Nevel Takes Great Southern billiard Tour Finale
By Michael Basha
Larry “The Truth” Nevel took his ninth win today on the Great Southern billiard Tour in the form of a 15-3 drubbing of second-place finisher Sparky Ferrell in the tour’s finale. Tour director Shannon Daulton announced Nevel as the Player of the Year just before the finals for his eight previous wins on the Great Southern billiard Tour, including a daunting three-pack of tournament wins at the end of last year.
It was obvious why Daulton made his decision as Nevel ran out from the break 11 times out of 15, including two 9 balls on the snap en route to an uncontested victory. Ferrell took the first game but remained at one, while Nevel built a substantial lead at seven games, and Ferrell only managed to get two more games before Nevel’s lead grew to unassailable proportions. Ferrell played as well as he was allowed to, but Nevel simply overwhelmed him with ridiculous firepower and air-tight safety play. Ferrell pocketed $2,000 for his efforts, with Nevel taking the lion’s share of $3,000 for his first-place finish. After the match, Ferrell eyed the first place trophy made of crystal and said, “One of these days, that’s going to be mine.”
Results:
1st Larry Nevel
2nd Sparky Ferrell
3rd Jesse Middlebrook
4th Jonathan Pinegar
5th Rafael Martinez
Alex Pagulayan
7th Shane Van Boening
Chad Vilmont

Dechaine Destroys the Field
Joss Northeast 9-ball Tour / Parsippany, NJ

by Rick Davis
The January 26-27 stop of the Joss Northeast 9-ball Tour swung into Comet billiards in Parsippany, NJ, where Mike Dechaine bested the 40-player field to claim the title. This double-elimination 9-ball action was second stop of the 2008 year for the tour.
On the winners’ side Dechaine owned the chart leading up to the hot seat match, where he faced and defeated top WPBA star Karen Corr 9-6. On the one-loss side it was a last-minute scramble to see who would remain to face Dechaine in the finals.
Tournament director Mike Zuglan ousted Len Favata 9-7 to reach the quarterfinals, while Bucky Souvanthong was not far behind. After taking an early loss to Dechaine double-hill, Souvanthong streaked through the one-loss side, clearing the final remaining players that included Mike Yednak 9-6, Zuglan 9-3 in the quarterfinals, and then eliminated Corr 9-6 in the semifinals.
With only one match remaining, Souvanthong was eager to avenge his early loss, although the true double-elimination format gave him a tough hill to climb. To start things out both Souvanthong and Dechaine kept things very close, as neither found a lead more than one rack, but Souvanthong edged out the double-hill win to force a final set. In the last set things kept close again until the score reached 4-all, where Dechaine was able to catch a gear and propel himself to the 9-6 win to claim the event.
Results:
1st Mike Dechaine
2nd Bucky Souvanthong
3rd Karen Corr
4th Mike Zuglan
5th Len Favata
Mike Yednak

Ferrell and Nevel Set for the Finals
By Michael Basha
Sparky Ferrell cooled down Jesse Middlebrook’s hot streak with a commanding 11-5 triumph for the winner’s bracket of the Great Southern billiard Tour Championship. Ferrell held a 10-2 lead when Middlebrook began making a comeback, but Ferrell withstood the onslaught and a beautiful kick safety on the 1 ball earned Ferrell ball in hand for the road map layout and the 11-5 win.
On the one-loss side Nevel and Jonathan “Hennessee” Pinegar slugged it out with Nevel emerging victorious 11-9. Pinegar ran three racks to tie it at 8-all, but Nevel stuck with him and took a 10-8 lead. Pinegar scored one more game but broke dry, allowing Nevel to clear the table for the win.
Nevel’s win over Pinegar set up the one-loss side final against Jesse Middlebrook, which saw Nevel outplay Middlebrook to an 11-6 score line. Ferrell and Nevel will now play a race-to-15, win-by-two final at 8 p.m. tonight.

