Frauenberger and Watson Wow on Poison Lone Star Tour
Kevin Frauenberger defeated Steve Lenz, 5-4, in the final set of the 90-player, amateur 9-ball division, securing his first-ever win on the Poison Lone Star Billiards Tour. In the 85-player, open 9-ball division, Jacob Watson captured his second, open title, overwhelming Alex Calderone in the final set, 6-3.
On July 6th-7th, 2019, Tour title sponsor, Poison by Predator Cues, sponsors Cyclop Pool Balls, APA of North Harris County, Vapor Fiend, OutsvilleBilliards, Southern Streaming, and venue, Big Tyme Billiards, facilitated a record-breaking event for the Poison Lone Star Tour. This inaugural bar table tournament, held at Big Tyme Billiards in Spring, Texas, garnered one hundred and fifty-one players, including forty Gulf Coast Tour women, and paid out over $12,000 in prize money. This was the largest crowd of players ever assembled, since the Tour’s 2009 inception. The production drew notable, “open only” players, such as Tommy Sanders, Justin Espinosa, Ernesto Bayaua, Alex Calderone, Andy Jethwa, John Weeks, and Doug Young, and featured a two-day, live stream, produced by Mike Fabacher of Southern Streaming.The Tour would like to thank room owners Billy Sharp, Deborah Sharp, Mark Avery, and Jim Henry, for hosting the most successful Tour stop to date. Big Tyme not only accommodated nearly 200 people, but provided the best equipment, along with an attentive staff, which made for a very enjoyable, tournament-going experience. Next month, August 3rd-4th, the Tour converges on Skinny Bob’s Billiards, 300 Hester’s Crossing, Round Rock, Texas, 78681. The Tour will return to Big Tyme Billiards for its final event, October 12th-13th.
In the amateur 9-ball division, Kevin Frauenberger was on his way to the winners’ side final four, with victories over Red Mauck, 5-1, Elijah Hughes, 5-2, AmroNaboulsi, 5-2, and Leon Contreras, 5-1. Steve Lenz ousted Hector Torres, 5-2, Michael Presley, 5-0, Carl Honey, 5-2, and Johnny Cope, 5-1. Also vying for a piece of the pie, Jerry Quintero taggedChris Gutierrez, 5-1, Jose Marroquin, 5-1, Pat Castro, 5-2, and Eric Gauthier, 5-0. Bob Guzik, otherwise known as “The Pittsburgh Flash”, defeated Daniel Wise, Chris Rocha, 5-0, Larry Shaw, 5-3, John Infante, 5-3, and Scott Proud, 5-4. The east side, final four, took shape, and west side action was underway. Making their way to a final sixteen finish, Michael Pickering eliminated Rocha, 5-4, and Mike Nguyen ended Neboulis, 5-3, while Jeff “Sully” Sullivan slid past Carlos Sanchez, 5-4, and Jim Walker powered through his seventh victim,Infante, 5-3. Pickering sent Cope packing, while Gauthier terminated Walker, 5-3. Contreras edged out Watson, 5-4, and Adams upset Proud, 5-2. Back on the winners’ side, Lenz took care of Quintero, 5-2, while Frauenberger blocked Guzik, 5-2. Frauenberger played near flawless, and overcame Lenz for the hot seat, 5-1. On the one-loss side, Pickering bested Gauthier, 5-4, but fell to Guzik, 5-2, while Contreras handled Adams, 5-3, losing in turn to Quintero, 5-2. Guzik went on to defeat Quintero, 5-2, but languished against Lenz, 5-1. Although the final set pitted friend against friend, it was a fight to the end. Ninth inning, bases loaded, Frauenberger pulled ahead to win the first set, 5-4, and his first title on the Poison Lone Star Tour.
