The seventh annual Canadian Cue Sport Association Lucasi 8/9 Ball B.C. Championships were held Feb. 15-19 at the beautiful Lakeside Resort & Casino in Penticton.
For the second year, players from the Campbell River League out of Pier Street Billiards teamed up with the Comox Valley Pool League and sent 30 players to compete in men鈥檚 teams, ladies teams, Scotch Doubles, women鈥檚 and men鈥檚 singles as well as 9-ball.
Day one of the competition was 9-ball and this year there were six area entries. Competition was fierce and the closest to the top was Jeremy Davis finishing in 10th, said CVPL organizer Rose Kantor.
Scotch Doubles, which is a team of one man and one woman playing alternate shots, was a great success for two Comox Valley teams. Greg Shelvey and Deb Williams along with Bill Blackwell and Kantor were the A side finalists.
Both teams were undefeated until they met on the top in the finals. The match went to the hill 2-2 for both teams, and Williams and Shelvey went on to win their first B Bracket Scotch Doubles championship. Blackwell and Kantor brought home third.
Days two and three featured the singles event and there was some strong competition in all the men`s brackets. In the C Qualifying Brackets, Greg Shelvey and Jim Brown finished third and fourth and both were moved up to the B Bracket and made it one spot from the money.
In the C Bracket, Campbell River players PJ Drake and Ed Sharky played a great match and Drake took Sharky out on the hill and brought home third place.
Kantor said there was lots of action in both the A and B Brackets for the ladies. Last year鈥檚 B Bracket champion Christie Tipper from Campbell River played in the A Bracket this year and finished fourth.
Deb Williams placed second in the qualifying bracket which moved her up to the A Bracket where she finished fifth. And the A Division champ for the last seven years is Maryann McConnell from Port Alberni. In the B Bracket two Comox Valley ladies were shooting it out for third place. Sandra Shelvey and Rose Kantor`s match went to the hill for both ladies and Shelvey brought home the third-place trophy.
Day four was the start of team events and the Avalanche Bar boys placed second in the C Qualifying Bracket then moved up to the B Bracket where they finished ninth. The Sunnydale Sliders stayed in the C Bracket and were playing off on Sunday for third spot. "So close," said Kantor, "the boys missed it by one game!"
In the ladies division the Pier Street Ladies and Comox Valley Pool League players brought home second place.
"This year one third of the entries (at the B.C.s) came from our two leagues and I believe it's time to bring a national event here to the Valley," Kantor said. "I believe we should continue to support the CCS, since it is our Canadian organization, and CCS would like to help us bring a national event to the Valley.
"It's all in the makings, so keep your eyes open for dates coming to the Valley in late 2012. Interested in joining the Comox Valley Pool League? Check out our web site comox.pplms.ca," said Kantor.
鈥� Comox Valley Pool League
