Lazaro Martinez III is overall champion at 2025 Junior World All Around in Louisville, KY
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Hayden Ernst and Lazaro Martinez III
Wins 9-Ball/One Pocket with Hayden Ernst runner-up in both, Kashton Keeton wins Banks
The $3,000-added, 2025 Junior World All-Around, held last weekend (June 18-22) at Railyard Billiards in Louisville, KY is modeled on the Derby City Classic to the extent that a ‘junior competitor’ is anyone under the age of 21. This accounts for the presence of such known, and for the most part, previously junior competitors, like Joey Tate and Landon Hollingsworth, who’ve been ineligible lately to compete in most events bearing a ‘junior’ label. The three events – 9-Ball, Banks and One Pocket – drew 108 competitors, with some crossovers; only two females signed on to compete – Skylynn Elliott and Jeanna Gregg. The three events were won by two teenagers who, temporarily at least, are legitimately qualified to compete in 18 & under tournaments.
Lazaro Martinez (18), from Texas, went undefeated to win the 32-entrant One Pocket division. He came back from a hot seat loss in the 40-entrant 9-Ball division to win it and finished 4th in the 36-entrant Banks division. For Kentucky’s Kashton Keeton (18), who lives a little less than three hours east of Louisville, the event was, in effect, a homestand. The defending champion in the Banks division, Keeton lost the hot seat match this year, but came back to defeat Landon Hollingsworth in the final to retain his title. Also defending their titles this year were Niko Konkel, who finished 7th/8th in this year’s Banks division and Hollingsworth, who finished 7th/8th in One Pocket.
A ‘point system,’ which was applied to his two wins and 4th place finish, awarded Martinez an extra $600 and title as the 2025 Junior World All-Around’s Overall Winner. It was his second time as Overall Winner, having won it in 2023. Kashton Keeton was last year’s Overall Winner.
Given the history of this event, it’s clear that these ‘junior’ competitors know each other quite well. Each narrative of the three, individual events shows familiar matchups, with a number of matches continuing what could easily be envisioned as the beginnings of long-time rivalries.
Martinez’ undefeated run through six matches (five opponents) in the (races to 3) One Pocket division is an example. Following a shutout over Garret Summers, Martinez defeated the event’s defending champion (Hollingsworth) in a double-hill match. He advanced to shut out Payne McBride and then face his own brother, Gabriel Martinez, in one of the winners’ side semifinals. Hayden Ernst, in the meantime, headed out on his trip to the hot seat match with victories over Dylan Walker (0), Eddie Vonderau (1) and Kashton Keeton (1) to draw Brent Worth in the other winners’ side semifinal.
Lazaro defeated his brother, Gabriel 3-1 and advanced to the hot seat match. Ernst joined him after shutting out Worth. In a double-hill battle, Martinez claimed the hot seat over Ernst.
On the loss side, Worth picked up Joey Tate, who’d been defeated by Gabriel Martinez on the winners’ side and then, eliminated Eddie Vonderau (0) and Payne McBride (1) on the loss side. Gabriel Martinez drew Keeton, who’d followed his loss to Ernst with a victory over Blake Johnson (0) and then, eliminated the defending champion, Hollingsworth (1). Worth and Tate battled to double hill before Worth advanced to the quarterfinals. Gabriel Martinez eliminated Keeton 3-1 to join him. Gabriel and Worth locked up in a double-hill battle that eventually sent Gabriel against Ernst in the semifinals.
Another double-hill fight, won by Ernst, sent him back for a second shot at Lazaro, waiting for him in the hot seat. Their earlier double-hill match was not repeated. Martinez allowed him only a single rack and claimed the One Pocket title.
Kash Keaton
Keeton splits two versus Hollingsworth, winning the second battle in Banks final
You will no doubt recognize the prominent names in the Banks division of the event; Keeton who won it, Hollingsworth (runner-up), Ernst (3rd), Lazaro Martinez III (4th) and Worth/McBride (5th/6th).
