Sossei goes undefeated on Lucasi Hybrid NE 9-Ball Tour Championships

Jeremy Sossei had to get by Gareth Steele twice to take first place in the Lucasi Hybrid New England 9-Ball Tour Championships on the weekend of June 18-19. The $5,000-added championships drew 68 entrants to Boston Billiards in Nashua, NH.

Sossei and Steele met first among the winners' side final eight, from where Sossei sent Steele west 11-6. Steele would return to face him in the finals, after a five-match trek through the one-loss side. Sossei moved on to face Adam Vic among the winners' side final four, which included Mike Dechaine and Dennis Daniels.  In a handicapped match that required Vic to win four games before Sossei won 12, Sossei prevailed 12-2. A similar 12-4 matchup between Daniels and Dechaine went double hill before Daniels sunk the 9-ball that put him into the hot seat match versus Sossei. Sossei gained the hot seat 12-2 and waited for Steele's return.

On the one-loss side, Steele and Joey Korsiak were on a collision course for a rematch in the quarterfinals. Steele had sent Korsiak over in the fourth round of play. Korsiak, with a single west match behind him (D.J. Hopkins 8-5), defeated Jason Adams 8-4 and Rick Martarazzo 8-3 to pick up Dechaine. Steele got by Charlie Martarazzo 7-2 and Corey Tapley 6-2 to face Vic. Korsiak and Dechaine battled to double hill before Korsiak won, advancing to the quarterfinals. Steele joined him for the rematch with a 7-2 win over Vic.

Steele won the rematch 7-6, to face Daniels in the semifinals. Daniels, anxious himself for a rematch versus Sossei, won the first three games, putting him on the hill in the 7-4 handicapped match. Steele, though, fought back to win seven in a row and win the right to the rematch against Sossei.

Steele, apparently tiring, got to five games in the first set of the 11-8, true double elimination final. Sossei went on to win his requisite 11, making a second set unnecessary, and capturing the Tour Championship title.

Tour Director Marc Dionne extended thanks to Wes, Jamie Bond of Lucasi Hybrid Cues, Mike Webb, Tony Zinzola, Paul Frankel, Mike Howerton, and Gareth Steele. The next stop on the Lucasi Hybrid NE 9-Ball Tour will be the $1,000-added, B-D handicapped season finale, scheduled for July 24 at Legends Billiards in Portsmouth, NH. For more information, you can log on to www.mdpromotions.com