Under-16 Championship | Qualifiers for the Last 16

Following the completion of three regional qualifying events over the past fortnight, the last 16 lineup for this season’s English Under-16 Snooker Championship is now known. Qualifying from each area are:

South

• Oliver Sykes
• Samuel Laxton
• Brandon Nguyen
• Riley Ellis
• Mason Wilson

North

• Liam Pullen
• Dylan Kemp
• Stanley Moody
• Riley Fisher
• Samuel Lee Stevens
• Michael Roberts

Midlands

• Paul Deaville
• Jake Crofts
• Aidan Murphy
• Mitchell Berry
• Edward Taylor

Oliver Sykes didn’t drop a single frame all day as he won the South qualifying event at Chandlers Ford Snooker Club. Sykes topped his round robin group having won all four matches and then defeated Brandon Nguyen (2-0) in the semi-finals and Samuel Laxton (2-0) in the final. Qualifying alongside Sykes, Nguyen and Laxton are semi-finalist Riley Ellis and Mason Wilson, who was the best performing third-place finisher in the groups courtesy of frame average. Ellis chalked up a run of 58 which was the day’s biggest. 

Liam Pullen – last season’s overall runner-up – was an undefeated victor at the North qualifier that took place at Mill Brow Snooker and Social Club in Widnes. Pullen qualifies with runner-up Dylan Kemp, semi-finalists Stanley Moody (last season’s under-14 champion) and Riley Fisher, along with Samuel Lee Stevens and Michael Roberts, who were the two with the best frame average records from the round robin groups earlier in the day of those losing in the quarter-finals. Pullen also headed the breaks chart with a 51. This region was awarded an additional qualifying spot due to having the most amount of entries. 

Defending champion Paul Deaville (pictured above) also didn’t taste defeat on his way to claiming the Midlands qualifying event at Barratts Sports in Northampton. Joining Deaville in the next phase of the championship are runner-up Jake Crofts, semi-finalists Aidan Murphy and Mitchell Berry, and Edward Taylor, who had the best frame average of the third-place finishers. Murphy constructed the day’s highest break with an 85 – the tournament’s overall benchmark so far. 

For the results from each qualifying event, please visit the WPBSA Tournament Manager system here. 

All 16 qualifiers will travel to the same venue for stage two of the championship later in the season. There, they will be whittled down to just two, who will then meet for the title during the 2019/2020 EPSB Finals Weekend at the Northern Snooker Centre in Leeds. 

Congratulations to all the qualifiers and thank you to all the officials and venues involved during them.