Story by: Pat Sheehan
CENTRALIA, WA - April 24-25, 2004
It’s been awhile since I attended my last major tournament. We had a lot of them
in “Chalk and Roll”, when it was rolling, but since it closed I have had my nose to
the grindstone, my shoulder to the wheel and my chin up. It is very hard to work in
that position, so it was a treat to take the day off and head to Mike McMenamin’s
Oly Club in Centralia for the McDermott tour stop.
I got there at 9:00AM and the practice games were underway. It was great to see all
my old buddies like Ivan Doty, Mike Zimmerman, Cocomo and Dan Louie. Got to meet
those who I only have seen in “The Break”. Paul Potier, John Horsfall, Stan
Tourangeau and Earl Ralston. I was the rooting section for my traveling mate
Aaron Curti.
The tourney started at 11:00AM and Aaron started his first “A” tournament by winning
his first 5 games but Marlon Oliveros took the next seven and out. Aaron went into
the loser’s bracket, but so did Dan Louie, Ivan Doty, Paul Potier and Mike Zimmerman.
Aaron drew Paul Potier for his next match. It’s a little tough to run into a World
Champion trying to make his way through the loser’s bracket, but he did win a game,
so I was proud of Aaron for he did get a game on a World’s Champ.
After Aaron fell 6-7 to Paul, I went over to watch Dan Louie play Mike Dyer, a
local boy. Dan is always great to watch unless you are in the chair with your cue
in your hand. Dan has that high flying break where both feet are in the air. I
tried to get a picture of it but he went so high that the camera cut off his head.
Finally in the sixth game Mike got ball in hand and ran from the 7 and out. Louie
finished the match with the next two games. Mike Dyer got a great lesson from the
1977 World’s Champ.
Simon Pickering came to the tournament with Paul Potier and went right through the
field without a loss to pick up the $900 first place and Paul took third for $500.
Raul Abenojar got $700 for second place. Fourth place went to John Horsfall, fifth
was shared by Bryce Avila and Kris Iverson $200. Stan Tourangeau and Michael Dooley
each got $100 for seventh, Dan Louie, Gary Givens, Marlon Oliveros and Mike Zimmerman
left with $50 for ninth place.
Paul Potier and Dan Louie made a wager that someone would run 7 racks, so I put up
$250 for the person who could do it. No one could put the seven consecutive racks
together so we added it to the pot.
Sarge Aylesworth put on a great exhibition of fancy and trick shots. Todd Chaput and
Jessica Brown from the Oly Club did a great job of putting on the first ever
tournament in Centralia and Todd is sure next year’s Classic will be bigger and
better. Todd is planning on an 8-Ball Match in October. Hope to see you there.
1st $900 Simon Pickering
2nd $700 Raul Abenojar
3rd $500 Paul Potier
4th $300 John Horsfall
5th $200 Bryce Avila, Kris Iverson
7th $100 Stan Tourangeau, Michael Dooley
9th $50 Dan Louie, Gary Givens,
Marlon Oliveros, Mike Zimmerman
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