Johnson and Moses Tops in Clinton
Pechauer All-American Tour / Clinton, IA

by InsidePOOL Staff
Josh Johnson double-dipped Jeff Clark to take top honors at the January 18-20 Pechauer All-American Tour event, while Rhonda Moses took off the women’s division. Hosted by Lassiters in Clinton, IA, this $1,220-added tournament drew 36 men and 12 women, all competing in a double-elimination 8-ball format on 7-foot bar boxes.
In the men’s division, Clark ran undefeated to the finals. In the hot seat match, Clark stroked past Johnson 5-3. Earlier, in the A-bracket semifinals, Clark outpointed Jon Kucharo 5-3, while Johnson ran past Shannon Rasmussen 8-4. In the B-side last eight, Kale Enabnitt toppled Gil Hernandez 6-4, while Jesse Bowman ousted Phil Fulsang 8-2. Fulsang and Hernandez ended up in seventh place. In the quarterfinals, Rasmussen eliminated Enabnitt 6-1, while Bowman walked over Kucharo 8-0, with Enabnitt and Kucharo taking fifth. In the next round, Rasmussen ousted Bowman at fourth place 6-4, but Rasmussen was in turn eliminated at third place by Johnson 8-3. The finals featured Johnson versus Clark, with Johnson having to win two sets to claim the title. Johnson was up to the task, as he dominated both sets 8-2 and 8-3 to claim the event championship.

The women’s division witnessed Rhonda Moses marching to the hot seat with a 4-2 win over Dea Mills in the A-side finals. In the previous A-side round, Moses defeated Michelle Medd, while Mills clipped Janey Finn. In the B-side quarterfinals, Kathy Christiansen eliminated Janey Finn, and Barb Hamilton ousted Medd. Christiansen then knocked Hamilton into fourth place. Christiansen kept her hot hand in the B-side finals by knocking off Mills. The title match went to one set, as Moses claimed a 4-3 victory over Christiansen.

Men’s Results:
1st Josh Johnson
2nd Jeff Clark
3rd Shannon Rasmussen
4th Jesse Bowman
5th Kale Enabnitt
Jon Kucharo
7th Phil Fulsang
Gil Hernandez

Women’s Results:
1st Rhonda Moses
2nd Kathy Christiansen
3rd Dea Mills
4th Barb Hamilton

Three billiard Winners at Nebraska Invitational
Pechauer All-American Tour / Bellevue, NE

by InsidePOOL Staff
Three stops of Pechauer All-American Tour were hosted by Fort Crook billiards in Bellevue, NE, the weekend of January 18-20, entitled the “Nebraska State Invitational.” The $900-added event drew 22 men in the 9-ball, 14 in the men’s 8-balla, and 6 in the women’s 8-ball, each division competing in a double-elimination format on 7-foot bar boxes.
In the 9-ball division Brad Florian ran undefeated to the finals. In the hot seat match, Florian bested Dustin Gunia. Earlier, in the A-bracket semifinals, Florian turned back Pedro Castro, while Gunia defeated Larry Walker. In the B-side quarterfinals Walker eliminated Jamie Kobylasz, and Castro ousted Zack Willis. In the semifinals, Walker ended Castro’s run at fourth place, and Gunia then ended Walker’s day at third. The finals featured once-defeated Gunia versus undefeated Florian, with Gunia having to win two sets to claim the title. Gunia was able for the challenge, and he won both sets to claim the event championship.

The women’s 8-ball division witnessed Becky Anderson marching to the hot seat with a win over Clare Marsh in the A-side finals. In the previous A-side round, Anderson defeated Jill Nagel, while Marsh outpointed Dot Cyr. In the B-side quarterfinals, Amy Hughes eliminated Dot Cyr, and Jill Nagel ousted Teresa Krumm. Hughes then knocked Nagel into fourth place. In the B-side finals Marsh ended Hughes’ run. The title match went to one set, as Anderson took out Marsh in the first set for the event title.

The men’s 8-ball division saw Pedro Castro march to the hot seat with a win over Noe Solis in the A-side finals. In the previous A-side round, Castro defeated Dustin Gunia, while Solis out-stroked Zack Willis. In the B-side quarterfinals, Willis eliminated Mel Marsh, and Gunia ousted Luke Westcott. Willis then knocked Gunia into fourth place. In the B-side finals Willis ended Solis’ run. The title match went two sets, as once-defeated Willis took out undefeated Castro in both sets for the event title.
9-ball Results:
1st Dustin Gunia
2nd Brad Florian
3rd Larry Walker
4th Pedro Castro
5th Jamie Kobylasz
Zack Willis

Men’s 8-ball Results:
1st Zack Willis
2nd Pedro Castro
3rd Noe Solis
4th Dustin Gunia
5th Mel Marsh
Luke Westcott

Women’s 8-ball Results:
1st Becky Anderson
2nd Clare Marsh
3rd Amy Hughes
4th Jill Nagel
5th Dot Cyr
Teresa Krumm