| Breaking News #175 |
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Arizona Pool Scene www.azpoolscene.com
| 2008 Cactus Cup North vs. South Challenge |
| Leg #1 Played On March 2nd, 2008 at Main Street Billiards Tucson |
Results from leg #1 - Main Street Billiards Tucson
"10" Rated players
Dave Capone (South) defeated Tres Kane (North)
Kevin Peterson (South) defeated Tyson Cole (North)
Kevin Peterson (South) defeated Tyson Cole (North)
South Leads 1-0
South Leads 2-0
South Leads 2-0
"6" Rated players
Lance Smyth (North) defeated Abby Bentley (South)
Jodie Villagas (North) defeated Chris Amanori (South)
Jodie Villagas (North) defeated Chris Amanori (South)
"7" Rated players
Jim Pennington (North) defeated Nicky Hayashi (South)
John Wells (South) defeated Mark Nelson (North)
South 7's defeated North 7's Scotch Doubles
John Wells (South) defeated Mark Nelson (North)
South 7's defeated North 7's Scotch Doubles
"8" Rated players
Jim Bentley (South) defeated Bernie Store (North)
Tim Christopher (South) defeated Steve Stowers (North)
Tim Christopher (South) defeated Steve Stowers (North)
"9" Rated players
Ricardo Camarena (South) defeated Brandon Butler (North)
Andy Kachur (South) defeated Pete Gresh (North)
Andy Kachur (South) defeated Pete Gresh (North)
South Leads 2-1
Tied 2-2
Tied 2-2
North Leads 3-2
Tied 3-3
South Leads 4-3
Tied 3-3
South Leads 4-3
South Leads 5-3
South Leads 6-3
South Leads 6-3
South Leads 7-3
South Leads 8-3
South Leads 8-3
The 8th Annual.....
| The (10's) |
| The (6's) |
| The (7's) |
| The (8's) |
| The (9's) |
| CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE ~ The South Team Players Are On The Left In All Photos |
View All 2008 Cactus Cup Images
As A SLIDESHOW....Click HERE
As A SLIDESHOW....Click HERE
| Leg #2 Played On March 9th, 2008 at Alexanders in Phoenix |
| North Wins 2008 Cactus Cup With Unbelievable Comeback |
In the eight years that the North vs. South Cactus Cup Challenge has been played, never before has there been a finish like what took place during this years challenge. The 2008 Cup started at Main Street Billiards in Tucson on Sunday, March 2nd. The South squad jumped to an early lead when their (10) rated players, Dave Capone & Kevin Peterson, both won over the North's Tyson Cole & Tres Kane. Next up in Tucson were the (6) rated players. The North's Jodie Villegas & Lance Smyth both won over the South's Abby Bentley & Chris Amadori to even the score at 2-2. The (7) rated players were next. The North's Jim Pennington defeated Nicky Hayashi (S) while the South's John Wells defeated the North's Mark Nelson. The score now stood at 3-3 until the South won the Scotch Doubles match between the (7's) to take a 4-3 lead. From this point forward the South dominated by winning every match played the rest of the day. The (8's) and the (9's) from the South, Tim Christopher, Jim Bentley, Ricardo Camarena, and Andy Kucher all won creating a huge 8-3 lead after leg #1. The North was in the biggest hole they had ever experienced in the eight years of the Challenge. Leg #2 would take place the following Sunday on the North's home court at Alexander's. The North would definitely have their work cut out for them on March 9th.
On March 9th, the North started leg #2 by playing their six rated players who had both won the previous week in Tucson. Both North 6's won again. Jodie Villegas & Lance Smyth defeated the South's Chris Amadori & Russ Hopkins. These two North wins narrowed the overall gap to 8-5. The North matched up the 10's next. Tyson Cole (N) lost to the South's Kevin Peterson while the North's Tres Kane fought back from a huge hole in his match against Dave Capone to keep the South's lead to just three points, 9-6. The South 10's then defeated the North's 10's in scotch doubles to take a 10-6 lead. At this point it did not look real good for the North team. With the North in trouble and facing must wins to stay alive, the North's Bernie Store and Susan Williams both won over the South's Olivia Jackson and Tim Christopher. These two huge North wins brought the North back with-in two points. The over-all score now stood at 10-8, South.
