As it turns out, building a sizable winning stream of Joss NE 9-Ball Tour stops is a difficult proposition. Bucky Souvanthong came into Diamond Billiard Bar & Grill in Rochester NY, on November 2nd and 3rd looking to add to his two stop winning streak. Lyn Wechsler and Jeremiah Imburgia had other plans though, as they eliminated Souvanthong from play on day one of the event. 

 

Having more success on this weekend were Len Gianfrate, Dave Mills, Bruce Nagle and Ron Casanzio, who all escaped Saturday play undefeated. On Sunday, Gianfrate defeated Mills 9-5 and Casanzio beat Nagle 9-6. Casanzio then went on to send Gianfrate to the one loss side in the hot-seat match 9-3.

 

On the one loss side, both players coming over from the right side on Sunday won their matches with Nagle over Imburgia and Mills over Wechsler. Nagle then went on to eliminate Mills 7-4 and Gianfrate 7-6.

 

The finals went one set with Casanzio staying unbeaten and defeating Nagle 9-4 for first place. 

 

Sunday’s second chance tournament saw Qais Kolee in the hot-seat with a 3-0 win over Dan Sharlow. Sharlow then dropped the semi-final match to Sean Zeng. Zeng won the first set of the finals 3-2, but Kolee won the second set 3-0 for first place. 

Jeremy Sossei closed out last season on the Joss NE 9-Ball Tour with four straight regular season tour stop wins. He picked up right where he left off over the last two weeks with back to back wins in the first two tour stops of the new season. 

 

The new season kicked off on September 21st and 22nd at TJ’s Classic Billiards in Waterville, Maine. Sossei ran through the winner’s side on Saturday, dropping his final match of the day to Ross Webster 9-5. Sossei bounced back with Sunday wins over Michael Yednak and Jim Hayden before taking out his revenge on Webster 7-0 in the semi final match. Joey Dupuis was in the hot-seat after beating Webster and Sossei proceeded to double dip him 9-2 and 7-6 for his fifth straight regular season win. 

 

Sossei wasn’t done though, as he cruised through the field at stop two on September 28th – 29th at The Spot in Nanuet, New York. Sossei went undefeated and pretty much unchallenged. His 9-3 win over Bucky Souvanthong in the winner’s side final four was his closest match before the finals. He defeated Bruce Nagle for the hot-seat 9-1 and again 9-5 in the first set of the finals. 

 

The second chance tournament at TJ’s saw Robert Lee go undefeated with wins over Leroy Bedard for the hot-seat and Mark Ransom in the finals. The second chance tournament at The Spot featured another undefeated winner as Tom Acciavatti defeated Suzzie Wong for the hot-seat 3-2 and again 3-1 in the finals. 

 

Joss NE 9-Ball Tour director Mike Zuglan has been taking entries for the Turning Stone Classic XXXIII on January 9th – 12th and he urges interested players to get with him as soon as possible. The event (like all other Turning Stone Classic Events) will fill up with 128 players. 

 

Mike Zuglan's Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour and Turning Stone Resort Casino are proud to present our 2018-2019 Season Finale, The $25,000 Added, "Turning Stone Classic XXXII 9-Ball Open". This event will once again take place in Turning Stone's beautiful & spacious Event Center which has become known worldwide as one of the best venues ever. There are no bad seats. Our layout allows you to mingle with all of your favorite players and friends, giving you the feeling of being part of the action yourself. If you have never been to Turning Stone, located in Verona NY, you simply don't know what you are missing. Check them out at www.turningstone.com

 

For the 32nd time, we will have a full field of 128 players with no shortage of past, present and future Champions. Shane Van Boening, Jayson Shaw, Johnny Archer, Earl Strickland, Mika Immonen, Billy Thorpe, Thorsten Hohmann, Jennifer Barretta & LoreeJon Hasson are just a few of the legends signed up for this event. But let's not count out our Joss Tour regulars like Matt Tetreault, Bruce Nagle Ron Casanzio & this season's tour point champ Jeremy Sossei, who just to name a few, all have a legitimate chance of making history. So look for anything to happen when the smoke clears on Sunday night. I am pleased to also announce that once again this a BCA ranking event for US players looking for invitations to many world events. The complete player list is on our site www.joss9balltour.com    

