Lyndonville teen takes 4th in national billiards tourney

Jake Jackson has strong showing in other tournaments

Provided photo: Jake Jackson, 15, eyes a shot at the Billiard Education Foundation Junior National championship July 8 – 12 in Quincy, Ill.

LYNDONVILLE – Jake Jackson, 15-year-old son of Roger and Terah Jackson, just competed in the Billiard Education Foundation Junior National Competition in Quincy, Ill.

Although he failed to qualify for the world championship, Jake placed fourth in the 16-year-old and younger co-ed 8-Ball qualifier against some pretty tough competition. In the 16 and under 10-ball world qualifier, he won his first two matches and finished 17th overall. According to his father, Jake was facing very tough competition, but played his best.

In the 18-year-old and under, World Heyball Qualifier Jake was 13th. He won several 9-ball mini tournaments, which were new this year. His father explained Heyball is 80-Ball played on a special 9-foot table with only three-inch pockets, as opposed to the five-inch pockets on recreational tables.

“The three-inch pockets make potting the ball very difficult,” Roger said. “The balls are 2.25 inches in diameter, so you gotta be perfect. Nearly 100 junior players played their hearts out for 12 hours on Monday through Friday, plus the final on Saturday for those in the top eight, with only short breaks between matches. The long hours, days in a row, wear players down physically and mentally. Only true champions can maintain focus through the long grueling tournament. We met some new friends and got closer to some we already knew in Quincy.”

Roger said parents, grandparents and friends drive many miles, spend countless hours and pay their own expenses to support these junior athletes.

Jake and other junior players who compete and hold a 3.0 or higher grade point average were given an academic award by the BEF. Roger explained the BEF was founded in in 1993 as a nonprofit charity to promote a lifelong love of pool and build the next generation of professional pool players through youth programs and academic scholarships.

“Jake has a few more years to compete as a junior, and says he won’t give up trying to get to the world championships,” his father said. “Also, he will continue to play on the Predator Cues-Sponsored Junior American Series.”

Jake’s next big tournament is the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour Final at Turning Stone Casino Aug. 29-Sept. 2. The Casino adds $20,000 to this tournament, for a total purse of more than $40,000. Admission is free and Roger urges anyone to come and watch some of the best professional players in the world. There are 128 players entered, he said.

The Jacksons thank everyone who supported Jake’s fundraisers and Bison Billiards in Eastern Hills Mall.