The North put their 9's up next. Pete Gresh Sr. & Brandon Butler would be playing the South's Ricardo Camarena & Andy Kucher. Brandon lost to Ricardo to increase the South lead to three points, 11-8. Pete fell behind in his match to Andy. A loss by Pete would have given the South a four point lead and the North would have been mathematically eliminated. Pete, however, came back and won over Andy hill/hill. The North was still alive but still behind, over-all, 11-9.
The North 9's would have to play a Scotch Doubles match against the South 9's. A loss by the North in this match would once again give the South the 2008 Cup. Sure enough the North pulled it out and the Cup was still up for grabs. The overall score at this point was 11-10 South. The only rating left to play in the 2nd and last leg of the challenge were the seven rated players.
The South's John Wells defeated the North's Tony Spade to give the South a two point lead at 12-10. The other (7's) match was the North's Sara Miller playing the South's Nicky Hayashi. A win by Nicky in this match would once again close the North out. It did not happen. Nicky got on the hill but Sara battled back and won the match hill/hill. That win kept the North alive again. The over all score now stood 12-11 South. The math was simple from here. If the South won the scotch match between the 7's, the 2008 Cup would be theirs for only the second time in eight years. If the North could win this match, the overall score would be tied and the tie breaker would have to be played. In a nail biter, the North fell behind again 6-4 in the race to seven. The South was one game away from the Cup while the North needed three games to force the tie. Sure enough Sara and Tony fought back to even the match hill/hill then won the match when Tony snapped the nine on the hill/hill game to finally, after two weeks of play, get the North even overall at 12-12.
This was the first time in eight years that the Challenge ended in a tie. As decided years ago by the North captain Ron Merseal and the South captain Bob Jackson, any tie would be broke by playing one more match with both captains selecting a player from their teams to play that match. Both players would be racing to their handicap. Ron Merseal selected Tres Kane for the tie breaker. Bob Jackson selected Kevin Peterson. The race would be a straight race to ten games. This one match would decide who would be the 2008 Cactus Cup Champions.
Tres completed the North's fantastic, never say die comeback, and kept the Cup in the hands of the North for another year, when he defeated Kevin 10-5. Until this final tie breaker match won by the "Big Daddy", the North had never led since they were ahead 3-2 way back early in leg #1 back in Tucson the previous week. Tres Kane was selected MVP of this years Challenge.
I want to thank all the North players for what they accomplished in this years Challenge. At least four times they were faced with having to win or being eliminated. Every time they won and most times they had to come back in those matches. They were down but never out. They fought like Champions and EARNED the title of 2008 North vs. South Cactus Cup Champions. Ron Merseal
On March 9th, the North started leg #2 by playing their six rated players who had both won the previous week in Tucson. Both North 6's won again. Jodie Villegas & Lance Smyth defeated the South's Chris Amadori & Russ Hopkins. These two North wins narrowed the overall gap to 8-5. The North matched up the 10's next. Tyson Cole (N) lost to the South's Kevin Peterson while the North's Tres Kane fought back from a huge hole in his match against Dave Capone to keep the South's lead to just three points, 9-6. The South 10's then defeated the North's 10's in scotch doubles to take a 10-6 lead. At this point it did not look real good for the North team. With the North in trouble and facing must wins to stay alive, the North's Bernie Store and Susan Williams both won over the South's Olivia Jackson and Tim Christopher. These two huge North wins brought the North back with-in two points. The over-all score now stood at 10-8, South.
The North put their 9's up next. Pete Gresh Sr. & Brandon Butler would be playing the South's Ricardo Camarena & Andy Kucher. Brandon lost to Ricardo to increase the South lead to three points, 11-8. Pete fell behind in his match to Andy. A loss by Pete would have given the South a four point lead and the North would have been mathematically eliminated. Pete, however, came back and won over Andy hill/hill. The North was still alive but still behind, over-all, 11-9.
