Congratulations to the number one ranked team Ballz in Hand from 2 Lanes Saloon in Globe!  They went 13-1 while scoring 1,097 points and winning 89 of 126 games for a .706 winning percentage!  Jimmie Shay Jr led the team with a 30-9 record scoring 357 points and 6 30s. Donald Hudgings & Mike Perkins both went 29-13 and scored 358 with Donald holding his opponents to 19 fewer points to break the tie!  Rounding out the other first place teams All Talk No Chalk, Derailed Too & Beer Me all finished 12-2 but scoring 1059, 1042 and 982 points respectively to finish 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th.  Cover the Spread finished 5^th at 11-3 and taking 6^th was Doc’s Gang at 10-4.   

Congratulations to the number one ranked player in the league Shawn Ashworth from All Talk No Chalk out of Jester’s Billiards, scoring 391 points while going 36-6 and 10 30-point games was good for a 7.109 power rating.  Lynda Niichel of Ladies & the Tramp from Jester’s Billiards was the top female in the league shooting 21-12 while scoring 277 points, good for a league leading .839 shooting percentage and winning percentage of .636 and a couple 30s for a 25 match average.  Other division MVPs go to Thomas Gordon of Cash Money Reboot from Stockman’s, Colleen Ashley of the Strait 8s of Stockman’s, Doc Rogers of Doc’s Gang at Stinger’s/Dave’s, Tracy Rogers of Doc’s Wife & the Gang from Stinger’s/Dave’s, John Visnaw from the Pool Flyz, Jessy Perkins of Ridin the Rails, Donald Hudgings of D-M2 & Samantha King of A Few Sticks Shy all from 2 Lanes Saloon and Harold Lyons & Laura Boothroyd from Good Times at the Q n Brew!  Thomas Gordon is the leagues top rookie!  Leading the league in points scored was John Visnaw of the Pool Flyz and Eva Monville of My Girls.  John led the league with a 28.36 match average and is also the Most Improved Player in the league shooting 3.44 points over his MA!  Doc Rogers allowed the fewest at 215 in 14 matches.  Harold Lyons allowed just 198 in 13 matches.  Stephanie Griffiths led all woman only allowing 212 points over 10 matches and was also the leagues top rookie female!  Tracy Rogers led the ladies with 23 wins and 3 30s.  Jessica Lownsberry of the PC Zingers was the woman’s most improved player shooting 2.85 points over her career match average!  Leading the multi-night totals are Donald Hudgings & Samantha King both from 2 Lanes Saloon!  Scott Hudson led the league with 4 8-ball breaks! 

Mark Tomlinson scored his 15,000 point to move into 3^rd all-time!  Cecil Attson won his 1,400^th game!  Pete Williams won his 1,100^th game and moved up a spot to 5^th all-time with 14,000 points scored.  Doc Rogers moved into 9^th all-time with his 12,000^th point.  Doc also moved into 6^th all-time in wins, needing just 3 to move into 5^th.  Tim Ashley moved into 10^th all-time with his 871^st win. Doug Molhook won his 800^th game.  Rick Meredith needs 3 wins to reach 800 for his career.  Ryan Fedora scored his 10,000^th point.  Joe Zack won his 600^th game and needs 28 points to reach 9,000.  John Ilk, Carlos Preston & Eric Ely each scored their 7,000^th point!  John Ilk needs just 2 wins to reach 600.  Justin King won his 500^th game and needs just 62 to reach the 7,000 point plateau.  Kevin Phillips won his 500^th game.  Fernando Prats and Terry Lemke both are 7 shy of 500 career wins.  Joseph Armendariez scored his 6,000 career point!  Richard Taylor needs 59 to match the feat.  Harold Lyons & Jimmie Shay Jr won their 400^th game and scored their 5,000^th point.  Donald Hudgings, Duane Hostetler & Jr Jiron won their 400^th game.  Calvin Balcom is just 1 shy of 400 career wins.  Carlos Preston & Kip Anderson are each on win 398.  Anthony Begay scored his 100^th 30-point game.  Reaching the 5,000 point mark is Eric Menard.  Russ Winders is just 4 shy of 5k.  Duane Etsitty won his 300^th game.  Laura Boothroyd is holding at 299 while Walt Seng is on win 298.  John Visnaw needs 5 to reach 300.  Scoring their 4,000^th career points are Laura Boothroyd, Tracy Rogers, Dave Webb & John Watts!  Needing just 21 is John Visnaw!  Winning their 200^th games were Joeneil Tolimao, Tara Negrin, Jean Garcia & Nate Korey.  Steve Key, Daniel Short, Thoi Truong, Albert Sanchez Sr and Arron Hetrick all reached 3,000 points scored for their career.  Shawn Ashworth needs just 79 to reach 3k.  Coming up to the 2,000 point plateau was Ernie Encizo, Samantha King, Chris Gibson, Laura Nordan, Rick Seng, Scott Hudson, Doug Scheuer, Michael Krause, Carey Hudgings & Jessy Perkins.  

