Rogers Wins Hunter Classics Stop

Rogers Wins First Hunter Classics Stop of 2004The first Hunter Classics Stop of 2004 was held at Fast Eddies in Austin, TX, the weekend of February 7-8. With 23 tables, the 50 women who came to play were in good hands as the two-day event dwindled down to just one winner by Sunday evening. When Leslie Anne Rogers won, she also scooped up a qualifier for the WPBA event in Peoria, IL. Lisa Marr, from North Little Rock, AR, went undefeated on her way to the hot-seat match, which she won with a 7-6 victory in a classic match against Ellen Van Buren. The match featured everything from safety and kick battles to jump shots and table runs. Van Buren, coming all the way from Florida for the qualifier, was having a wonderful time and playing very well in her first Hunter Classics Stop. Marr’s road to the finals included lopsided scores until the winners’ bracket. She defeated newcomer Deborah Sharp 7-1, Houston area's Sybil Wingard 7-0, and then board member Melinda Bailey 7-3. Teedaa Clarke was having a great tournament but ran into Marr and was defeated 7-3. Then Marr defeated Belinda Lee 7-1 in her first match on Sunday. Rogers, who hails from Arlington, TX, was busily defeating Austin's Deanna Henson on the one-loss side while the winners’-bracket final was playing out. Henson placed second last year and finished fourth this year after losing her very first match. Henson lost her first match to Rogers 7-1, but Rogers then lost her second match to local favorite Heather Pulford 7-5. Rogers then started her road to the finals with lopsided scores as well. She defeated newcomers Sarah Richards 7-0 and Evangelina Elledge 7-1, then South Padre's winner Amanda Lampert 7-1, and Dallas' Becky Rouse 7-1. on Sunday morning, Rogers kept it going by defeating Austin's Diana Cardona 7-1, San Antonio's Teedaa Clark 7-3, Austin's Rachel Hurst 7-3, and Deanna Henson 7-2 before meeting up with Van Buren. Van Buren then took on Rogers for the third-place spot. Van Buren led the match 5-4 but was kept in her chair as Rogers ran out the last three racks for the 7-5 victory. This was a sign of things to come in the finals. Rogers took the first set against Marr 7-1 to force the final set in this true double-elimination tournament. Rogers won the second set 7-5 and earned $750 and the WPBA qualifier for Peoria. Marr earned $600 for second place, Van Buren won $450 for third, and Henson won $300 for fourth. Other notables were several women who placed their highest finish to date in the main event: Monica Anderson, Angela Elrod and Diana Cardona (9th-12th), Belinda Lee (5th), and Teedaa Clarke (7th). Congratulations! There were several new women at this event, and they all played well for their first big women's tournament. On Sunday, the Hunter Classics Tour also held its famous second-chance tournament, and in the end it was Amanda Lampert from San Antonio out of 34 ladies who won the event and $110. Helen Hayes came in second, earning $90, and Michelle Cortez came in third for $70. Congratulations to all the ladies! Wes Hunter, our tour sponsor, donated a beautiful custom cue, and this is the eleventh year he has supported the Hunter Classics Tour. Fast Eddies treated the ladies well, and we sincerely appreciate their hospitality and look forward to more stops at Fast Eddies. Patrick and Kathy were very helpful managers and we thank them for accommodating all of the women during this great tournament.Results:1st Leslie Anne Rogers $750 + qualifier2nd Lisa Marr $6003rd Ellen Van Buren $4504th Deanna Henson $3005th Rachel Hurst, Belinda Lee $1707th Teedaa Clark, Heather Pulford9th Monica Anderson, Diana Cardona, Angela Elrod, Jennifer Kraber $65Visit InsidePOOL for the latest from the sport of billiards and pool.

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