Joe Giammarino
First, we would like to thank Sun City Oro Valley Billiards Club (SCOV), Activity Director Jim Lilja, and President Tom Caswell for the friendly competition and camaraderie. Another big thank you goes out to Dominic Borland and Gary Barlow, captains of the Pool Players of the Brooke (PPB) travel team for organizing this event and making sure it was a success. On Monday, Feb. 10, 2020, at 10 a.m., the PPB traveled down Oracle Road to the beautiful Catalina Recreation Center’s Billiard Room in Vistoso for an 8-Ball Team Challenge with SCOV. We were competing on four 9-foot pool tables for temporary ownership of the bronze traveling plaque. Our four teams consisted of Ron “Dblo7” Ridge and Randy “Thin Man” Smith, Dominic “The Doctor” Borland and Chris Madsen, Gary “One Rail” Barlow and Fred “The Baker” Dianda, and Jim “Shooter” Fabio and Steve Searl. Our opponents were Sean Park and Jim Baker, Robert Dufur and Tom Caswell, Jim Lilja and Keith Moe, Mike Connoy and Michael Rittmann.
The format was simple and interesting. Each of our teams would play each of their teams three games of 8-ball with each game won being one point for the winning team. There were a total of 48 points in the match. The match started at 10 a.m. with the score going back and forth throughout the match. SCOV ended up on top with a score of 25 to 23 around 1 p.m. Good job SCOV! Our team played their hearts out, but it was not to be. We enjoyed the competition and the luncheon at the La Hacienda Mexican Restaurant afterward. Congratulations to all the participants. Rack ‘em up!