Aro and Fego share Tri-State win

Mike Aro and Joe Fego chose not to face each other in the finals of the Tri-State tour stop on Saturday, June 14, choosing instead to split the $860, representing the first and second place prizes. The $500-added event, which drew 31 entrants, was hosted by Comet Billiards in Parsippany, NJ.

Aro had survived back-to-back double hill battles against Mike Davie and Ben Sadowski to move among the winners' side final four, where an 8-6 win over Teddy Lubis put him into the hot seat match. He was joined by Fego, who'd sent Allen Wong west 7-5. In what would prove to be their only meeting, Aro sent Fego to the semifinals with a decisive 7-2 win.

Meanwhile, on the one-loss side, Emily Duddy was on a comeback trail that would lead all the way to a matchup versus Fego, overcoming a host of Tri-State male regulars to do so. She got by Ben Sadowski 7-3 and Mike Crispino 7-2 for the right to meet Wong. Gary Murgia, following 7-4 wins over Tri Chau and Dave Shlemperis squared off against Lubis. Duddy advanced to the quarterfinals with a 7-4 victory over Wong. Lubis joined her on the heels of a 7-5 win over Murgia.

Duddy, who most recently had climbed to fourth place in the JPNEWT State Championship in May, got by Lubis 7-5 and faced Fego in the semifinals. Fego ended her bid for a shot at Aro with a 7-4 win and then, with Aro, chose to end the proceedings right there.