NORTHERN players Graeme Pickett and Peter Donati both qualified on top of their groups in the Tasmanian snooker championships at the Burnie Club over the weekend and will progress to the quarter-finals in two weeks.
Defending state champion Les Higgins, Gregg Watt, Steve Carroll and Anthony Adams, all from the South, as well as Brian Cole and Callam Bissett, of the North-West, also qualified for the quarter-finals.Donati's group was extremely close, with three players finishing on two wins and one loss, all with a plus-three frame differential. Donati finished on top of the group winning eight frames, while South's Phil Woodham missed out, having lost his match to Bissett 3-1. Keith Coomber produced the upset of the qualifying matches, beating Northern champion Graeme Pickett 3-1 in the opening match of their group.
However, Coomber then went down to Brian Cole 3-2 and Luke Webb 3-1 with some very close fought frames.
Robin McEnnulty also had close matches, going down 3-2 to Peter Spencer and Gregg Watt. In the match against Watts, McEnnulty potted the pink to win the fifth frame and the match, only to see the cue ball go in off. Watts potted the replaced pink to take the match.
Pickett has drawn Carroll and Watt plays Bissett in the bottom half of the draw. Donati has drawn Adams and Higgins will play Cole in the top half of the draw.
The matches at the Burnie Club start at 10.30 am on Saturday, August 20, with the state final on Sunday. Spectators are welcome and entry is free.

John Hanson Shield: Northern players selected to play in the John Hanson Shield at the Launceston Works Club this weekend are: Snooker: Rolf Stevenson, Andrew Saltmarsh, Steve Leary, Trevor Leary, Adrian White and Andrew Rainbow. Billiards: Wayne Purdon and Barry Glover.

Interclub Snooker: The Devils and The Raiders, both on 32, drew two points clear of Works Black on the A Grade ladder.
The Devils, leading on percentage, beat Gold 3-1. Heath, Josh and Andrew Rainbow were all winners for the Devils, while Gary Bjarnoe Elliott won for the Gold team.
The Raiders also won 3-1 against Exeter.
Works Black managed a draw against the Launceston RSL team.
In A reserve all three matches were six-all draws, with no impact on the ladder positions.
Navy held the leaders to a draw. Brian OByrne won for Navy, while captain Lee Morcom was Green's winner.
Red and RSL White drew and Amber traveled to Exeter for the same result.