Webb Claims billiards Tour Season Opener
Ladies Spirit Tour / Holiday, FL

by R. Case
The Ladies Spirit Tour season opener brought out 34 women to Hammer Heads Billiard Lounge in Holiday, FL, March 15-16. Owners of Hammer Heads, Dan and Nora LaVoie, added $1,200 to the event, bringing the total purse to $3150, plus the qualifier spot for the WPBA Great Lakes Classic. The event drew WPBA pros Monica Webb, Helena Thornfeldt, Tiffany Nelson, Tracie Hines, and Debbie Schjodt, with Webb capturing the first-place prize.
On the second day of the event, the final 12 returned to battle it out for the $720 first place money and the qualifier spot. Emily Wilmoth sent pro Debbie Schjodt home but couldn’t continue the winning streak against pro Tiffany Nelson. By making her way past Denise Khidirian and Autumn Duncan, upcoming star Michell Monk secured her claim to the paid entry for the WPBA Great Lakes Classic. After defeating Stephanie Mitchell in a double-hill game, she was the last amateur standing against the pros, but she could not collect her game against Nelson, while Thornfeldt and Webb battled for the hot seat match.
After sending Thornfeldt to play Nelson for third, Webb waited patiently undefeated. It was Nelson who wanted the challenge of the match with Webb for first place. In a true double-elimination format, Nelson had her sights on beating Webb twice. The first match was a test of patience with safety plays, but Nelson won that match with a score of 7-5. The second match, however, would not prove as easy for Nelson, as Webb claimed the season opener with a score of 7-2.

Results:

1st
Monica Webb

2nd
Tiffany Nelson

3rd
Helena Thornfeldt

4th
Michell Monk

5-6th
Stephanie Mitchell

Amy Poulter

7-8th
Autumn Duncan

Emily Wilmoth

9-12th
Leslee Davis-Blaikie

Tracie Hines

Denise Khidirian

Debbie Schjodt

Easy Billiard Tour Win for Webb

Ladies Spirit Tour / Spring Hill, FL
by Rick Davis
The Ladies Spirit Tour got back in action over the September 8-9 weekend where a 34-player field fought it out at Capone’s billiards in Spring Hill, FL. The double-elimination action brought in a tough crowd of locals, amateurs, and WPBA pros; however, they were all shut down by Monica Webb, who soared through the event to win undefeated.
Currently ranked fifth on the WPBA, Webb started in one of only two winners’-side matches not to get a first-round bye, and from there she owned the bottom half of the bracket. Four wins followed by a fifth against Helena Thornfeldt, where Webb dominated 7-3 to put her comfortably in the hot seat match. On the upper half of the chart Ellen Van Buren enjoyed a nice ride as she drilled Malea Swanson 7-0, Freida Walker 7-1, Tracie Hines 7-0, and finally Leslee Davis-Blaikie 7-5 to meet Webb in the hot seat match. The very top of the chart seemed to totally stacked, as former tour stop winners Debbie Schjodt and Jeannie Seaver, along with other top players from regional tours, all whittled each other away as Van Buren slipped past. Capping off the winners’ side Webb took little time with Van Buren before chalking up a quick 7-2 match to whisk her into the finals.
On the one-loss side the stacked grouping produced its favorite, while the others scrambled to overcome a comeback. After falling short on her first match Tamara Redemakers blew through five matches to reach the quarterfinals, eliminating more than her share of the field. Not far behind, Seaver took seven matches to catch up with Redemakers in the quarterfinals by eliminating Schjodt 7-3 and Thornfeldt 7-6 among others.
Redemakers was in great shape as she slipped past Seaver double-hill in the quarterfinals, although Van Buren was eager for a rematch and slapped Redemakers away 7-4 to face Webb once again in the finals. The well-rested Webb once again tore through Van Buren, as her superior skills could not be stopped. In the end Webb took the match 7-1 to end the event and claim another victory for herself.

