Thomas Rice, at 14 years of age, followed a May victory on the Tri-State Tour with a September 7-8 victory on the Predator Tour. He became the youngest player to ever win a stop on the tour, and according to tour director Tony Robles, "he was ecstatic about it." The youngster has figured in the money in eight stops on the Tri-State Tour this year, and three on the Predator Tour. This most recent, $500-added amateur event, drew 37 entrants to Mr. Cue's Billiards in Lindenhurst, NY.
On Sunday, a short field of players (8) signed on to a $500-added Open event, which was won by Dennis Hatch. Hatch, who'd finished second in the George "Ginky" Sansouci Memorial Tournament the previous week, got by Predator Tour Director Tony Robles twice to capture the event title.
From among the winners' side final four in the amateur event, with a bye and three winning matches behind him, Rice faced Asa Shaw. Victor Nau and Billy Santiago met in the other winners' side semifinal. Rice got into the hot seat match with an 8-5 victory over Shaw, and was met by Nau, who'd sent Santiago over with a double hill win. Rice, a C+ player (soon to be a B), defeated the A+ Nau 9-7 (Rice had four beads on the wire at the start) and sat in the hot seat, awaiting the return of what turned out to be Pete Tascarella, Jr.
Tascarella, who'd been defeated by Nau in an early round, would win seven to get back to the finals. He got by Robert Gipp 7-3 and won a double hill match against Eric Grassman to draw Santiago. Shaw, coming over, met up with Keith K.llo, who'd gotten by Romeo Singh 7-4 and picked up a forfeit victory over Shawn Sookhai.
Tascarella and Kallo advanced to the quarterfinals with 7-1 victories over Santiago and Shaw. Tascarella downed Kallo 7-5 and then, picked up a forfeit semifinal win over Nau. Rice, though, put an end to Tascarella's loss-side winning streak with a 9-7 win in the finals.
Hatch goes undefeated through four to win Open event
Victories in their opening match, put Dennis Hatch, Frankie Hernandez, Mark Gerel and Tony Robles among the winners' side final four in the Open event. Hatch and Robles defeated Hernandez and Gerel, respectively, both 8-3, and moved into the hot seat match. Hatch took that one 8-4 and waited for Robles to get back from the semifinals.
On the loss side, Jerry Tarantola, following an 8-2 win over Carl Yusuf Khan, picked up Gerel. Nigel Francis, who'd defeated Scott Murphy 8-5, met up with Hernandez. It was Tarantola and Hernandez meeting up in the quarterfinals, once Tarantola had eliminated Gerel 8-6 and Hernandez had downed Francis 8-5.
Hernandez took the quarterfinal match over Tarantola 8-2, but was stopped by Robles 8-5 in the semifinals. Hatch completed his four-match run through the field of eight with an 8-3 win over Robles in the finals.