The North 9's would have to play a Scotch Doubles match against the South 9's. A loss by the North in this match would once again give the South the 2008 Cup. Sure enough the North pulled it out and the Cup was still up for grabs. The overall score at this point was 11-10 South. The only rating left to play in the 2nd and last leg of the challenge were the seven rated players.
The South's John Wells defeated the North's Tony Spade to give the South a two point lead at 12-10. The other (7's) match was the North's Sara Miller playing the South's Nicky Hayashi. A win by Nicky in this match would once again close the North out. It did not happen. Nicky got on the hill but Sara battled back and won the match hill/hill. That win kept the North alive again. The over all score now stood 12-11 South. The math was simple from here. If the South won the scotch match between the 7's, the 2008 Cup would be theirs for only the second time in eight years. If the North could win this match, the overall score would be tied and the tie breaker would have to be played. In a nail biter, the North fell behind again 6-4 in the race to seven. The South was one game away from the Cup while the North needed three games to force the tie. Sure enough Sara and Tony fought back to even the match hill/hill then won the match when Tony snapped the nine on the hill/hill game to finally, after two weeks of play, get the North even overall at 12-12.
This was the first time in eight years that the Challenge ended in a tie. As decided years ago by the North captain Ron Merseal and the South captain Bob Jackson, any tie would be broke by playing one more match with both captains selecting a player from their teams to play that match. Both players would be racing to their handicap. Ron Merseal selected Tres Kane for the tie breaker. Bob Jackson selected Kevin Peterson. The race would be a straight race to ten games. This one match would decide who would be the 2008 Cactus Cup Champions.
Tres completed the North's fantastic, never say die comeback, and kept the Cup in the hands of the North for another year, when he defeated Kevin 10-5. Until this final tie breaker match won by the "Big Daddy", the North had never led since they were ahead 3-2 way back early in leg #1 back in Tucson the previous week. Tres Kane was selected MVP of this years Challenge.
I want to thank all the North players for what they accomplished in this years Challenge. At least four times they were faced with having to win or being eliminated. Every time they won and most times they had to come back in those matches. They were down but never out. They fought like Champions and EARNED the title of 2008 North vs. South Cactus Cup Champions. Ron Merseal
Results from leg #2 - Alexander's Sports Bar, Phoenix
"6" Rated players
Jodie Villegas (North) defeated Chris Amadori (South)
Lance Smyth (North) defeated Russ Hopkins (South)
Lance Smyth (North) defeated Russ Hopkins (South)
South Leads 8-4
South Leads 8-5
South Leads 8-5
"10" Rated players
Kevin Peterson (South) defeated Tyson Cole (North)
Tres Kane (North) defeated Dave Capone (South)
South 10's defeated North 10's Scotch Doubles
Tres Kane (North) defeated Dave Capone (South)
South 10's defeated North 10's Scotch Doubles
"8" Rated players
Susan Williams (North) defeated Olivia Jackson (South)
Bernie Store (North) defeated Tim Christopher (South)
Bernie Store (North) defeated Tim Christopher (South)
"9" Rated players
Ricardo Camarena (South) defeated Brandon Butler (North)
Pete Gresh Sr. (North) defeated Andy Kachur (South)
North 9's defeated South 9's Scotch Doubles
Pete Gresh Sr. (North) defeated Andy Kachur (South)
North 9's defeated South 9's Scotch Doubles
"7" Rated players
John Wells (South) defeated Tony Spade (North)
Sara Miller (North) defeated Nicky Hayashi (South)
North 7's defeated South 7's Scotch Doubles
Sara Miller (North) defeated Nicky Hayashi (South)
North 7's defeated South 7's Scotch Doubles
South Leads 9-5
South Leads 9-6
South Leads 10-6
South Leads 9-6
South Leads 10-6
South Leads 10-7
South Leads 10-8
South Leads 10-8
South Leads 11-8
South Leads 11-9
South Leads 11-10
South Leads 11-9
South Leads 11-10
South Leads 12-10
South Leads 12-11
Tied 12-12
South Leads 12-11
Tied 12-12
Tie Breaker
Tres Kane (North) defeated Kevin Peterson (South)
North Wins 13-12
View All 2008 Cactus Cup Images
As A SLIDESHOW....Click HERE
As A SLIDESHOW....Click HERE
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