Open Results:

1st
Monica Webb

2nd
Ellen Van Buren

3rd
Tamara Redemakers

4th
Jeannie Seaver

5-6th
Leslee Davis-Blaikie

Helena Thornfeldt

7-8th
Debbie Schjodt

Webb Takes Down Spirit Tour
Ladies Spirit Tour / Jacksonville, FL

by Rick Davis
The Ladies Spirit Tour drew in a stacked field as usual at their sixth tour stop, held over the August 18-19 weekend at Bankshot billiards in Jacksonville, FL. The 41-player field included past winners and WPBA pros all looking for the title, and in the end it was Monica Webb who went undefeated to claim her second straight tour win.
On the winners’ side Webb had made her mark throughout the event. Starting as one of a few without a first-round bye, Webb defeated five opponents to reach the hot seat match including a 7-3 win over Helena Thornfeldt and a 7-2 scorcher over Tiffany Nelson. On the lower half of the chart Debbie Schjodt, winner of the tour’s second stop, was in control. Schjodt enjoyed a first-round bye and then drilled four opponents, including a 7-1 thrashing of Jessica Barnes, to face Webb in the hot seat match. That match was over before it began it seemed, as Webb jolted the match to a 7-1 conclusion, leaving Schjodt shell-shocked.
On the one-loss side Thornfeldt worked up a comeback, eliminating Stephanie Mitchell 7-1 and Barnes 7-4 to reach the quarterfinals. Nearby, Nelson ousted Seaver 7-4 then sent Thornfeldt home 7-3 from the quarterfinal match. Catching a gear, Nelson kept alive by knocking out Schjodt in the semifinals to earn a chance against Webb. The finals were close, but Webb was playing strong and in great position from the hot seat to defeat Nelson, which she did 7-5 to claim another Spirit Tour title.
Results:
1st Monica Webb
2nd Tiffany Nelson
3rd Debbie Schjodt
4th Helena Thornfeldt
5th Jessica Barnes
Jeannie Seaver

Webb Wins on Ladies Spirit Tour

Ladies Spirit Tour / Stuart, FL
by Rick Davis
Billiard News - The July 14-15 weekend brought the Ladies Spirit Tour to Amy’s billiards in Stuart, FL, where the 38-player field was drilled by WPBA pro Monica Webb as she claimed her first tour win of the season.
On the winners’ side Webb, ranked fourth on the WPBA, blazed a trail through the chart after her first-round bye. Webb took four matches to reach the hot seat match, not giving up more than three racks in any of them. In the hot seat match Webb continued her streak and destroyed Jeanne Seaver, winner of the season’s first stop, 7-3.
Over on the west side Debbie Schjodt, who has also claimed an event this tour season, drilled Druanne Battista 7-1, while WPBA pro Helena Thornfeldt did the same to Simone Hospedales by the same margin. In the quarterfinals Thornfeldt edged out Schjodt 7-4 then turned the screws against Seaver for another 7-1 smackdown.
Thornfeldt made her way to finals, earning it through a host of great matches, although Webb would not let up with the title in her sights, and in no time Webb was on top again for the last time in the event, taking the title from the 7-4 win in the finals.
Results:
1st Monica Webb
2nd Helena Thornfeldt
3rd Jeanne Seaver
4th Debbie Schjodt
5th Helene Caukin
Emily Wilmoth
7th Simone Hospedales
Druanne Battista

Lindauer Leaps Across the Finish Line

Ladies Spirit Tour / Palm Harbor, FL
by Rick Davis
Laura Lindauer upset the field of 41 players to go undefeated on the Ladies Spirit Tour June 2-3 event. Taking place at Strokers in Palm Harbor, FL, the fourth stop of the season brought out a great field of players for a wonderful event.
Early in the event the Cha sisters, Bo-Ram and Yu-Ram, were the favorites; however, Bo-Ram was defeated 7-3 by Tina Hess in her first round. Before long, two hot streaks were apparent as Yu-Ram and Lindauer each tore through the event. Both were in the unlucky one-third of the field to not receive a first-round bye, although that did not stop them from taking five matches to reach the hot seat match. On the way Yu-Ram drilled tour regulars Jessica Barnes 7-1 and Tracie Hines 7-2 then continued her reign by destroying past Spirit winner Debbie Schjodt 7-0. Lindauer had a somewhat easier run, but she worked hard for each match, nearing double-hill on several.
On the one-loss side, the ghosts of previous winners came back to haunt. Jeannie Seaver, who won the season’s first stop, put together six matches after her initial loss to reach the quarterfinals, while Schjodt, winner of the second stop, slipped past Barnes 7-6 to rise to the same plateau. Among the fallen players, Bo-Ram was upset 7-4 by Vanessa Seaver, while tour regular Ellen Van Buren had her four-match comeback streak ended by Tracie Hines 7-2.
The top tier of players began their countdown to the finals as Lindauer bested Cha 7-5 in the hot seat match. On the one-loss side Seaver ousted Schjodt 7-2 in the quarterfinals then got ousted herself as Cha gave her a 7-3 spanking. With the finals on hand, the rematch between Cha and Lindauer ground to double-hill, with Cha taking the opening set. In the last match of the event, Cha continued to find unexpected resistance as the last set went double-hill again. Lindauer finally stepped up though and took the last rack just in time to win the match double-hill and claim the event through an unexpected finish.
Results:
1st Laura Lindauer
2nd Yu-Ram Cha
3rd Jeannie Seaver
4th Debbie Schjodt

