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LaPadula goes undefeated to record his first win on the Tri-State Tour

Four years ago, Teddy Lapadula split the top two prizes in a Tri-State event with Tom McCloud, who was in the hot seat for the February 13 stop on the tour. They split the money, but the undefeated McCloud claimed the event title. On Saturday, March 29 (this year), LaPadula shared the top two prizes again, although this time, for the first time, he went undefeated through the field to be the one in the hot seat, sharing the top prize with someone (Ed Crespo), who, like he had done four years ago, had worked his way through a series of loss-side matches to earn a spot in the finals, which ultimately, didn't happen. The $1,000-added event drew 40 entrants to Clifton Billiards in Clifton, NJ. 
 
Padula's path to the win passed through Sam Vitellaro, Franciszek Siecz, Greg Matos and Allison Honeymar (the previous week's winner) before meeting Pat Mareno in a winners' side semifinal. He downed Mareno 6-4 and in the battle for the hot seat faced Rajesh Vannala, who'd just sent Crespo to the losers' bracket 7-5. LaPadula won what proved to be his last match of the night 8-6 to sit in the hot seat for the first time.
 
On the loss side, Crespo picked up Keith Adamik, who'd defeated Stewart Warnock 7-6 (another winner from last week's two-event weekend), and Mike Zimny 7-3. Mareno drew Ryszard Szpila, who'd gotten by Honeymar 6-3 and Ed DaCosta 6-2. Crespo edged Adamik 7-6 and in the quarterfinals, faced Szpila, who'd eliminated Mareno 6-5.
 
Crespo defeated Szpila and spoiled Vannala's bid for a rematch against LaPadula, by winning his own rematch against him 7-5, in the semifinals. 'Long-time compatriots' LaPadula and Crespo opted out of the final match, splitting the money, but leaving the undefeated LaPadula in possession of the event title.
 
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Clifton Billiards, as well as sponsors Sterling-Gaming, Ozone Billiards, Qpod, Heptig Cues, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, and Human Kinetics. On April 5, the Tri-State Tour will hold the Paul Fanelli Memorial event at Castle Billiards in East Rutherford, NJ.

Uzdejczyk goes undefeated on Tri-State; splits top prize with Warnock

Stewart Warnock, Bogie Uzdejczyk and Ryszard Szpila

Bogie Uzdejczyk chalked up his second 2014 victory on the Tri-State Tour with an undefeated effort on a stop held Saturday, February 22. He and Stewart Warnock, whom he'd defeated already, opted out of a final match, choosing to split the top prizes. The $1,000-added event drew 36 entrants to The Cue Bar in Bayside (Queens), NY.
 
Uzdejczyk's path went through Luis Jimenez, Meshak  Daniel, and Miguel Laboy before running into Warnock among the winners' side final four. Ryszard Szpila, in the meantime, met with Frank Sieczka. Uzdejczyk survived a double hill battle versus Warnock in the only match they would play, as Szpila advanced to the hot seat match with a 6-4 win over Sieczka. Uzdejczyk claimed the hot seat with an 8-6 win over Szpila, in effect, ending his efforts for the night.
 
On the loss side, Warnock began a three-match winning streak to get back to the finals. His first opponent was Akbar Karmoeddien, who'd defeated Laboy 8-4 and Rob Mislivits 7-2. Sieczka drew Jan Mierzwa who'd gotten by Allison Honeymar 7-6 and Raymond Lee 6-4. Warnock downed Karmoeddien 7-4, and in the quarterfinals, met up with Mierzwa, who'd eliminated Sieczka 6-3.
 
Warnock dropped Mierzwa into fourth place and then defeated Szpila, fresh off his hot seat battle, 8-7. It was at this point that with long rides home ahead of them, Uzdejczyk and Warnock decided against a final match and chose to split the top prizes.
 
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at The Cue Bar, as well as sponsors Sterling-Gaming, Ozone Billiards, Qpod, Heptig Cues, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, and Human Kinetics. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for March 1, will be hosted by Castle Billiards in East Rutherford, NJ.