---
title: "Van Boening, Waddingham Roll as Styer, Archer Exit Shootout Opener"
url: https://billiardnews.net/van-boening-waddingham-roll-as-styer-archer-exit-shootout-opener
published: 2026-11-04T09:08:17Z
updated: 2026-11-04T09:08:17Z
summary: "Shane Van Boening and Craig Waddingham cruised into the National Shootout last 16 while Tyler Styer and Johnny Archer fell in the first round in Cherokee."
author: "BilliardNews Editorial"
categories: ["Tournaments"]
tags: ["8-Ball", "Cherokee", "Grand Finals", "National Shootout", "Results", "Ultimate Pool USA"]
lang: en
---

# Van Boening, Waddingham Roll as Styer, Archer Exit Shootout Opener

*Sixteen first-round matches on the TV table cut the 32-man National Shootout field in half on Tuesday — with one result still awaiting a clear answer.*

The headline event of the [2026 Ultimate Pool USA Grand Finals](/ultimate-pool-usa-grand-finals-league-pool-s-biggest-week-opens-in-cherokee) got its first full day on Tuesday at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort, and by the end of a marathon session on the TV arena table the National Shootout's 32-man field had been cut in half.

The two biggest names in the draw needed little time to make their statements. Shane Van Boening raced past Dalton Comstock 9-1, and defending champion Craig Waddingham was nearly as untouchable in a 9-2 win over Jordan Helfery.

## Favorites roll, a few sweat it out

Rodney Morris was almost as emphatic as the headliners, dispatching Alex Olinger 8-2, while Joven Bustamante ended the run of the last man into the field — [qualifier Landon Hollingsworth](/waddingham-van-boening-headline-national-shootout-field-in-cherokee) — 7-1. Chris Melling (6-1 over Joey Gray), Dennis Hatch (6-2 over Sam Henderson) and Tom Cousins (5-1 over Hayden Ernst) also advanced comfortably.

The tight contests of the round went the distance. Oscar Dominguez edged Brandon Shuff 5-4, Roberto Gomez did the same to Shane Thompson, Shane McMinn slipped past Gerson Martinez 4-3, and Justin Bergman and Joe Prince closed out Chase Stumfoll 5-3 and Ricky Evans 5-3 respectively.

Two matches finished level and had to be settled by the deciding shootout used in the Ultimate Pool format. Manny Perez got the better of David Matlock after a 5-5 tie, and Declan Brennan knocked out Johnny Archer after the pair finished 3-3 — the second straight year Brennan has ended Archer's Shootout run, having also beaten him in the 2025 quarterfinals.

## Styer, Archer headline the exits

The biggest casualty of the opening round was Tyler Styer, who was pushed all the way before falling 5-4 to Venezuela's Jesus Atencio. Archer's shootout loss to Brennan removes another of the field's biggest draws, while David Matlock — Ultimate Pool USA's first Hall of Fame inductee — also exits after his shootout defeat to Perez.

## One result the record has not settled

The evening's strangest entry is Skyler Woodward's first-round pairing with Eric Charlton. DigitalPool's scoring line records a 5-1 win for Charlton, yet the same bracket flags Woodward as the winner and slots him into round two. Inside Spin's event page carries the same contradiction — a score line for Charlton, an advancement for Woodward. Until the record is corrected, the score has to be treated as unofficial; what is certain is that Woodward is listed to play Oscar Dominguez in the last 16.

## Complete first-round results

| Winner | Score | Loser |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Manny Perez | 5-5* | David Matlock |
| Shane Van Boening | 9-1 | Dalton Comstock |
| Tom Cousins | 5-1 | Hayden Ernst |
| Shane McMinn | 4-3 | Gerson Martinez |
| Chris Melling | 6-1 | Joey Gray |
| Dennis Hatch | 6-2 | Sam Henderson |
| Jesus Atencio | 5-4 | Tyler Styer |
| Craig Waddingham | 9-2 | Jordan Helfery |
| Joven Bustamante | 7-1 | Landon Hollingsworth |
| Roberto Gomez | 5-4 | Shane Thompson |
| Skyler Woodward | 1-5** | Eric Charlton |
| Oscar Dominguez | 5-4 | Brandon Shuff |
| Justin Bergman | 5-3 | Chase Stumfoll |
| Declan Brennan | 3-3* | Johnny Archer |
| Rodney Morris | 8-2 | Alex Olinger |
| Joe Prince | 5-3 | Ricky Evans |

*Won the deciding shootout after finishing level. **As recorded — the score line and the bracket advancement conflict; see above.

## Pairs events get going

The open events joined the program on Tuesday evening. The National Pairs and National Mixed Pairs — [both sold out weeks ago](/ultimate-pool-usa-grand-finals-league-pool-s-biggest-week-opens-in-cherokee) — played their first sessions and run through Friday, with roughly half of each bracket's first day of matches already in the books.

## What is next

The Shootout's last 16 plays out across Wednesday, all on the TV table. Van Boening meets Perez in the opener at 10:00 a.m. ET, and the round's marquee pairing is Woodward against Dominguez at 1:45 p.m., with Chris Melling against Dennis Hatch and Atencio against Waddingham also on the card. The quarterfinals follow in the evening, and the final is scheduled for around 10:30 p.m. ET.

*For another take on the opening round, [SportShorts has its own recap](https://sportshorts.net/story/van-boening-cruises-styer-archer-out-in-shootout-opener) of the day's action.*