Sakai Steals Spirit Tour Win

Ladies Spirit Tour / Holiday, FL
by R. Case
The Ladies Spirit Tour’s third event of the season was held April 27-28 at Hammer Heads Billiard Lounge in Holiday, FL, where 46 women competed in the qualifier event for the WPBA Florida Classic. Top players included WPBA pros Ellen Van Buren, Tracie Hines, and Miyuki Sakai, along with Spirit Tour regular top finishers such as Debbie Schjodt, Jeannie Seaver, Stephanie Mitchell, and Jessica Barnes.
The event drew fierce determination and competition, with some players as far away as Holland, Japan, Indiana, and North Carolina, and with many matches enduring hill-hill scores. Sakai found her way to the hot seat match against Stephanie Mitchell, and it was the WPBA pro who claimed the seat with a 7-5 win.
On the one-loss side, regulars Jeannie Seaver and Debbie Schjodt sent Dawn Fox and Tamara Rademakers home, respectively, with fifth-place finishes, setting up the next match of Seaver and Schjodt. A long-time friendship did not prevent Seaver from posting a 7-5 score against Schjodt, because Seaver wanted a chance at the first-place prize fund. However, Mitchell soon let it be known that she fully intended to win the qualifier as well as her first Ladies Spirit Tour event. Seaver had to settle for third place with a 7- 3 score against Mitchell.
The finals were set, with Mitchell and Sakai playing once again. Sakai took the lead, winning the lag and first game, but Mitchell replied quickly with a two-game lead. Mitchell’s bank shots seemed to be working in her favor, as she brought the score up to 4-1, but Sakai was not to be put away so easily, managing to bring the score up to 4-3. After trading several more racks, on the final game, Sakai attempted to shoot the 3 ball, bringing the cue ball three rails around the table to bump the 9 ball into the nearest pocket.
The next Ladies Spirit Tour event will be held June 2-3, 2007, at Stroker’s in Palm Harbor, Florida.
Results:
1st Miyuki Sakai
2nd Stephanie Mitchell
3rd Jeannie Seaver
4th Debbie Schjodt
5th Dawn Fox
Tamara Rademakers
7th Jessica Barnes
Ellen Van Buren
9th Laura Lindauer
Shanna Lewis
Jennifer Jennekens
Vanessa Seaver

Sakai Undefeated at Hammer Heads

Ladies Spirit Tour / Holiday, FL
by Rick Davis
Japan’s Miyuki Sakai blew away the 46-player field at Hammer Heads in Holiday, FL, to go undefeated during her reign at the Ladies Spirit Tour’s third tour stop of the 2007 season April 28-29.
On the winners’ side the top four faced off as tour regular Stephanie Mitchell defeated the winner of the last stop, Debbie Schjodt, double-hill. Also, Sakai sliced through the winner of the first event, Jeannie Seaver, 7-4. In the hot seat match Mitchell kept things close, although Sakai was too strong and ultimately defeated Mitchell 7-5.
Over on the one-loss side Dawn Fox was putting together a nice comeback, taking four one-loss match wins, including a 7-1 thrashing against Jessica Barnes, until she was stopped dead by Schjodt 7-2. In that same round Seaver kept herself in the action, eliminating Tamara Redemakers 7-3 to meet Schjodt in the quarterfinals.
With only three matches remaining Seaver ousted Schjodt 7-5 in the quarterfinals but was then knocked out herself 7-3 by Mitchell in the semifinals. With the finals a rematch of the hot seat match the score kept close for the final time. This time around a thrilling double-hill score was reached before Sakai closed out the match with the final rack.
Results:
1st Miyuki Sakai
2nd Stephanie Mitchell
3rd Jeannie Seaver
4th Debbie Schjodt
5th Dawn Fox
Tamara Redemakers
7th Jessica Barnes
Ellen Van Buren

