Looking to go back-to-back on the Mezz Pro-Am Tour, Matt Krah got himself into the hot seat all right, but the man he defeated to get there, Shaun Wilkie, came back from the semifinals to haunt him; beat him twice, in fact, to earn the tour's 10th stop, July 31st event title. The $1,000-added event drew 45 entrants to Drexeline Billiards in Drexel Hill, PA.
Krah came within a single of game of going undefeated over two stops on the tour. From among the winners' side final four in this one, he sent Jose Parica west 7-4, to face Wilkie. Wilkie had just sent Bill McCoy over 7-2. In their first of three, Krah gained the hot seat with a 7-4 win.
Parica moved over to pick up Dave Grau, who'd defeated Tim Murry 6-2 and completely shut out Lou Patrikios. McCoy drew Josh Brothers, who'd gotten by Al Waldo in a double hill battle and defeated Joe Hong 6-3. Brothers and Parica advanced to the quarterfinals; Brothers squeaking by with a double hill win over McCoy, and Parica downing Grau 6-4.
Parica dropped Brothers into fourth place, and faced Wilkie in the semifinals. Wilkie didn't allow him a single rack, and moved back for his necessary two-game re-match against Krah. Over the 17 games in the two matches, Wilkie gave up only four racks, three in the opening set and only one in the second, to chalk up his first victory on the 2011 Mezz Pro Am Tour.
Tour director Jose Burgos thanked all of the players who signed on to this 10th stop on the tour, Bob Maidhof and his staff at Drexeline Billiards, as well as sponsors Mezz Cues, Billiards Life Clothing, Black Boar Custom Cues, Kamui Tips, Carolina Cues, Hard Luck Sportswear, Run out Sportswear, Inside Pool Poolonthenet, Allen Hopkins Super Billiards Expo, AZ Billiards and Rack Starz.