Keeton/Hollingsworth proved to be the marquee matchup in this division; meeting twice (hot seat and finals) with Keeton winning the final to claim the title. Keeton ‘shutout’ his way to the hot seat match, downing Joey Tate, Colston Harrelson, Gage Smith and Ernst to get there. Hollingsworth shut out only one of his four matches to get there with him; his opener against 14-year-old Gavin Matthew from Texas. He followed that with one-rack-against wins over Gabriel Martinez, Payne McBride and Brent Worth. He followed that with a fourth 3-1 win, over Keeton, to claim the hot seat.
Ernst moved over to the loss side and picked up McBride, who’d followed his loss to Hollingsworth with two, double-hill wins over Canada’s Bryzen Ace Manipula and Jas Makhani. Worth came over and drew Lazaro Martinez III, who’d lost his first match on the winners’ side, shut out by Hayden Ernst, and then won four straight to reach Worth. The first two of that loss-side streak went double hill vs. Austin Axe and Noel Montano before he advanced. Martinez tightened things up a bit after that by recording a 3-1 victory over Nick Smith and then, logging two straight shutouts over Gage Smith and Niko Konkel.
The Martinez/Worth match went double hill, with Martinez advancing to the quarterfinals. Ernst gave up a single rack to McBride and the re-match was on. Ernst won it, double hill, and then was eliminated, double hill, by Keeton in the semifinals. In a race-to-4 final, Keeton turned the tables on Hollingsworth’s previous hot seat win (3-1), claiming his second straight Banks title with a 4-1 victory over Hollingsworth.
Lazaro Martinez comes back from 9-ball division, hot seat loss to Ernst, claims second title
By the time Lazaro Martinez III stepped into the finals of the 9-Ball division tournament at this year’s Junior World All-Around, he had the One Pocket title in his. . . well, pocket, so to speak. And he was facing the same opponent that he’d faced in One Pocket, Hayden Ernst.
As had happened in the One Pocket division, Martinez’ path to the win went through Hollingsworth, in the opening round as it turned out (9-6). He then went through something of a rogue’s gallery of familiar folk on his way to the hot seat match; Kashton Keeton 9-6, Niko Konkel, double hill, and in a winners’ side semifinal, Joey Tate. Ernst, in the meantime, was working his way to the hot seat match, as well, downing Cody Stumbo (1), Dillon Hammontree (1), Garret Summers (4), Blade Johnson (2) and in his winners’ side semifinal, Brent Worth 9-7. Ernst claimed the hot seat 9-6.
On the loss side, Worth and Tate showed up and ran into Konkel and Jas Makhani, respectively. Konkel had followed his loss to Martinez by eliminating Landon Memberg 7-4 and in a double-hill match, Eddie Vondereau, to draw Worth. Makhani had lost an opening-round, double-hill match to Markus Furlani and set out on a six-match, loss-side streak that had most recently eliminated Brayden Cooper 7-3 and Braxton Westmoreland 7-2.
It was a quartet of ‘old’ friends, dating back to the days of Ra Hanna’s Junior International Championships, who fought for advancement to the quarterfinals. The Tate/Makhani match went double hill with Makhani advancing. Konkel downed Worth 7-2. Konkel went on to defeat Makhani 7-4 in those quarterfinals and was then shut out by Martinez in the semifinals that followed.
In an extended race-to-11 final, prior to which Hayden Ernst had sat (more or less) idle for only about an hour and 20 minutes, Martinez came out gunnin’ for his second title. He got out in front early and from the time Ernst recorded his third rack, he didn’t look back. Martinez earned that second title and the Overall Winner title with an 11-3 victory in that final.
Event representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Railyard Billiards for their hospitality along with sponsors Hanshew Forward Extensions, Wolf’s Den, Action Palace and Michelle Griffin Realty.