    

There will once again be a "Second Chance" tournament on Sunday August 25th at 10AM running continuously and concurrently with the main event until completed. This is an extra event for those Non Pro level players (I will decide) eliminated from the main event. The event format will be as follows: $60 Entry Fee – 32 Player Max – same rules as main event – Single Elimination – Races to 4, best 2 of 3 sets, with the deciding set being a single game sudden death. This means that if each player wins a race to 4, there will be a lag for the break and a 1 game playoff to determine the match winner. Entries will be taken for this tournament as players are eliminated from the main event and will be treated as first paid – first in until the event is full.

 

The equipment for our world class event will once again be 16, 9 foot Diamond Pro tables & lights covered with 860 Simonis ("The Cloth Of Champions") tournament blue cloth. We will be using the new Aramith Tournament TV Pro Cup balls. Thanks again to Ivan Lee for providing us with the world's best cloth and the world's best billiard balls! All of these items will be for sale in tournament used condition, and only seriously interested parties are urged to contact Mike Zuglan immediately at 518-356-7163 for info and pricing. 

 

Being a spectator at Turning Stone is an experience you won't find anywhere else. We always offer fans, Free Admission, Free collectible posters (while supplies last) and once again Turning Stone will be giving away $10 free/match plays to all players and fans (1 per person while supplies last). So you get Free admission, Free posters and Free bets!! No one else does it like Turning Stone and the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour! Included in the Event Center at Turning Stone is a full service, moderately priced, snack bar serving all of our favorite foods and adult beverages. There will be billiard product vendors and on site cue repairs available for all your needs. Mike Burton of www.josscues.com will have a wide range of Joss Cues and Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour Shirts. CJ and Peggi Wilkinson of www.baltimorecitycues.com will be here with their extensive cue, case and supplies display. Dan Dishaw, www.dishawcues.com will be on hand with his cues and expert on site cue repairs. Feng Zhao of  www.lite-systems.com will be there with his custom LED billiard lighting and other billiard products. Victor Conte will be on hand promoting his new game as well. There is still time and room for new vendor or two at a mere fraction of what you would pay elsewhere. Interested parties should contact me at 518-356-7163 immediately.

 

We will once again be raffling off 2 gorgeous, custom, engraved Joss Cues on Saturday at 8pm and Sunday immediately prior to the final match and you Do Not have to be present to win. These cues have a retail value of $1,500 each and are generously provided by Danny Janes of Joss Cues Ltd. Thanks again to Danny, Debbie & Stephen Janes for all they do for us!! We will also choose a winning ticket to receive the Pro Cup cue ball used in the final match autographed by the winner.

            

So come to Turning Stone Resort Casino August 22-25 for a great experience and 4 full days of some of the best pool you will ever witness. If for some reason you are unable to make it, there will be a Free live stream and live scoring expertly provided by Mike Howerton, Jerry Forsyth & Upstate Al Leon of  www.azbilliards.com  & The Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour and Turning Stone Resort Casino. Match times are Thursday 4, 6, 8, & 10 pm. Friday 10 am, noon, 2, 4, 6, 8, & 10 pm. Saturday 10 am, noon, 2, 4, 6, 8, & 10 pm. Sunday 11 am, 1, 3, 5, and the final match at 7 pm.   

 

Our upcoming 2019-2020 season, complete with 15 regular billiard parlor plus 2 Turning Stone events, will begin on Sept 21 & 22 at TJ's Classic Billiards in Waterville ME. The new season will also include our 4th"Joss Junior 9-Ball Championship" on Jan. 25, 2020 at Sharp Shooters in Amsterdam NY. If you would like to donate items to be given to the future generation of our great sport, please contact me at 518-356-7163. Also be advised that our next Turning Stone Classic XXXIII 9-Ball Open is scheduled for January 9-12, 2020. I will begin taking entries for that event at this event in August. For more information and a complete schedule of events, go to www.joss9balltour.com         

Jeremy Sossei is definitely picking up where he left off after his short break from the game in 2018. He kept up his winning ways with an undefeated run through a field of 44 players at Utica Billiards on the Boulevard in Utica, NY for the Joss NE 9-Ball tour stop on April 6th – 7th. 

