We Take Shots, a 9-Ball team from Poppa’s billiards in Pelham, qualified for the 2010 American Poolplayers Association (APA) 9-Ball National Team Championship after being one of three top-performing teams in the regional competition at the Pelham Civic Complex on June 6.

Team members included: Bill Price, Michael McMurrey, Joshua Janikowski, Frank Janikowski, Dave Bennett, Matt Reis and Jason Milazzo.

“The tournament was run as professionally as could be,” said Bill Price, We Take Shots’ team captain.

The team will travel to Las Vegas to compete against more than 300 other teams from across the continent at the Riviera Hotel & Casino on Aug. 19-23. They all compete for a chance at the national title and a portion of $100,000 guaranteed cash and prizes.

Price said he and his team are incredibly excited for the trip.

“These kids are young guys and they’ve never been to Vegas before so they don’t know what they’re gonna see yet,” he said. “We can’t wait.”

Skip Lassiter, Birmingham’s APA league operator, said he was pleased with the tournament results so far.

“We’re sending three happy teams to Vegas,” he said.

The tournament continues throughout the week, eventually sending to Vegas five 8-Ball teams, two 8-Ball Doubles teams, two 9-Ball Doubles teams, and one entry into the APA 8-Ball Wheelchair Challenge.

The other qualifying 9-Ball teams were:

– NICE RACK from Lightning Strikes in Trussville

Members: Todd Moon, Ashley Thrasher, Jeff Thrasher, Chris Tortorice, Stuart Crossfield, David Rowell, Stacie Rowell, Kristin Moon

-SOMETIMES out of Lakeview Country Club in McCalla, AL

Members include: Charley Buckland, Mike Townend, Sharon Headrick, Carl Headrick, Allison Osborn, Eric Woodyard, Micheal Townsend, Jr.

For further info about the tournament or APA, contact Lassiter at 365-5007 or by email at SkipL@apaleagues.com or visit the APA’s official website at Poolplayers.com