The bracket is changing a bit for our new home.  We’ve now taken the top 16 teams based on overall strength and put them in their own bracket on the 9 foot tables.  The remaining teams play in the normal bracket on 7 foot tables with 32 spots available.  The way teams were placed on the bracket is like this.  I took the highest ranked team and the lowest ranked team and subtracted.  I took that number and divided it by 4 creating four different divisions based on skill levels.  I put each team into its appropriate division and took the leaders from each and put them in the top 4 spots.  Each of those divisions had so many teams to qualify and those were put on the bracket.  On Sunday the 3^rd elimination bracket is played out on the 9-foot tables. 

Goodbye to Stinger’s.  We were their first event in the new Stingers back in January 2010. They weren’t even done installing all the equipment when we arrived. It was kegs in garbage cans filled with ice. By the end of the weekend things were rolling smooth. And for the next 8 years it was our home. Over the past year things have happened well beyond my control that has taken its toll on our home. Believe me when I say we heard your comments at the past championship loud and clear. It’s never an easy decision to relocate a tournament of this size. Many things come into play. There’s a sense of loyalty to a place that’s hosted 24 consecutive championship tournaments. Heading into the fall season I kept a close eye on what was happening there and sadly, the situation hasn’t improved and a decision had to be made. With that being said I would like to take a moment to thank Dale for 8 wonderful years at Stingers. It’s not easy being a bar owner and I feel your pain and know what you are going through. You’ve been a wonderful host for us and I’ll definitely miss you and Stingers. I do wish you nothing but the best in the future and hope things get better for you and your family.

As for the AZPL our new home for the State Championships will return to the east side.  After a trial run with a smaller tournament and meeting the owner the decision was made to relocate our big event there.  I’d like to thank Skip & Jan’s for welcoming the AZPL to their establishment located at 1520 W Warner Rd in Gilbert.  They feature a full menu with great food, a full bar and of course, pool tables.  Lots of pool tables!  17 of them to be exact! 8 7-foot bar box tables and 8 9-foot tables in a giant room with 3 bathrooms and 1 bar box table in the main bar area. 

Heading into the spring 2018 season we will be going to a modified no-handicap format.  All matches will be played straight up unless your team is over 75 playing a team under 75.  In that situation the handicap applies.  With the new bracket format every team still has a shot.  Just play smart and have fun!  You’re only going to get better!

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!  Here’s to a great 2018!!

How teams qualify for the State Championship tournament:

48 teams qualify for the State Championships!  There are 40 guaranteed spots with each division getting a minimum of 2.  The remaining 8 spots are Wild Cards.  The top 7 teams out of all the teams that did not qualify for an automatic spot are Wild Card teams.  The 48th spot is the Long Shot Challenge with it being awarded to one of the remaining teams that did not yet qualify.

The 2018 Spring State Championships 

will be May 4, 5 & 6 at 

Skip & Jan's

1520 W Warner Rd, Gilbert - Northeast corner of Warner & McQueen

Good Times of the Q n Brew in Tempe - Won $1,100

PJ Jauregui, Harold Lyons & Laura Boothroyd

 

 

2nd Place -

Doc's Gang of Stinger's Sports Bar in Glendale - Won $1,355!

Calvin Balcom, Doc Rogers & Mike Simonelli!

 

 

3rd Place - 2 Lanes Krew of 2 Lanes Saloon in Globe - Won $700!

Frank Taylor, Jessy Perkins & Frank Faubush