Fred Beierle and John Stiles squared off twice, battling for the hot seat and then, in the finals of the first Tri-State stop of the new year, on Saturday, January 2, 2010. Beirle won both matches to take home the first place prize in the $500-added event, which drew 45 entrants to Castle Billiards in Edison, NJ.
From among the winners' side final four, Beierle had sent Cory Sohlman west 6-5, as Stiles was defeating Joe Varvaro 7-3. In the first of their two meetings, Beierle gained the hot seat with a 7-4 win.
Ra Hanna, embarked on a one-loss side march to the semifinals, was waiting for Sohlman, after victories over Raj Vannala 7-1 and John Trobiano 7-2. Jim DeGiasafatto, after 6-2 victories over both Latonia Taylor and Ken Debroskie was there for Joe Varvaro. Hanna got into the quarterfinals with a 6-2 win over Sohlman. Varvaro joined him with a 6-2 win over DeGiasafatto. Hanna moved got a second straight 6-2 win, dropping Varvaro into fourth place, and then fell 7-2 to Stiles in the semifinals.
In the extended race-to-9 finals, Stiles came within a single game of forcing that extension. The two battled back and forth to double hill, before Beierle completed his undefeated run, capturing the first place prize.
Beierle rings in the Tri-State New Year
January 7, 2010