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Breaking News #44
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:: Arizona Pool Scene www.azpoolscene.com
| North Wins 2006 Cactus Cup .... South Squad Gets Stuck On 9 |
In January 2001, Bob Jackson from Main Street Billiards in Tucson, and Ron Merseal from Alexander’s Sports Bar in
Phoenix, decided to start a North/South team challenge to reward the players that frequent their respective pool rooms.
The “Challenge” soon became known as the “Cactus Cup” with a huge trophy at stake along with $2000.00 which is put
up by Bob and Ron and given to the winning team to split up every year. The trophy stays in the poolroom of the winning
team for the year. The Cactus Cup is played on the first two Sundays of March every year.
Each team consists of ten players. Two players of each Arizona Ratings Committee rating six through ten. The teams
match up each individual rating racing to their respective rating with a point awarded for every match win. The challenge
is played over two home and home Sundays each year. The team that accumulates the most match wins over the two
back to back Sundays is declared the winner. The North team has won the challenge every year from 2001 through
2005, except in 2004, giving the North a commanding 4-1 lead heading into the 2006 Cactus Cup. The 2006 Cactus
Cup started with play at Main Street Tucson on March 5th and ended with play on March 12th at Alexander’s.
The 2006 edition of the Cactus Cup started out a little different than the challenge has in the previous years. After the first
Sunday of play at Main Street Billiards in Tucson, the South squad ended the day in the lead, nine match wins to the
North’s six match wins. This was the first time, in the history of the challenge, that the South team had ever led after the
first Sunday of play.
As mentioned above, the North team found themselves in a very unfamiliar position when play started out on the second
Sunday at Alexander’s. Trailing 6-9, the North squad had to get off to a good start and that is exactly what they did. Both
North 6’s won their matches reducing the South lead to 8-9. Both North 7’s won giving the North their first 2006 lead 10-
9. With the South now reeling and the “oh no, not again” momentum setting in in favor of the North, the North blew the lid
off the 2006 Cactus Cup with double wins in the 8’s and 9’s matches, giving the North eight straight match wins, a 14-9
lead, and making it mathematically impossible for the South to win the 2006 Cup even before the 10 rated players
started the final two matches.
Congratulations to the North team for not only winning the 2006 Cactus Cup, but also for their display of “The Hearts Of
Champions” as they ended up winning nine of ten matches on the second Sunday of play to win the $2000.00 cash and
once again keep the Cactus Cup trophy safely on display at Alexander’s for yet another year!
Phoenix, decided to start a North/South team challenge to reward the players that frequent their respective pool rooms.
The “Challenge” soon became known as the “Cactus Cup” with a huge trophy at stake along with $2000.00 which is put
up by Bob and Ron and given to the winning team to split up every year. The trophy stays in the poolroom of the winning
team for the year. The Cactus Cup is played on the first two Sundays of March every year.
Each team consists of ten players. Two players of each Arizona Ratings Committee rating six through ten. The teams
match up each individual rating racing to their respective rating with a point awarded for every match win. The challenge
is played over two home and home Sundays each year. The team that accumulates the most match wins over the two
back to back Sundays is declared the winner. The North team has won the challenge every year from 2001 through
2005, except in 2004, giving the North a commanding 4-1 lead heading into the 2006 Cactus Cup. The 2006 Cactus
Cup started with play at Main Street Tucson on March 5th and ended with play on March 12th at Alexander’s.
The 2006 edition of the Cactus Cup started out a little different than the challenge has in the previous years. After the first
Sunday of play at Main Street Billiards in Tucson, the South squad ended the day in the lead, nine match wins to the
North’s six match wins. This was the first time, in the history of the challenge, that the South team had ever led after the
first Sunday of play.
As mentioned above, the North team found themselves in a very unfamiliar position when play started out on the second
Sunday at Alexander’s. Trailing 6-9, the North squad had to get off to a good start and that is exactly what they did. Both
North 6’s won their matches reducing the South lead to 8-9. Both North 7’s won giving the North their first 2006 lead 10-
9. With the South now reeling and the “oh no, not again” momentum setting in in favor of the North, the North blew the lid
off the 2006 Cactus Cup with double wins in the 8’s and 9’s matches, giving the North eight straight match wins, a 14-9
lead, and making it mathematically impossible for the South to win the 2006 Cup even before the 10 rated players
started the final two matches.
Congratulations to the North team for not only winning the 2006 Cactus Cup, but also for their display of “The Hearts Of
Champions” as they ended up winning nine of ten matches on the second Sunday of play to win the $2000.00 cash and
once again keep the Cactus Cup trophy safely on display at Alexander’s for yet another year!
Please keep in mind, if any of the ratings (split) their matches, one wins and one loses, a
scotch doubles match between the players, of that rating, takes place for another match
point.
scotch doubles match between the players, of that rating, takes place for another match
point.
First Sunday of play, March 5th, 2006, at Main Street Billiards in Tucson, Arizona.