Schjodt Scores EnjoyPool.com Qualifier
Ladies Spirit Tour / Lakeland, FL

by InsidePOOL Staff
The Ladies Spirit Tour celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with a marathon tournament event at Wally’s billiards Sportsroom in Lakeland, FL, where 34 women billiard players battled for first-place prize money and the EnjoyPool.com 9-ball Championship qualifier. The competition attracted WPBA touring pros Tracie Hines and Ellen Van Buren, as well as tough players such as Jeannie Seaver, Niki Rasmussen, and Tracie Hines. Tour regular Debbie Schjodt was the one to walk away with the biggest prize, capturing not only first place but the qualifier as well.

Rousey Wrangles the Spirit Tour UndefeatedLadies Spirit Tour / Spring Hill, FLby Rick DavisThe season finale for the Ladies Spirit Tour took place over the December 2-3 weekend, where billiard player Sarah Rousey went through six rounds to take the billiards event undefeated. Hosted by Capone’s in Spring Hill, FL, a 35-player field entered the $7,500-added event.

Hines Wins with Spirit
By J.A. Barnes
The finale of the Ladies Spirit Tour, the Florida State Championship, drew some of the best women around, including Rachael Abbink, Debbie Schjodt, and 2002 winner Tracie Hines. However, the 2004 champion was going to have to win with spirit in such a competitive environment.
The event, held December 11-12, 2004, at Capone’s billiards in Spring Hill, FL, drew a 42-player field seeking a multitude of prize money, thanks to the $6,200 added and a paid spot into the 2005 WPBA U. S. Open. Early o­n, it was clear that Florida favorites Hines, Schjodt, and Miyuki Sakai would be battling o­n the final day. But the Canadian, Abbink, and the Texan, Tara McCracken, made sure they at least had a say in final matches.
Sunday’s early winners’ side match featured McCracken and Schjodt, with McCracken earning a 7-2 win, while Hines also sent Sakai to the west side. This set up the hot seat match between McCracken and Hines, and Hines handily won 7-3 to secure her place as queen of the hill.
Meanwhile, in the o­ne-loss side, Schjodt ousted WPBA pro Angel Paglia 7-3 then moved o­n to Sakai in the quarterfinals. There was plenty of action, and fans were eager to see this match-up. o­n the opening break, Sakai sank five balls, including the 9. After the following break, she lined up the 1-9 combo for a quick 2-0 lead while o­nly shooting three shots. But o­nce Schjodt got to the table, she showed why she became InsidePOOL Magazine’s December Player of the Month by running through three racks to take a 3-2 lead. Then Schjodt nailed the 9 o­n the break for a quick turnaround and a two-game lead. But Sakai didn’t back down, winning four out of the next five games to take a 6-5 lead. Schjodt got the match even o­n the hill and then broke and ran the final rack for a 7-6 win and a chance for a rematch with McCracken in the semifinals.
With Schjodt’s position and safety play, as well as her offensive talents, she jumped out to a 6-0 lead before McCracken could even get o­n the board. But it was too little, too late as Schjodt took the win 7-2.
In the finals, Hines won the lag and broke and ran the first rack. In Game 2, Schjodt was forced to play a safe o­n the 8 ball, and Hines nailed the 8 o­n a long bank, followed by an easy 9 for a 2-0 lead. After Schjodt got o­n the board, Hines regained her two-game lead with a long-rail bank o­n the 9 to go up 3-1. But Schjodt got back into the match in a hurry with a 2-9 combo, a run-out, and a break-and-run to take a 5-4 lead. Hines quickly tied the match at 5 apiece and ran away from there to win the championship 7-5.
Results:
1st Tracie Hines $1,675 + WPBA Qualifier
2nd Debbie Schjodt $1,225
3rd Tara McCracken $925
4th Miyuki Sakai $725
5th Angel Paglia, Sarah Ellerby $500
7th Rachael Abbink, Bonnie Plowman $300
9th Ellen VanBuren, Bonnie Coats, Ming Ng, Helene Caukin $200
13th Tina Pawloski, Tina Larson, Emily Wilmoth, Lisa Hamilton $100

Visit InsidePOOL for the latest news from the Ladies Spirit Tour.

Texas Tornado Takes Spirit Win, Jans Earns WPBA Qualifier
By J.A. Barnes
Visit InsidePOOL for the latest news from the Ladies Spirt Tour. (/)