Breaker’s Billiards Annual Tournament / Mobile, AL
by Lea Andrews
It took Jamie Baraks almost two full days to do it, but he made his way through a tough field to claim first in Breaker’s Billiards Annual $10,000-guaranteed tournament. The event, held August 1-2, drew 96 players from around the country to Mobile, AL.
Baraks found himself in the winners’ side final four late Sunday night, and he blew past Arlo Walsman to face Ryan “The Genie Man” McCreesh, who’d just gotten past Nick Vita, in the hot seat match. Baraks came out on top, sending McCreesh to fight for a rematch.
Over on the one-loss side, Charlie “Hillbilly” Bryant made his way past Gary Abood only to fall to Jesse Middlebrook, while Sparky Ferrell knocked out Joseph Cole and Will Haagenssen before getting knocked out by Walsman. Walsman went on to the quarterfinal match against Middlebrook, who was coming off a win over Vita. Placing Middlebrook squarely in fourth, Walsman went on to face McCreesh in the one-loss semifinals. For both men, reaching the finals would mean a chance at avenging a loss to Baraks, but only one could go on, and Walsman was the one who earned it.
When the finals began, it was already Monday morning. Late the night before, a fresher Baraks had cut Walsman down 9-1. At 6 a.m., after fatigue had thoroughly set in for both players, it was hill-hill in the first match of the true double-elimination final set. The final 9 ball could either crown a winner or push the tournament well into breakfast time, but it was Baraks who sank it, earning first place after a stellar undefeated run.
Breaker’s Billiards also hosted a mini 16-man 10-ball tournament on Friday night. The $500 entry fee kept the competition strong, and Larry Nevel took down Danny Smith 11-9 in the finals of the single-elimination event.
It took Jamie Baraks almost two full days to do it, but he made his way through a tough field to claim first in Breaker’s Billiards Annual $10,000-guaranteed tournament.
Main Event Results:
1st Jamie Baraks $4,000
2nd Arlo Walsman $2,000
3rd Ryan McCreesh $1,000
4th Jesse Middlebrook $500
5th Nick Vita $350
Sparky Ferrell
7th Charlie Bryant $250
Will Haagenssen
9th Gary Abood $200
Kenneth Brisbon
Derek Fontenot
Joseph Cole
13th Mike Wilson $125
Jerry Slivka
Scotty Townsend
Mitch Yarborough
10-Ball Results:
1st Larry Nevel $5,000
2nd Danny Smith $2,000
3rd Jonathan Hennessee $500
Jamie Baraks