By the time John Parsons and Nick Conner reached the finals of the March 24 stop on the New England 9-Ball series, they’d played a total of 56 games, and won 41 of them. Parsons (the C+ player) had been a little stingier than Conner (the A player), giving up only five racks in his 25 games. Conner went 21-10. It was to have been a true double elimination final, but when Conner took the opening set (chalking up more racks against Parsons in that single set than all of Parsons’ previous opponents combined), the two opted out of a final match and split the event’s top two prizes. The $500-added event drew 43 entrants to Legends Sports Bar & Grill in Auburn, ME.

 

The first of their two matches played out in the battle for the hot seat. Conner had defeated Samoth Sam (as an A+, racing to 5) 4-4. Parsons shut out his ‘C’ opponent, Carlton Gagnon, to join him. With Conner racing to 6 in the hot seat match, Parsons sent him to the semifinals 3-2, and waited on his return.

 

On the loss side, Sam drew an immediate re-match against Tyler Campbell, whom he’d defeated in a winners’ side quarterfinal, and then downed Josh Rupard 3-5 (Rupard racing to 6), and Steve Smith, double hill. Gagnon picked up Gary Columbie, who’d eliminated Roland Beaulieu 3-1, and Josh Edmonds, double hill.

 

Campbell defeated Sam 3-3 (Sam racing to 6), and was joined in the quarterfinals by Gagnon, who’d eliminated Columbie, double hill (3-3). By the same score, Gagnon defeated Campbell in those quarterfinals, and then had his short, loss-side streak ended by Conner, who shut him out for a second shot at Parsons in the hot seat.

 

Conner gave up only a single rack in the opening set of the true double elimination final. There wasn’t a second set. The event title and relevant cash was split between them.

 

Tour director Marc Dionne thanked the ownership and staff at Yale Billiards, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Molinari, Bert Kinister, AZBilliards, Inside English, Professor Q-Ball’s National and 3-Cushion News, Delta 13 Racks, MJS Construction, Bob Campbell, Championship Cloth, and OTLVISE Billiard Mechanics of America. The next stop on the New England 9-Ball Series (#21), scheduled for Saturday, March 31, will be an ‘A and below’ event, hosted by Straight Shooters in Fall River, MA.

 

Ernest Porell fell victim to a low handicap in a battle among the winners’ side final four and missed a chance to face Corey Tapley for the hot seat. He chalked up three on the loss side and faced him in a true double elimination final, winning the opening set. Tapley, though, came back to win the second set and won the Sunday, May 6 stop on the Lucasi Hybrid New England 9-Ball Tour, which had drawn 21 entrants to Buster’s Billiards in Somersworth, NH.

As Tapley was busy sending Steve Therrien west 6-2 in the winners’ side semifinals, Porell was wrapped up in a handicap battle versus Sina Brown, who needed to win only three games to his eight. Brown got the three necessary, advancing to the hot seat match. Tapley, needing eight games, as well, defeated Brown, double hill (8-2) and sat in the hot seat, waiting for Porell.

Porell moved over to pick up Dan Simoneau, who’d defeated Stan Rupard 7-5 and Laddie Mills, double hill, to reach him. Therrien drew Terry McDermott, who, with a handicap advantage, had gotten by Gary Columbie and Gil Stadig in two, identical 3-5, double hill victories.  Porell advanced to the quarterfinals 6-2 over Simoneau, while McDermott chalked up his third straight double hill win – 3-7 over Therrien – and joined him.

The quarterfinal proved to be McDermott’s fourth straight (and last) double hill battle. Porell prevailed 8-2 and turned to his re-match against Brown in the semifinals. He allowed Brown only a single rack in those semifinals for a chance against Tapley.

In the straight-up, race-to-7, double elimination final, Porell took the opening set 7-3. They battled to double hill in the second set, before Tapley prevailed to claim the event title.

As it turned out, the second time was a little easier than the first. Brandon Gagane met up with Bob Dennis twice during the April 15th stop on the Lucasi Hybrid New England 9-Ball Tour. Though Gagane prevailed both times, Dennis battled him to double hill in their first meeting, and came within a rack of double hill in their finals matchup. The event drew 18 entrants to Sneaky Pete’s Billiards in Windham, ME.

As Gagane was busy sending Dennis west double hill from among the winners’ side final four, fellow Brandon (Cole) was doing the same to Nick Conner 5-6 (Conner going to 8). Gagane then downed Cole 4-4 (Cole going to 6) and sat in the hot seat awaiting Dennis’ return.

Dennis began his loss-side, three-match march to the finals with a 6-2 victory over John Morrison, who’d defeated Stan Rupard 4-4 (Rupard going to 6) and Chad Avalone, double hill, to reach him. Conner drew Gary Columbie, who’d gotten by John Washington 5-2 and Fred Dechaine, double hill. Dennis dropped Morrison 6-2, as Columbie survived a double hill contest against Conner. 

Dennis then defeated Columbie 6-3 in the quarterfinals, and took Brandon Cole out, double hill in the semifinals. With Dennis going to 6 again, Gagane kept him a rack short of a second straight double hill match against him with a 4-4 win that secured the event title.