Crazy 8, Voyagers rule billiards, darts leagues

The Abyss Crazy 8 and the Smoke Pub Voyagers ruled their respective divisions of their leagues as the two Pacific Amusement-organized events ended last week in various venues on Saipan.

The Smoke Pub Voyagers topped the A Division of the Saipan Electronic Darts Association’s Bud Light Cup. The Voyagers complete the list of champions in the eight-division darts league. (Contributed Photo)

The Crazy 8 bested the Smoke Pub Ali’I Destroyers, 9-3, in the finals of the Budweiser Cup-Saipan Billiards Association Open 8-Ball Tuesday League.

It was a 3-on-3 finals affair as both teams chose to field in their three best cue artists since nine of the 12 matches played in the race-to-nine contest were in singles.

Rey Pinangay and Rodel Dela Cruz defeated Nolan Cultura and Cesar Sangalang to open up the Crazy 8’s title bid.

The Crazy 8 won four straight after that as Pinangay, Dela Cruz, and Victor Formales downed Cultura, Sangalang, and Jeff Garcia.

Cultura gave the Destroyers their first win after beating Pinangay but Dela Cruz and Formales bounced back in the next two Singles matches to keep the Crazy 8 at a safer distance, 7-1.

Cultura and Garcia kept on fighting for the Destroyers after emerging victorious in the last Partner’s 8-Ball against Pinangay and Dela Cruz. Pinangay, however, moved the Crazy 8 to the title with another win over Cultura in the final set of Singles matches.

Sangalang gave the Destroyers their last win when he bested Dela Cruz, while Formales sealed the Crazy 8’s title win after thwarting Garcia.

The Crazy 8, who placed third after the regular season, scored a 9-4 win over the Jokers STR8 Shooters then squeezed out a 9-8 decision over runner-up Smoke Pub Armatech Hustlers, who is responsible in knocking out regular season champions Jokers IT&E Voyagers, 9-2.

The Destroyers pulled off a 9-4 triumph over the Abyss Homeboyz II to earn the right of facing the Crazy 8 in the title match.

Guam-Saipan friendly
In other billiards news, Saipan will be hosting Guam in a friendly 5-on-5 billiards tournament on Saturday at 2pm at the Abyss bar in Garapan.

It will feature the most valuable players of each squad in an 8-nall, singles, and race-to-10 matches.

Cultura, Patrick Cepeda, Manny Mariano, Jerry Soriano, and Rolly Villanueva will be representing Team Saipan.

Darts Bud Light Cup
In the Bud Light Cup’s A division, the Smoke Pub Voyagers got the better of sister team Huntlaw in last Monday night’s finals at their home bar in Garapan. The Voyagers coasted to a 9-1 victory.

Jemar Merigmen, Jhun Agbuya, Cris Monsanto, and Jhun Echave quickly imposed their will and snuffed out any chance for the Huntlaw to recover to complete the easy win.

Mario Abo gave the Huntlaw its lone win when it defeated Agbuya in the Singles 501 Double In/Double Out event.

The Voyagers tripped the Sand Juvy 101 Proofers, 9-5, to earn a finals berth, while the Huntlaw followed suit after a 9-4 crushing of Sakude.

The Voyagers also defeated the Mafia, 9-4, while the Huntlaw trounced No Fear, 9-5, to arrange a finals showdown.