In the open 9-ball division, Jacob Watsonmade his way to the winners’ side final four, defeating Wally Escobar, 6-0, Larry Shaw, 6-1, newcomer Johnathon Trapp, 6-1, and Eric
Gauthier, 6-3. Leon Contreras overwhelmed Dennis Hadley, 6-3, AmroNeboulsi, 6-1, defending champion, Will Felder, 6-3, and Scott Proud, 6-3. Alex Calderone took down Ryan Cook, 6-0, Don Gee, 6-2, Richard “The Black Diamond” Stuart, 6-4, J.C. Torres, 6-3, and Kenneth Price, 6-1. Steve Lenz went through Michael Presley, Justin Espinosa, Blaine Barcus, 6-4, and Jerry Quintero, 6-1, rounding out the final four on the east side. On the one-loss side, in the final sixteen money round, Tommy Sanders eliminated Jeff Sullivan, 6-3, and Andrew Rodriguez took out Shane Hvamstad, 6-4, while Espinosa shut out Dennis Hadley, 6-0, and Grady Cooper stopped Will Felder, 6-4. Price extinguished Sanders, 6-5, while Rodriguez dealt Proud a final blow, by the same score. Espinosa ended Gauthier, 6-4, and Quintero casted out Cooper, 6-3. Back on the east side, Watson was on fire, besting Lenz, 6-1, to reach the hot seat. In similar fashion, Contreras shut out Calderone, 6-0, to meet Watson. The race for the cat-bird’s seat was a bit tighter, but Watson pulled ahead to take the win, 6-4. On the west side, following a seven-match winning streak, Rodriguez was shot down by Price, 6-3, and in turn, Price was put out by Lenz, 6-4. Espinosa exhausted Quintero, 6-5, but fell to Calderone, by the same score. A determined Calderonecapped off Lenz, 6-4, and Contreras, 6-3, to meet Watson. In the first set of the true, double elimination final, following exemplary play and a couple of unforced errors by Calderone, Watson sewed up the set, 6-3, and his second, open title on the Poison Lone Star Tour.
The Tour would like to welcome a number of new players who attended this event, including Jeff Sullivan, Larry Lacaze, Samir Tashmneh, Jordan Tashmneh, NickoliTashmneh, Jaxon Talley, Johnathon Trapp, and AmroNaboulsi. Junior players at this event included Malachi Walker, NickoliTashmneh, Jordan Tashmneh, and Nathan Garay. Congratulations to Malachi Walker, the top junior finisher, who placed forty-eighth out of ninety players.
Staff for this event included John Newsome, Chuck Adams, Michael Presley, and Julia Acevedo. They did a tremendous job. Verda Jones took home a Poison Arsenic3-2 playing cue, and Dennis Zavala, won a Poison Arsenic3-1 playing cue, in the weekend raffles.
The next event of the 2019 season is August 3rd-4th, at Skinny Bob’s Billiards in Round Rock, Texas. For more information about the Poison Lone Star Tour, visit www.LoneStarBilliardsTour.com.
Open Payouts – Total $5,350
1st Jacob Watson $700/$1,000 2nd Alex Calderone $470/$200 3rd Leon Contreras $300/$425 4th Steve Lenz $210/$300 5th-6th Kenneth Price, Justin Espinosa $130/$100 7th-8th Jerry Quintero, Alex Rodriguez $90/$50 9th-12th Tommy Sanders, Scott Proud, Eric Gauthier, Grady Cooper $70 ea 13th-16th Jeff Sullivan, Shane Hvamstad, Dennis Hadley, Will Felder $50 ea
Amateur Payouts – Total $4,850
1st Kevin Frauenberger $650/$875 2nd Steve Lenz $420/$600 3rd Bob Guzik $300/$400 4th Jerry Quintero $210/$275 5th-6th Michael Pickering, Leon Contreras $90/$100 7th-8th Eric Gauthier, Chuck Adams $50/$50 9th-12th Johnny Cope, Jim Walker, Jacob Watson, Scott Proud $40/$25 13th-16th Mike Nguyen, Jeff Sullivan, Carl Honey, Eddie Palmer $30 ea 17th-24th Chris Rocha, AmroNaboulsi, Carlos Sanchez, John Infante, Drew Zardeneta, Wall Escobar, Jaxon Talley, Pat Castro $20 ea
Author: Kim Newsome Editor: Chris Freeman
Photos by Eugene Lee Images