The “Pink Dagger” comes from the loss side to win Stop #3 on the Lucasi Florida Tour
As it turned out, both the winner and runner-up at last weekend’s (May 17) Stop #3 on the Lucasi Florida Tour came from the loss side of an original, double-elimination bracket to appear in the finals of a four-player, single-elimination bracket. It was a hometown ‘meet’ for 16-year-old Sofia Mast who downed Kim Housman in […]
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Sofia Mast and Kim Housman
As it turned out, both the winner and runner-up at last weekend’s (May 17) Stop #3 on the Lucasi Florida Tour came from the loss side of an original, double-elimination bracket to appear in the finals of a four-player, single-elimination bracket. It was a hometown ‘meet’ for 16-year-old Sofia Mast who downed Kim Housman in the finals of the $500-added event that drew 22 entrants to Stixx Billiards Oldsmar in Tampa, FL.
A note of clarification: The Lucasi Florida Tour is what was previously known as The Tiger Tour. While acknowledging that Tiger Products continues to support the tour, tour representatives, are “excited and proud to announce Lucasi Cues as our new title sponsor.” The tour will continue to hold women’s events, though they are planning on Open events, as well. While there have been, normally, five stops in any given year, there will be six in 2025. Further information about the schedule can be found on the tour’s Web site at https://tigerfloridatour.com/. The Web site will be changing the address soon to reflect the new title sponsor.
Though it’s certainly something in the ‘known’ category, it still seems important and fresh to remind any who may not have been paying particular attention that Sofia Mast has not yet graduated from high school. That will change next year. She will move on with a well-established ‘foot in the door’ of professional pool. Her contemporaries in the world of professional women’s billiards, same-age and older, don’t really see her as a ‘threat’ to their positions in the field (WPBA rankings, for example), but more of a welcome challenge. She and others, like Savannah Easton and Kaylee McIntosh Driskell (who also competed this past weekend), validating the health of the sport and the promise of ongoing growth.
A reflection of the ongoing challenges between newer- and older-generation competitors was reflected in a number of matchups, including both of the double-elimination bracket’s winners’ side semifinals (which was the final qualifying round for advancement to the single-elimination bracket). Mast got off to an impressive start with a shutout over Shanelle Loraine in the opening round. She advanced and gave up just a single rack to Erica Pennington, gave up two to Carrie Vetrono and drew Florida veteran competitor Jeannie Seaver in that winners’ side semifinal.
In the meantime, Kaylee McIntosh Driskell set out for the same place with a bye. She used victories over Lisa Perez 7-1 and Stephanie Mitchell 7-3 to draw Kim Housman in the other winners’ side semifinal/qualifier for single-elimination.
Driskell downed Housman 7-1, as Seaver advanced to single-elimination with a much tighter score of 7-5 over Mast.
On the loss side, Mast moved over and picked up Jessica Barnes, who’d lost a second-round match to Vetrono and then won three straight, giving up only a single rack. She’d shut out her first opponent Barbie Ayers, benefited from a forfeit win and gave up the one Kelly Coyle, which put her up against Mast. Housman came over and drew Vetrono, who’d followed her loss to Mast with victories over Hope Herreman 5-2 and Lisa Perez, double-hill.
In what was the final qualifying round for advancement to a single-elimination Final Four, Mast and Housman advanced; Mast 5-3 over Barnes and Housman shutting out Vetrono.
And so it was; Housman drew Jeannie Seaver as Mast squared off against Driskell. In races to 6, Mast and Driskell battled to double hill before Mast prevailed, advancing to the finals. Housman joined her after eliminating Seaver 6-2. Mast completed her title quest with a shutout over Housman.
Tour representatives thanked everyone who came out to play, Deanna Lacey and Samantha Winters for running a smooth event and added a huge shout out to Stephanie Mitchell, as always for her assistance with these events. They also offered ‘huge thanks’ to Kathy King and Tom George for supporting them again this year.
“We and our players also want to thank Tony Kalamdaryan and Tiger Products,” they said, “for their years of support for the Tiger Florida Tour. It was a great relationship and we appreciate his continuing support.”
“We’d also like to welcome Cue and Case,” they added, “along with appreciation for the continued support from Boynton Billiards, AZ Billiards, No Quit Apparel, Andy Cloth, and Eastern Billiards.”
The next stop on the Lucasi Florida Tour, scheduled for July 19, will be hosted by Village Cue Club in North Palm Beach, FL.
