Arechiga and Changezi Crush Season Opener on Poison Lone Star Tour

Costello, Nickerson, Sanchez, Frauenberger, Arechiga, Yarborough, Rodriguez, Pangilinan

Cesar Arechiga and Shahram Changezi secured first-time wins at the Poison Lone Star Billiards Tour, season opener, held at Big Tyme Billiards in Spring, Texas. This marked Arechiga’s first-ever win, and Changezi’s first win in the open division. In the final of the 64-player amateur division, Arechiga dusted off Kevin Frauenberger in the first set, 5-3, while Changezi bested Greg Medina in the finals of the 61-player open division, losing the first set, 6-3, but redeeming himself in overtime, 5-2.

On January 4th-5th, 2025, title sponsor Poison by Predator Cues, sponsors Predator Cues, Alamo Billiards, Outsville Billiards, and Team Straight Pool Eye, facilitated another successful event for players across Texas, providing a payout of $8,695. Nearly 100 competitors, including 23 Gulf Coast Tour women, participated in the first event of the Tour season, held at the popular Big Tyme Billiards in Spring, Texas. Big Tyme provided twenty-four, 7’ bar tables for tournament play, all covered with Predator Arcadia Reserve, tournament blue cloth, in a non-smoking environment. Predator sponsored the Arcos II ball sets used on each table, and Accu-Racks were provided by Outsville Billiards for discussion-free racking.

In the amateur 9-ball division, winners’ side final eight, newcomer Mike Debertolis inched past Cesar Arechiga, 5-4, and Joshua Pangilinan shut out Ray Porter, 5-0. Kevin Frauenberger overwhelmed Jason Harkrider, 5-0, while Miguel Sanchez bested Randy Nickerson, 5-3. In the next round, Arechiga sent Pangilinan west, 5-4, while Frauenberger made quick work of Sanchez, 5-2. In the hot seat match, Arechiga denied Frauenberger, 5-2. On the west side, in the final eight, Shane Yarborough eliminated Nickerson, 4-3, and Pangilinan, 4-2. James Costello dusted off Andrew Rodriguez, 4-0, and Sanchez, 4-2. Following his five-match winning streak, Costello was sent home by Pangilinan, 4-1. In turn, Pangilinan was defeated by Frauenberger, 4-2. In the final rematch, Arechiga overcame Frauenberger, 5-3, to secure his first-ever, Tour victory.

Frauenberger, Cantrell, Kibaroglu, Hudson, Aicinena, Bayaua, Medina, Changezi

In the open 9-ball division, winners’ side final eight, Pedro Oviol defeated Joe Hudson, 6-3, while Shahram Changezi sent Kevin Frauenberger west, 6-1. Ernesto Bayaua overwhelmed Royder Herrade, 6-0, and Eric Cantrell ousted Greg Medina, 6-5. In the next round, it was Changezi over Hudson, 6-1, and Bayaua slid past Cantrell, 6-5. In the hot seat match, Changezi upset Bayaua, 6-3. On the west side, in the final eight, Medina curbed Eric Aicinena, 5-4, then Hudson, 5-2. After suffering a third round loss at the hands of Cantrell, Eylul Kibaroglu found herself in the final 8 on the one loss side. She dusted off Frauenberger, 5-3, then redeemed herself with Cantrell, 5-4. Medina ended her run, 5-3, to meet Changezi in the finals.

In the first set, Medina took the lead, and dominated Changezi, 6-3. In overtime, Changezi would not be denied, winning the final set, 5-2. Congratulations to Shahram Changezi on his first, open division victory.

The Tour would like to welcome all of the new players who attended their first event, and players like John and Lisa Sellers, who drove all the way from Franklin, Louisiana, to compete in their first Tour stop!

The next stop is February 1st-2nd, at Fast Eddie’s (Embassy Oaks) in San Antonio, Texas.

Amateur Division – $4,150

1st Cesar Arechiga $525 / $940

2nd Kevin Frauenberger $325 / $620

3rd Joshua Pangilinan $200 / $400

4th James Costello $150 / $210

5th-6th Shane Yarborough, Miguel Sanchez $90 / $100

7th-8th Andrew Rodriguez, Randy Nickerson $70 ea

9th-12th Mike Debertolis, Ray Porter, Brian Murphy, Jason Harkrider $40 ea

Open Division – $4,545

1st Shahram Changezi $605 / $1,000

2nd Greg Medina $400 / $700

3rd Ernesto Bayaua $260 / $420

4th Eylul Kibaroglu $180 / $280

5th-6th Joe Hudson, Eric Cantrell $90 / $60 ea

7th-8th Kevin Frauenberger, Eric Aicinena $50 ea

9th-12th Joshua Pangilinan, Royder Herrade, Pedro Oviol, Randy Nickerson $40 ea