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The
First Annual Missouri
State American Cue
Sports 8-Ball Team
Championship was held
May 5-6, 2007, in
Sedalia, MO. Hosted by
Sharky’s Billiards, the
double elimination, no
handicap, race to
thirteen, formatted
tournament featured some
amazing defensive play
as well as one jump shot
that all spectators
wished they could see in
replay.
Coming in first place
were the Sharks,
sponsored by Sharky’s
Billiards and Modern Day
Veterans, Chapter 402,
of Sedalia, MO. The
hometown team had
battled to the hill in
their first match of the
tournament against third
place finishers, the
Oats Bus Gang of
Bucklin, MO. Shooting in
the last game of the
first match in the
tournament, it looked
like the Oats Bus Gang
was going to taste
victory as the 8-ball
grabbed a corner of the
pocket and stayed on the
table when Steve Allee
made his shot for the
win in the twenty-fifth
game of the five-hour
match. Jerry Barrows,
Oats Bus Gang member,
was left with a bank
shot on his last ball
before targeting the
8-ball. Barrows missed
the bank shot and gave
Allee ball in hand on
the 8-ball and the
tightest, and longest,
match of the tournament
was history. The Sharks
remained in the A
bracket, while the Oats
Bus Gang moved to the B
bracket.
Team member Bob Correll,
Captain of the second
place finishers, the
Scratchers also of
Bucklin and sponsored by
Lucky’s, had laughingly
commented on Saturday,
after being placed in
the B bracket by the
Sharks, “All we have to
do tomorrow is beat the
Oats Bus Gang and the
team that just stomped
us, twice, and we’ll
finish first place.”
Half of his comment was
to come true. Sunday saw
the Scratchers take
second place, defeating
the Oats Bus Gang 13 –
8.
Both the Sharks and the
Scratchers were pumped
going into the playoff
for first place. The
Scratchers were warmed
up and ready and the
Sharks were psyched and
ready. Not only were
they playing for first
place, they were playing
for Sharky’s Billiards
honor. The other two
Sharky’s teams in the
tournament had already
been knocked out of the
competition. That thirst
for redemption was
quenched with a
resounding defeat of the
Scratchers 13 – 4.
Everyone who watched the
tournament over the two
day event unanimously
agreed that the award
for the Most Spectacular
Shot went to Jeff Paxton
of the Sharks. Paxton
had to use the crutch
for a long jump shot to
make his last ball on
the table and be able to
target the 8-ball. He
made the jump shot,
capturing the win and
the Most Spectacular
Shot award in the
process.
Finishing fourth were
the Spring Timers of
Bucklin sponsored by the
Lighter Side. Fifth
place went to the Bill
Hillies and sixth place
went to the Drifters of
Sedalia. Both teams were
sponsored by Sharky’s
Billiards and Modern Day
Veterans Chapter 402.
TOURAMENT PHOTOS
1st Place Sharks
L to R: John
Blaylock, Josh Blaylock,
Jeff Paxton, Steve Allee,
Willie Schrader, Sr.,
and Jesse LaPee
2nd Place
Scratchers
L to R, back row: Joe
Kitchen, Bennie Paster,
Brian Wright; front row:
Gerald Morris, Thelma
Correll, Bob Correll
3rd Place Oats
Bus Gang
L to R: Lee
Johnson, Jerry Barrows,
Richard Geusen, Wayne
Moore, Jerry Munsterman
4th Place Spring
Timers
L to R: Pat
Miller, Linda Balfour,
Clark Balfour, Ben
Kelsall, Dee Kelsall |