Stubbs wins tournament in Illinois
Billy Stubbs defeated Goran Mitic 4-2 to win an 8-person air hockey tournament at Brunswick Zone on Saturday, May 30.
Stubbs and Mitic traded points through the first four games of the finals set, splitting 2-2 before Stubbs finished Mitic with 7-3 and 7-4 victories.
Stubbs’ four consecutive set wins in the tournament make his total 18 straight set wins in Illinois, with Mitic claiming Stubbs’ last defeat April 18.
Mitic took second place, defeating Stubbs’ guest and former 10-time Master Don James Jr. 4-1 to play into the championship game. Mitic won the set easily against James, who was playing for the first time in two years.
James defeated Mitic in the second round of the winners’ bracket 4-2. In the set’s fourth game, Mitic lost an early two-goal lead as James scored five straight to take a 3-1 set lead. After Mitic took game five, James scored five straight to start the sixth game, eventually winning 7-1. James claimed third place for the day.
Geoff Oidtman took fourth place for the day, falling to Mitic in the consolation bracket. Oidtman won against Dan Meyer 4-2 in the consolation bracket.
Oidtman also wrestled a tough 4-3 win from Mike Yarbrough in the tournament’s opening round. After winning the first game, Oidtman dropped three consecutive to Yarbrough, who scored clutch 6-6 goals in games two and three. Oidtman rallied to even the set at 3-3 with wins in games five and six. In game six, Oidtman took a 4-2 lead, then scored on a serve after Yarbrough hit the puck off the table to extend his lead to 5-2, finishing the set with a 7-3 victory.
Dan Meyer defeated Yarbrough to win the fifth-place spin-off in 4-3 fashion. Meyer was pleased with the victory.
“It always feels good to beat Mike,” Meyer said.
Yarbrough finished sixth place with tough 4-3 losses to Oidtman and Meyer. His lone victory came against seventh-place finisher Bennett Joseph in straight games.
Joseph and Eric Rood tied for seventh place with consecutive set losses.
Early registration to end May 31
Early registration for the 2009 U.S. Air Hockey Championship in Houston ends Sunday, May 31. Participants who register early receive discounts on the tournament’s entry fee.
The national tournament will take place July 24-26 at the SRO Sports Bar & Cafe. The field is open to 128 players in the Singles tournament and also features Doubles and Junior events. All tournaments are double-elimination with spinoff brackets.
Cancellations by July 10 will be charged 5 percent of the registration fee for early registers and 10 percent for registrations after May 31. No refunds will be given after after July 10.
According to the tournament’s Web site, the event will pay out $15,000 in cash and prizes.
The Texas Air Hockey Group is sponsoring the tournament.
To register, to get more information or to see a list of registered participants, visit the tournament’s Web site.
Illinois tournament to feature two former world champions
Two former world champions will compete in an open tournament Saturday, May 30, at Brunswick Zone in Glendale Heights, Ill.
Wil Upchurch, 1997 World Champion, and Billy Stubbs, 1995 World Champion, will compete at the tournament, according to an e-mail from Stubbs.
Upchurch also won the 1997 Colorado State Open and the 2007 U.S. Open.
Stubbs was Illinois State Open champion in 1998, 2005 and 2007.
Don James, 6-time Doubles Champion and 10-time Master, will also play at the May 30 tournament, Stubbs wrote.
The double-elimination tournament begins at noon May 30 with a $5 entry fee.
Links:
Air Hockey World Ratings
Wil Upchurch’s Air Hockey World profile
Billy Stubbs’ Air Hockey World profile
