Dana Hussey had the lowest FargoRate (351) among the final 12 competitors in the Saturday, Oct. 6 stop on the New England 9-Ball Series, the Dave Marcus Memorial Tournament. In his final three matches, Hussey was being awarded three and four games on the wire in races to 6 or 7, and only at the end, in the finals, did a competitor (Kyle Sariceno; 507) manage to force a deciding game. Hussey went undefeated in the event’s lower bracket, before joining the final 12 and eventually claiming his first event title. The $500-added event drew 45 entrants to Buster’s Billiards in Somersworth, NH.

 

Following an opening round bye in the lower bracket, Hussey chalked up victories over Shane Ryan, Lida Mullendore, and Peter Rizzo, Sr., to arrive at a winners’ side semifinal matchup against Cody Chagnon. In the upper bracket, Jason Seavey and Hussey’s eventual finals opponent, Kyle Sariceno met in the other winners’ side semifinal.

 

In a straight-up race to 6, Seavey and Sariceno battled to double hill before Seavey finished it and advanced to the winners’ side final. Hussey joined him after a 3-4 victory over Chagnon (racing to 6). With Seavey racing to 7, Hussey allowed him only two racks before chalking up his own three to claim the hot seat.

 

On the loss side, Sariceno began his march back to the finals against Matt Treglia, who’d eliminated Fred White, double hill and Walt Kelly 6-2. Chagnon picked up Mark Pulsifer, who’d defeated Rizzo, Sr., double hill and Matt Benson 4-1. Sariceno downed Treglia 4-1 (Treglia racing to 6) and was joined in the quarterfinal match by Pulsifer, who’d shut out Chagnon (in this match, racing to 4).

 

In a straight-up race to 4, Sariceno and Pulsifer battled to double hill before Sariceno dropped the final 9-ball to earn a re-match against Seavey in the semifinals. In his second straight double hill match, Sariceno prevailed again, downing Seavey 5-4 to get a shot at Hussey in the hot seat.

 

Third time proved to be not such a charm. In his third straight double hill fight, Sariceno got six of the seven racks he needed to win the opening set of the true double elimination final, but Hussey chalked up the three he needed to claim the event title.

 

Tour director Marc Dionne thanked the ownership and staff at Buster’s Billiards for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Predator, USAPL New England, Fargo Rate, Bert Kinister, AZBilliards, Inside English, Professor Q-Ball’s National Pool and 3-Cushion News, Delta 13 Racks, MJS Construction, Bob Campbell, Bourgeois Farms, and OTLVISE Billiard Mechanics of America. The next stop (#3) on the New England 9-Ball Series, scheduled for Saturday, October 13, will be a $500-added event, hosted by Yale Billiards in Wallingford, CT.