He’s a high school football and baseball coach by profession, but Justin Macella of McRae, GA is also now a major tournament poker champion after defeating a field of 327 players to take down the $2,000 bestbet Winter Open Main Event for a career-best $122,017 score.

In an interesting twist that was fitting of some of the crazy events of the tournament, Macella defeated high-stakes cash game player Russell Quick heads-up. Quick was the same player Macella needed to hit a miracle two-outer against on Day 2 to survive when he jammed his ace-five into Quick’s ace-jack and needed not one but two fives to hit to survive after both players paired their kicker on the flop.

“When the hand happened, I kept telling myself he can’t run over me all day, he can’t always have it and I was making a bluff with it and didn’t expect to get called and didn’t expect to get called by ace-jack, he made a heck of a call. Now knowing afterwards, he wouldn’t be the player I pick to shove ace-five on. I thought I was out. But then the turn hits and here we are.”

Their heads-up match featured plenty of big pots and aggressive play with Quick taking the lead from Macella early in their one-hour duel. Macella clawed back and retook the lead late when he earned a disbelieving call with ace-high from Quick when he held a winning straight.

Macella won shortly after when he turned a better top pair versus Quick’s flopped top pair and Quick moved all in and got called.

After that key hand on Day 2, Macella said felt it was fitting that it was Quick that he got heads-up with for the title.

“It was fun. We have similar styles in that we’re both fearless, it doesn’t matter what two cards we’re holding, we’re willing to mix it up and find spots, so that was a lot of fun.”

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Final Table Action

The nine remaining players arrived with their eyes on taking home the lion’s share of the $580,425 prizepool, but it didn’t take long for the first player’s hopes to be dashed as Bryce McVay was eliminated within the first 15 minutes of play on the bestbetLIVE stage.

More tough competition fell early as Maxwell Young was eliminated before the first break in 8th place.

After the break the other two most accomplished players left in the field were the next to go as David Tuthill busted in 7th place and Toby Boas fell in 6th.

With a combined $7 million in career-tournament earnings now gone from the table, it felt like it could be Thomas Carroll’s tournament to lose, as the most accomplished player remaining was building chips and was just behind Macella.

However, following the elimination of Michael Frierson in 5th place, a rough stretch in level 24 shrunk Carroll’s stack and Macella solidified his lead again.

After Aftab Patni was eliminated in 4th place, Carroll’s run ended in 3rd place at the hands of Macella, leaving him heads-up with Quick for the title he would eventually claim.

Parting Words From the Winner

With his first career six-figure score now in the books after a great performance this week, Macella was asked if he’d be trading in his coaching whistle for more time on the tournament grind.

“No, no, I’m a high school coach, an old football and baseball coach. I do this on the side just to try to add some extra pocket change and have some fun from time to time. No, I’m not going pro or anything like that.”

Well, Macella certainly has a hefty bit of pocket change after Monday’s win. Congratulations to him for his impressive victory.

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