When Mike Zuglan brings his Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour into any town you know the quality of players no matter the size of the field will always be top notch. As it was this past week end at Action Billiards in Hamden, CT.
38 players made up the field including names like San Souci, Zuglan, Morris, Hernandez, Saez, Altomare and more. Sal Bevilacqua added $1500 to the purse and the players went at it for the $4540 at stake.Right from the beginning it was great matches, Frank Hernandez beat Greg Hoagland 9-8, Tom"Shorty" D'Alfonso drilled Rodney Morris 9-3. Local Players Tony Frissina upset Teddy Garrahan and Ginky to go undefeated for the day. Steve Tavernier sent Rodney packing and not making the money in his first Joss appearance. Tavernier and SanSouci squared off and played one of the greatest sets ever with Ginky winning 9-8. Going undefeated for Saturday along with Frissina would be Robbie Saez, Mike Zuglan and Tom D'Alfonso. On the one loss side we had SanSouci vs Hernandez, Chris Biddle vs Greg Hoagland.
Sunday, Saez beat Frissina and Zuglan to get to the hot seat. While Ginky got beat by Frankie Hernandez. Zuglan and Hernandez met for the right to meet Saez in the finals. Playing strong Mike beat Frankie and the finals were set. In the true double elimination event Zuglan came out firing and playing great 9-ball. Winning the set 9-7 Zuglan looked invincible and got ready for set two. In the second set it was Robbie's Saez all the way, neutralizing Mikes great shot making with great safety play and then getting out when he had too. Before you knew it it was 9-4 Saez for the win. This was win number 8 for Robbie on the Joss tour and he was the defending champion of this event.
Many thanks to the Bevilacqua boys for their hospitality in this great pool room/sports bar. On behalf of Mike Zuglan, Danny Janes, myself and all of us on the Joss Northeast 9-ball tour. We would like to wish all our players, room owners, friends and fans a wonderful holiday and a great New Year. We will back in action 1/12/02 at Rhode Island Billiards in North Providence, RI.
When you walk in the door to Bristol Billiards in Bristol CT, you just know that this is an action room. The gold crowns, the lights, Simonis cloth, 3 tight boxes, a billiard table and 17 tables with 4,5" pockets. That is what Steve Mahoney and his manager George Texiera want you to know, that is how they set it up. A players room. So when Mike Zuglan brought his Joss tour there this past week end along with 62 players it had to be a great tournament and it was.
Players from all over as far away as New Zealand, Philippines, Ireland and Spain along with the usual great players making up the best tour in the country. Right from the beginning Saturday till the finals on Sunday, great matches, hill hill, strong comebacks and just good pool. Mike Zuglan and Robb Saez battling hill hill with Zugan getting the win this time. Frankie Hernandez having Karen Corr 8-3 when Karen got Frankie on 3 fouls and played her heart out to get to 8-7 before Hernandez got the chance to get out and did. All day was like this and surviving undefeated for Sundays action was Carlos Vieira, Joe Tucker, Ryan McCreesh, Al Lapena, Frank Hernandez, George Texiera, Edgar Acaba and Mike Zuglan. On the one loss side we had cashing for his first time on the Joss Tour was David Gold vs Mike Davis, Cisco Diaz vs Rich Ross, Nelson Oliviera vs Chris Biddle and Ted Garrihan vs Robb Saez.
On Sunday it took Edgar Acaba to stop Mike Zuglan for the first time in his last 11 matches from last week end to now. Acaba played great for the two days and was not going to be denied as he sat in the hot seat. Playing through the one loss side Zuglan was again in dead stroke. With over $6900 in the prize fund and two of the nicest trophies this writer has ever seen at a tournament, he beat everyone else to meet up with Acaba for revenge. But the Filipino was not going to be denied and beat Zuglan 9-5. This was Edgar's first Joss win and I am sure not his last.
This was a great tournament and we can't say enough to Steve Mahoney, his wife Kat and their staff. We look forward to next year when the Joss tour will join Billy Zhuta in memorializing his son and adding a lot more money. Our thanks to Mike Webb, Webb Custom Cues for being there and setting up along with being a sponsor, Capone Cues, Giuseppe case, Simonis cloth and Joss Cues Ltd.
