Sports

Waukesha Boy Takes a Shot at National Billiards Championships

Players age 9 to 18 will be competing for scholarships, prizes and an opportunity to represent the United States at the 2012 World Pool-Billiard Association World Junior 9-Ball Championships.

Kaiden Hunkins, Waukesha, will complete with more than 100 of the best players in the country the weekend in one of the most prestigious junior billiard events in North America.

The 2012 Billiards Education Foundation Junior 9-Ball National Championships is being held this week and weekend at   in Greenfield.

Players hailing from 28 states earned entry in the tournament through a BEF qualifier or were nominated through their billiard league to be eligible to participate in the four-division event, according to a news release on the BEF website. The divisions are: 18 and under boys, 18 and under girls, 14 and under boys, and 14 and under girls.

Find out what's happening in Waukeshawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Players age 9 to 18 will be competing for scholarships, prizes and an opportunity to represent the United States at the 2012 World Pool-Billiard Association World Junior 9-Ball Championships.

“We are honored to have the best junior billiard players from throughout the United States playing at Romine’s,” said Terry Romine, owner of Romine’s High Pockets, in the news release. “We look forward to an exciting event.”

Find out what's happening in Waukeshawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to Romine’s manager Jennifer Hanley, 125 players have qualified for this year’s event. Among them are five Wisconsin players, including three from Patch cities or close by: Kaiden Hunkins, 14-U, Waukesha; Tyler Styer, 18-U, Brookfield; and Sergio Rivas, 14-U, Milwaukee. Styer finished third in the same event last year.

Play for the 24th annual event begins at 9 a.m. Thursday. The tournament championships are 5 p.m. Sunday. The event is free for the public to attend.

At a banquet Thursday, players will be treated to a speech from touring pro and 15-time World Champion Allison “Duchess of Doom” Fisher.

Romine’s High Pockets features 42 pool tables, 18 of which are nine-foot Brunswick tables that will be draped with pristine cloth to make a grand arena for the event.


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