Near-Perfect Weekend for Rector

By Bill Rosenberger

Steve Rector's three days of 8- and 9-ball was about as perfect as a player can have.  The Show-Me Showdown II was held February 11-13 at the Columbia Holiday Inn Select in Columbia, MO, and Rector earned undefeated victories in both events.

The three-day event was highlighted by Johnny Archer's appearance that included autographs and charity 9-ball games.  The tournament also ran a physically and mentally draining format that had both events finish o­n Sunday.  Both Rector and two-time Missouri State champion Darren Everett were constantly playing match after match, as they would finish a round in 8-ball and then immediately play a match in 9-ball.  While exhausting, it was also an interesting part of the format.

The 9-ball event drew 49 players with Everett and Rector meeting in the hot seat match.  In what was Rector's toughest match of the day, Everett took him to hill-hill, but it wasn't enough as Rector emerged with a 9-8 win. 

In the o­ne-loss side, Tom Gordon was tearing through the bracket after his early-round defeat.  With his 9-8 win over Shaun Jones, Gordon advanced to the semifinals against Everett, where his weekend ended with a 9-7 defeat. 

In the finals, Rector completely dominated Everett, who was in the midst of playing eight consecutive matches in Sunday's double-event finishes.  Rector's 9-2 win gave him o­ne for the day, and he and Everett would end up dueling it out for the 8-ball title as well.

With the 9-ball event complete, all of the players left could focus o­n the 8-ball title, which carried a first-place prize of $1,400.  Everett and Mark Chernin were in the hunt for a shot at Rector in the hot seat match, and Chernin outlasted Everett for the 5-4 win.

In the hot seat match, Chernin and Rector, who are no strangers to o­ne another, started what looked to be a tight match.  Rector, though, went o­n a late rally and took the win 5-2. 

In the semifinals, Chernin and Everett matched up for the second time, and again, the match went to hill-hill.  But this time, Everett got the best of Chernin, and he advanced to the finals with a 5-4 win.

The final match in 8-ball pitted the same two players as in 9-ball.  Not o­nly that, but if Rector won in the first set, he would take home two victories with untarnished records.  Everett, though, knew he needed two sets for the win, so the two tired finalists racked the balls and got the first set under way. 

Rector, from Wichita, KS, battled the Missourian champ back and forth.  Everett kept this final match closer than the previous, but in the end, he was just no match for Rector's unbelievably hot stroke.  Rector's 5-3 win earned him a grand total of $2,175 in prize money to go along with his two wins.  

9-Ball Results:

1st Steve Rector $775

2nd Darren Everett $570

3rd Tom Gordon $380

4th Shaun Jones $200

5th Sunny Orbin, Martin Warren $100

7th Kent Whitley, Jeff McCollum $70

8-Ball Results:

1st Steve Rector $1,400

2nd Darren Everett $1,025

3rd Mark Chernin $770

4th Jeff McCollum $510

5th Martin Warren, Don Crump $250

7th Jon Williams, Tommy Hernandez $180

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