 

Sossei’s first match of the day on Saturday was his closest match of the day, as he got things started with a 9-5 win over Frank Ricelli. After that win though, Sossei put together back to back 9-2 wins over Andrew Van Master and Bruce Carrol, and he then closed out day one with a one-sided 9-4 win over Bucky Souvanthong. 

 

Sunday play got underway with Sossei scoring a 9-4 win over Bruce Nagle and then a 9-5 win over Ron Casanzio for the hot-seat. 

 

On the one loss side, all eyes were on Damon Sobers. After a 9-7 loss to Ryan Mayo midday Saturday, Sobers won six straight matches on the left side of the board (including hill-hill wins over Ben Werblow, Ed Saur and Bruce Nagle. Casanzio would finally end Sobers’ winning streak with a 7-4 semi-final match score. 

 

Casanzio would still not be able to get by Sossei in the finals, where Sossei won 9-4 in the first set. It was Sossei’s second Joss NE 9-Ball Tour win this year. 

 

While Josh Welsh’s win in Sunday’s second chance tournament was not an undefeated one like Sossei’s main event win, it was still impressive. Welsh cruised to the hot-seat with a five match winning streak and an overall record of 15 wins and 2 losses. After Jon McConnell eliminated Jared Zimmerman on the one loss side, he came back and handed Welsh his first loss 3-2 in the first set of the double elimination finals. Welsh then came back and scored a 3-2 win over McConnell in the second set for the tournament win. The win was Welsh’s first win on the Joss NE 9-Ball Tour. 

Players & Fans,

 

Congratulations to Stop # 10 winners, Raphael Dabreo ($1,450 & 10th New England Pool & Billiard Hall Of Fame 9-Ball Open Champion), Ben Werblow ($300 second chance), Samoth Sam ($1,500 Joss cue raffle winner), Bruce Nagle (entry into the Super Billiards Expo pro event provided by Allen Hopkins for being our 2017/2018 Tour Point Champion) & all of this years New England Pool & Billiard Hall Of Fame Inductees!

 

On March 9 & 10, stop # 11 of The Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour, the "Kevin Ketz Memorial Open" will be at Trick Shot Billiards & Sports Pub in Clifton Park (near Albany) NY. Our hosts Tim & Julie Berlin deserve many thanks from all of us for their continuing support and having already hosted 3 events this season at their other room, Sharp Shooters Billiards & Sports Pub!!! Thanks again Tim & Julie!! Trick Shot is a full service room with everything needed for a great time of pool and fun anytime. It is complete with a delicious full food menu and a separate full service bar where you can watch all of your favorite teams in action. Trick Shot has also become one our areas premier places for bands and entertainment with a recently completed major addition allowing for outside as well as inside gatherings. So come on over to Trick Shot Billiards & Sports Pub to play in or just watch yet another of our great events. While there, you could even win a gorgeous, custom, engraved, Joss Cue valued at $1,500 by participating in Trick Shot's cue raffle. Anyone can participate  and you don't have to be present to win! The drawing will be just prior to the final match of the main event on Sunday. This amazing cue that will be given away at Trick Shot can be viewed here:    https://josscues.com/joss-tour-2018-19-cue/

      

For more info about Trick Shot Billiards & Sports Pub, or to get directions and nearby motel info, please call them directly at 518-383-8771. Or visit their site at www.trickshotbilliardsny.com

 

This event at Trick Shot will consist of a $1500 added Saturday and Sunday Main Event (entry Fee $120 for pro level or $70 for non pro level) and a $500 added second chance event on Sunday ($20 Entry Fee) for those non pro level players eliminated from the main event on Saturday.

For those of you coming to play, you must arrive on Saturday March 9, BEFORE 11:30 AM, and in proper dress please. Yes, jeans and sneakers are permitted in our billiard parlor events. But please, NO T-shirts, tanks, shorts or sweats. Complete tour info can be found on our site www.joss9balltour.com  

 

Lastly, I can't stress enough how important it is for all of you to please frequent your local billiard parlors and utilize the services of our most generous sponsors who are the backbone of our sport. These are the ones who keep our sport alive. So get out and play! 

