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.

Dan Simoneau, winner of two stops on the 2011 Lucasi New England 9-Ball Series, went undefeated to pick up  his first 2012 tour win on Sunday, March 4. The $255-added event drew 19 entrants to Buster’s Billiards in Somersworth, NH.

Simoneau had to get by Garry Columbie twice to capture the event title. He did it first among the winners’ side final four with a 7-2 victory. Gil Stadig, in the meantime, defeated Steve Therrian 4-2. Simoneau moved into the hot seat with a 7-4 victory over Stadig, and awaited Columbie’s return.

First up for Columbie on the loss side was Fred White, who’d survived two straight double hill matches, against Mike Nacolloro and Roger Morrison, to reach him. Therrian drew Will McDonald, who’d gotten by Derrick Lapenne 4-4 (Lapenne going to 6) and Stan Rupard, double hill. White didn’t survive his third straight double hill match, and it was Columbie moving into the quarterfinals. He was joined by Therrian, who’d eliminated McDonald 7-2.

Columbie and Therrian locked up in a double hill battle in those quarterfinals that eventually advanced Columbie to the semifinals against Stadig. Columbie chalked up his third straight on the loss side with a 5-3 victory over Stadig, which gave him a second crack at Simoneau. Simoneau, though, proved to be stronger the second time around. He gave up two less racks in the finals than he’d given up in his first match against Columbie among the winners’ side final four, completing his undefeated day with a 7-2 victory that secured the event title.