Feijen Continues Hot Steak; Bell Dethrones Hunt

By Bill Rosenberger 

Niels Feijen has as easy answer about why he's o­n such a hot streak.  "I'm playing more."  If that's the case, he should play in every regional event he can, as he bagged his second in the span of week, winning the Planet Pool Tour's 9-ball division o­n March 12-13 at Breaktime Sports Grill & Pub.

The Salibury, MD, poolroom hosted all four of Planet Pool's weekend events, including the open and women's 8- and 9-ball tournaments.  The open field drew 64 players, including Planet Pool regulars Mike Davis and Lee Holt, who met in the hot seat match o­n Sunday night.  However, Davis fell in tough match, and he had to face Fiejen in the semifinals.

Feijen, who fell to Holt in Sunday's first match 9-5, went o­n a tear in the left side, winning four straight matches to reach the semifinals against Davis.  Early o­n, neither could gain a stronghold o­n the match, but Feijen gained the momentum in the end and ran out for the 7-4 win.

In the finals, Feijen looked to avenge his o­nly defeat, but Holt kept it close in the early matches.  But, after he went down 4-3, he became a spectator, as Feijen controlled the table to win the last seven games to take home the victory 11-4. 

In the 8-ball event, 34 players filled the bracket, including David Hunt, who won the first ever 8-ball tournament in February.  This time, though, Danny Bell had other plans. 

After Bell fell to Johnny Cisneros 5-3 o­n Saturday, he came back through west side to reach the semifinals o­n Sunday night.  His opponent was Jack Weltch, who had just been defeated by Hunt 5-4 in the hot seat.  Bell grabbed an early lead o­n Weltch and raced to a 3-1 win to reach the finals, where he earned a 7-3 decision over Hunt for the comeback victory.

While the ladies' 8-ball division o­nly drew eight players, it was still worth watching, especially during the final few matches.  In the hot seat match, Sheree Adams bested Janet Keith 4-3, but this was o­nly the beginning of Keith's impressive run.

In the semifinals, Keith faced Maryanne Rinker, but the match was over before it really started.  Keith controlled the table the entire time, winning 5-0.  In the finals, she kept her streak going, winning five more games in a row to earn the victory over Adams. 

After Feijen earned the victory in the 9-ball, his attention turned to the ladies' 9-ball division, where his girlfriend, Katrine Jensen, was racing toward a victory.  She faced 17-year-old Pam Treadway in the hot seat match, and the two put o­n quite a show.

Jensen raced out to a 6-3 lead, but Treadway didn't give in, winning four straight games to earn a 7-6 decision.  In the semifinals, Jensen ousted Tina Meraglio 5-0 to set up the rematch in the finals.

It was more of the same in the finals, as Jensen raced out to a big lead at 6-0, but for the second straight time, Treadway managed a comeback.  She took nine of the final ten games to earn the 9-7 victory. 

Open 9-Ball Results:

1st Niels Feijen $1,200

2nd Lee Holt $800

3rd Mike Davis $500

4th Ben Zimmer $380

5th Walter Koch, Freddie Greenwell $250

7th Jack Weltch, Brandon Shuff $165

9th Kevin West, Eric Moore, Joe DiPietro, Jim Parker $110

Open 8-Ball Results:

1st Danny Bell $400

2nd David Hunt $250

3rd Jack Weltch $175

4th Johnny Cisneros $110

Ladies 8-Ball Results:

1st Janet Keith $175

2nd Sheree Adams $100

3rd Maryanne Rinker $50

Ladies 9-Ball Results:

1st Pam Treadway $450

2nd Katrine Jensen $300

3rd Tina Meraglio

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