 

Mike Zuglan

 

It’s sort of a February tradition at Sharpshooters Billiards in Amsterdam, NY. The Joss NE 9-Ball Tour comes to visit, and Jeremy Sossei ends up standing in the winner’s circle. For the fifth straight year (and sixth time in seven years), Jeremy Sossei finished in first place on February 16th and 17th. Even with his winning streak there, it wasn’t easy this year. 

 

Sossei remained undefeated all day Saturday and started Sunday with a 9-3 win over Rick Kravetz. While Sossei was getting that win, Joey Cicero was sending BCA Hall of Famer Pat Fleming to the one loss side 9-6. Cicero then sent Sossei to join Fleming on the left side of the board as he took the hot-seat match 9-7.

 

On the one loss side, Jorge Teixeira was on a roll. After losing to Ron Casanzio on Saturday morning, Teixeira had won nine straight matches culminating in a 7-3 win over Bruce Nagle for 4th place. Teixeira gave Sossei almost all he could handle but ended up dropping the semi-final match 7-5.

 

That win left Sossei with the task of beating Cicero twice in a row, which he did in two hard-fought matches. Sossei scored a 9-6 win in the first set, followed by a 7-5 win in the second. 

 

Sunday’s second chance tournament saw Ben Werblow dominate the field of nineteen players. Werblow went undefeated with wins over Bob Merkert, Greg Bombard, Nate Marshall and then Demian Provost for the hot-seat. In those four matches, Werblow lost a total of one game (to Bombard). Bruce Carroll eliminated Provost 3-0 in the semi-final match but was only able to manage one rack against Werblow in the finals. 

In the pool world, it can sometimes be many tournaments before a player gets a chance to get revenge for a loss to another player. On the Joss NE 9-Ball Tour, it only took a week. 

 

Last week, it was Bruce Nagle going undefeated and shutting down a streak of wins on the one loss side by Ron Casanzio in the finals. This week, at Brickhouse Billiards in Syracuse, it was Casanzio cruising through the winner’s side and taking the hot-seat with a 9-5 win over Mike Donnelly. Just prior to that hot-seat match, Donnelly sent Nagle to the left side of the board 9-6.

 

After that loss to Donnelly, Nagle won three tight matches on the one loss side with a 7-6 win over Sourith Thammavong, a 7-5 win over Qays Kolee and then a 7-6 win over Donnelly.

 

In a case of deja-vu, Casanzio ended Nagle’s winning streak with a 9-5 win in the first set of the finals. (Nagle had defeated Casanzio 9-5 in the first set of the finals last week).

 

Sunday’s second chance tournament saw Mark Creamer go undefeated with a 3-0 hot-seat win over Mike Hurley and then a 3-2 win over Dave Lebrun in the first set of the finals. 

 

The Joss NE 9-Ball Tour returns to action this weekend with another $1500 / $500 added stop at Utica Billiards on the Boulevard in Utica, NY.

Players & Fans,

 

Congratulations to stop # 3 winner Bruce Nagle ($1,050 – main event), Bob Forchilli ($300 – second chance) & $1,500 Joss Cue raffle winner Jimmy Leroux.

 

Stop # 4 of our 2018/2019 season will be at the brand new Brick House Billiards in N. Syracuse NY on October 20 & 21 for the first of two events this season. Our hosts Mary & Brian Holmes and Brad Rees have created one of the most beautiful rooms in the state while sparing no expense. Brick House comes complete with 8 of the Diamond Pro tables used at one of our Turning Stone events, plus 8, 7 foot Diamond tables for the bar league crowd. There is also a brand new full bar and kitchen boasting a full pub menu with a few homemade specials thrown in to satisfy all of our needs. So lets give Brick House a warm Joss Tour welcome by coming out to play in or just watch another great 9-ball tournament. While you are there, you could even win a gorgeous, custom engraved, Joss Cue, valued at $1,500 in the raffle. Anyone can participate in the raffle and you do not have to be present to win! This beautiful cue can be viewed here:  

https://josscues.com/joss-tour-2018-19-cue/

 

For more info about Brick House, look them up on Facebook or call them at 315-455-1979.

