany, GA, and Torres dueling in a final race to 7. Torres took an early lead and maintained it throughout, besting Calhoun 7-4.

The players not only receive a spot for Nationals, they also take home certificates and trophies, most of which are donated by the South East Texas APA League. South Texas Junior Pool Tour (stjpt.com) is a nonprofit organization that holds 22 junior events per year, holds qualifiers for Nationals, and raises money to make sure they get there. When a junior wins a qualifier, they want them to accept that spot and will help provide them with the financial means to make that dream a reality.  Each of the six players who qualified at Bogies received $50 each for travel expenses. All 14 of the juniors will benefit from BBQ fundraisers being held throughout May. If you would like to help make a youngster’s pool dream come true, you can make a donation by visiting stjpt.com.

Robyn Petrosino (above) and Joey Torres (above, left) won spots to compete in the Junior Nationals in Tucson, AZ.

Results:
1st Joey Torres
2nd Eric Calhoun
3rd Aaron Hughey
4th Brandon Turner