Virgil Bland (S) defeats Jodie Villegas (N) 6-4, South leads 1-0
Bianca Rabatin (N) defeats Rebecca Dreiling (S) 6-3, Teams tied 1-1
South wins scotch match 6-4, South leads 2-1
Nicky Hayashi (S) defeats Brian Papiese (N) 7-3, South leads 3-1
Justine Karber (N) defeats Olivia Jackson (S) 7-6, South leads 3-2
South wins scotch match 7-4, South leads 4-2
George Rowe (N) defeats Tim Christopher (S) 8-6, South leads 4-3
Jack Murray (S) defeats Jonathan Rowe (N) 8-7, South leads 5-3
South wins scotch match 8-6, South leads 6-3
Al Gaudett (S) defeats Jim Rabatin (N) 9-6, South leads 7-3
Pete Gresh Sr. (N) defeats Jack Rippel (S) 9-4, South leads 7-4
North wins scotch match 9-6, South leads 7-5
Don Westbrooks (S) defeats Tres Kane (N) 10-7, South leads 8-5
Tony Confalone (N) defeats Chris Paradowski (S) 10-8, South leads 8-6
South wins scotch match 10-9, South leads 9-6
Bianca Rabatin (N) defeats Rebecca Dreiling (S) 6-3, Teams tied 1-1
South wins scotch match 6-4, South leads 2-1
Nicky Hayashi (S) defeats Brian Papiese (N) 7-3, South leads 3-1
Justine Karber (N) defeats Olivia Jackson (S) 7-6, South leads 3-2
South wins scotch match 7-4, South leads 4-2
George Rowe (N) defeats Tim Christopher (S) 8-6, South leads 4-3
Jack Murray (S) defeats Jonathan Rowe (N) 8-7, South leads 5-3
South wins scotch match 8-6, South leads 6-3
Al Gaudett (S) defeats Jim Rabatin (N) 9-6, South leads 7-3
Pete Gresh Sr. (N) defeats Jack Rippel (S) 9-4, South leads 7-4
North wins scotch match 9-6, South leads 7-5
Don Westbrooks (S) defeats Tres Kane (N) 10-7, South leads 8-5
Tony Confalone (N) defeats Chris Paradowski (S) 10-8, South leads 8-6
South wins scotch match 10-9, South leads 9-6
Second Sunday of play, March 12th, 2006, at Alexanders Sports Bar, Phoenix
Jodie Villegas (N) defeats Virgil Bland (S) 6-2, South leads 9-7
Bianca Rabatin (N) defeats Rebecca Dreiling (S) 6-3, South leads 9-8
North won both, no scotch required.
Brian Papiese (N) defeats Nicky Hayashi (S) 7-6, Teams are now tied 9-9
Justine Karber (N) defeats Olivia Jackson (S) 7-6, North leads 10-9
North won both, no scotch required
George Rowe (N) defeats Jack Murray (S) 8-3, North leads 11-9
Jonathan Rowe (N) defeats Tim Christopher (S) 8-5, North leads 12-9
North won both, no scotch required
Jim Rabatan (N) defeats Jack Rippel (S) 9-6, North leads 13-9
Pete Gresh Sr. (N) defeats Al Gaudett (S) 9-6, North leads 14-9
North won both, no scotch required
Tony Confalone (N) defeats Chris Paradowski (S) 10-4, North leads 15-9
Don Westbrooks (S) defeats Tres Kane (N) 10-2, North wins Cup 15-10
Even with split, scotch not played due to final outcome already decided.
Bianca Rabatin (N) defeats Rebecca Dreiling (S) 6-3, South leads 9-8
North won both, no scotch required.
Brian Papiese (N) defeats Nicky Hayashi (S) 7-6, Teams are now tied 9-9
Justine Karber (N) defeats Olivia Jackson (S) 7-6, North leads 10-9
North won both, no scotch required
George Rowe (N) defeats Jack Murray (S) 8-3, North leads 11-9
Jonathan Rowe (N) defeats Tim Christopher (S) 8-5, North leads 12-9
North won both, no scotch required
Jim Rabatan (N) defeats Jack Rippel (S) 9-6, North leads 13-9
Pete Gresh Sr. (N) defeats Al Gaudett (S) 9-6, North leads 14-9
North won both, no scotch required
Tony Confalone (N) defeats Chris Paradowski (S) 10-4, North leads 15-9
Don Westbrooks (S) defeats Tres Kane (N) 10-2, North wins Cup 15-10
Even with split, scotch not played due to final outcome already decided.
Pete Gresh Sr., who was the only
North player to win every match
he played, was selected as the
M.V.P. of the 2006 North Squad!
Click image to enlarge
North player to win every match
he played, was selected as the
M.V.P. of the 2006 North Squad!
Click image to enlarge
The Sixes
The Nines
The Sevens
The Eights
The Tens
| Click images to enlarge |