 

For those of you needing motel info, the Sleep Inn, less than 10 minutes from Brick House at 6344 E. Malloy Rd., E. Syracuse NY 13057, (520)-979-3607, Is offering a rate of $139.00 ($30 off regular rate) which includes a full breakfast. Make sure to mention Brick House billiards.

 

This event at Brick House Billiards will consist of a $1500 added Saturday and Sunday Main Event (entry Fee $120 for pro level or $70 for non pro level) and a $500 added second chance event on Sunday ($20 Entry Fee) for those non pro level players eliminated from the main event on Saturday. All of our events are open to players of all skill levels. Please remember that all of our billiard parlor events are now races 9 on the winners side and races to 7 on the one loss side.

 

Those coming to play must arrive on Saturday Oct. 20, Before 11:30 AM in proper dress of No t-shirts, tanks, sweats or shorts!! Clean Jeans and sneakers and a shirt with a collar work just fine for our billiard parlor events. Complete tour info can be found on our site: www.joss9balltour.com

 

Also, our third "Joss Junior 9-Ball Championships" will be held at Sharp Shooters on January 26 & 27, 2019. There will once again be 2 divisions. 18 & under and 12 and under. For more info, please contact Mike Zuglan immediately at 518-356-7163 for entry information. Please contact Mike if you would like to donate any items to be given away at the event.

 

Please note that our $25,000 Added Turning Stone Classic XXXI 9-Ball Open on January 10-13, 2019 is fast approaching and will fill to capacity before you know it. If you would like to compete in this BCA, WPA official ranking event, NOW is the time to enter to avoid being shut out! To enter you must contact me at 518-356-7163 or see me at any of our events Before the event is full at 128. I have actively been collecting entries since our last Turning Stone event and we are currently about 3/4 full so I strongly urge everyone to act now or you will be shut out!! 

    

Please remember to spread the word to frequent your local billiard parlors and utilize and promote the world class products of our most generous sponsors. They are the backbone of our sport and deserve our support!! 

 

Thanks and I hope to see you all at the brand new Brick House billiards.

 

Mike Zuglan

 

 

Bruce Nagle went undefeated to win a very contested John Babravich / Jim Romanowski Memorial tournament held by the Joss NE 9-Ball Tour at Sharp Shooters Billiards & Sports Pub in Amsterdam NY on October 13th – 14th. 

 

While Nagle went undefeated, none of his wins (Jeremy Sossei, Sam Marranca, Nick Brucato, Tom Haas and Scott Haas for the hot-seat) were by a margin of more than three racks. His hot-seat opponent, Scott Haas, only had one match that could be continued one sided, when he defeated Willie Oney 9-4 on Saturday. 

 

On the one loss side, Ron Casanzio was bouncing back from a Saturday loss to Brucato. While his Saturday wins on the left side of the board were pretty dominant, his Sunday started with back-to-back 7-5 wins (Nicolas Charette, Tom Haas and Sossei). Casanzio’s semi final win over Scott Haas was even closer at 7-6.

 

With all of the close matches that Nagle had, and Casanzio’s momentum from the one loss side, a close final match was expected. Surprisingly, Nagle scored his most lopsided win of the event in the first set of the finals when he defeated Casanzio 9-5 for first place. 

 

In Sunday’s fourteen player second chance tournament, Bob Forchilli fought to a 6-7 overall record against Ben Werblow, but that was still enough for first place. Forchilli lost to Werblow 3-0 for the hot-seat, but came back to double dip Werblow in the finals 3-2 and 3-2. 

 

The Joss NE 9-Ball Tour will be back in action this weekend, with another $1500 / $500 added stop at Brick House Billiards in North Syracuse, NY. Joss Tour director Mike Zuglan says he is over 2/3 full as far as entries into the Turning Stone Classic XXXI on January 10 – 13. Interested players are urged to get their entries into Mike as soon as possible as this event will fill up.