Dagotdot fights back from the one-loss side to best Feliz in Tri-State finals

Wilson Cruz, Daniel Dagotdot and Yomaylin "Smiley" Feliz

Daniel Dagotdot moved to the one-loss side in the second round of the Tri-State Tour's stop on Saturday, September 25, and then won seven straight, including the finals against Yomaylin Feliz to win his second Tri-State stop. The $1,000-added (plus a Lucasi Break Cue) event drew 37 entrants to Master Billiards in Queens, NY.

As Dagotdot was working his way back from the one-loss side, Feliz was in the process of stringing together a run of six straight victories of her own, commencing with Kevin Early 6-4, Ryan McCarthy 6-3, Ramilo Tanglao 6-5, and Tran Tran 6-3, which set her among the winners' side final four and a match versus George Osipovitch.  She defeated Osipovitch 6-4 and was joined in the hot seat match by Wilson Cruz, who'd just sent Wilfredo Albay west 7-3. Feliz chalked up her sixth straight, and what would prove to be her last win, by sending Cruz to the semifinals in a double hill match.

Dagotdot, in the meantime, with victories over Dan Cintron 7-5 and Ed Culhane 7-6 behind him, squared off against the player who'd sent him to the one-loss side in the event's second round, Scott Simonetti.  He dominated the re-match 7-1 to pick up Albay. Osipovitch faced Ron Mason, who'd defeated Tran 6-3 and shutout Alan Chan.  Mason got by Osipovitch 6-2 and in the quarterfinals, faced Dagotdot, who'd defeated Albay 7-5. Dagotdot made it five in a row with a 9-7 win over Mason in the quarterfinals and six in a row with a 7-6 win over Cruz in the semifinals.

Facing Feliz, a C player, in the finals, Dagotdot, an A player, started the extended race to 11, down by 4, and promptly tied it up by winning the first four games. Feliz won her first game to go ahead by one, but Dagotdot roared right back with six straight to take home the first place prize and the Lucasi Break Cue.

Special thanks were extended by tour representatives to Ozone Billiards for providing the Lucasi Break Cue, as well as Sterling-Gaming, Viking Cues, Ron Tarr Cues, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, and Dr. Dave Billiards Instructional Products for their sponsorship leading to this event.