Tommy Kennedy and Obbie Cirilo claimed respective titles in a two-event weekend – January 13-14 – on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour. Kennedy won five matches on the loss side to meet and defeat host location owner, Jose Del Rio in Sunday’s 10-Ball Invitational, while Cirilo, who went undefeated, and Mubarak Sulaiman split the top two prizes in Saturday’s 9-Ball Open to avoid a final match that would have commenced in the vicinity of 3 a.m., Sunday morning. The $1,000-added 9-Ball Open event drew 57 entrants, while the $300-added 10-Ball Invitational drew 17 entrants to Stroker’s Bar and Grill in Palm Harbor, FL.
Cirilo and Sulaiman would have met twice in the 9-Ball Open, had they both not opted out of playing a second, final match. Cirilo opened his undefeated run by giving up only two racks over his first two matches; one each to Bill Bloom and Kyle Bova, before Tommy Kennedy put up a fight in a winners’ side quarterfinal. Cirilo won that match 7-5 and drew Bobby Garza in one of the winners’ side semifinals. Sulaiman won his first three matches by an average score of 7-5, which included a double hill win over Donny Mills in the third round, and advanced to a winners’ side semifinal against Steve Knoll.
Sulaiman downed Knoll 7-5, and in the hot seat match, faced Cirilo, who’d sent Garza to the loss side 7-4. Cirilo chalked up what proved to be his last win (7-5) over Sulaiman, and sat in the hot seat, essentially waiting for the decision to opt out of a final match.
On the loss side, Knoll picked up Kennedy, while Garza drew Robert Batson, who’d lost a double hill fight against Knoll in the second round, and was in the midst of a six-match, loss-side winning streak that was about to come to an end.
Knoll eliminated Kennedy 5-3, as Garza ended Batson’s loss-side streak 5-2. Knoll downed Garza 5-3 in the quarterfinals, and then, by the same score, was eliminated by Sulaiman in the semifinals. That, as the saying goes, was all she wrote, as Cirilo and Sulaiman agreed to a split of the top two prizes.
Trenton White and Kodi Allen split $40 as the top two junior finishers in the 9-Ball Open event.
[photo id=48644|align=right]Kennedy wins five on the loss side to meet and defeat DelRio in 10-Ball Invitational finals
Tommy Kennedy played two more matches on the loss side of the 10-Ball Invitational than he had in the previous day’s 9-Ball Open. Those extra two matches put him into the finals, where he downed Jose Del Rio to claim the event title.
Kennedy was defeated 7-2 by Stephen Richmond in the second round of the 10-Ball event, which advanced Richmond to a winners’ side semifinal against Jason Richko. Del Rio drew Dale Stanley in the other winners’ side semifinal. Del Rio survived a double hill battle against Stanley to advance to the hot seat match. He was joined by Richko, who’d sent Richmond west 7-4. Del Rio and Richko battled to a 13th deciding game before Del Rio claimed the hot seat, and waited on the return of Kennedy.
On the loss side, Kennedy opened his trek back to the finals with victories over Tim Parisian and Onur Berber, which set him up to face Stanley. Richmond drew 9-Ball Open winner, Mubarak Sulaiman, who’d gotten by one of the event’s three top-finishing juniors/women (who split $90), Kodi Allen and Donny Mills to reach him.
Kennedy shut Stanley out and in the quarterfinals, faced Sulaiman, who’d eliminated Richmond 6-2. Kennedy then spoiled Sulaiman’s bid for a second runner-up (and possibly more) finish with a 6-4 win in those quarterfinals.
Kennedy gave up only a single rack to Richko in the semifinals and then, with momentum wind at his back, had the audacity to down his host – Stroker’s owner Del Rio – 9-2 in the finals to claim the 10-Ball event title.
Tour directors Janene Phillips and Bobby Garza awarded $90 (total) to the two junior and single female top finisher in the 10-Ball Invitational (Carrie Vetrono, the female, and for the second time, Kodi Allen and Trenton White as the juniors). They thanked Del Rio and his Stroker’s staff for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Kamui, Jacksonville Roofing USA, InsidePool.tv, AZBilliards and Play the Game Clothing Co. The next stop on the Sunshine State Pro Am Tour, scheduled for the February 10, will be hosted by Waldo’s Billiards in Daytona Beach, FL.
Stroker’s Billiards and Sports Bar welcomed the Florida Pool Tour on it’s first stop of the season this weekend. Saturday’s Amateur 9-Ball event drew 71 entrants while Sunday’s Super 16 10-Ball event was pre-booked with a full field.
The Amateur 9-Ball event was stacked with talented pool players and lots of auction action. A recipe for excellent pool all weekend long. Quite a few new faces had breakout results during this event. Naples player Francisco Diaz, Top FL Lady Player Chris Fields, and Tampa local Mitchell Keiser.
In it’s new format, the Super 16 10-Ball Event would host a complete field to some of the best talent in the country. After placing 2nd in the Amateur, James Adams would look strong and hungry to snap off this event.
Top 8 Breakdown
James Adams after recently taking 3rd place in the Florida State Amateur 9-Ball Championships showed up to play this weekend. Posting wins over Amine Ouahbi 7-2, Javier Chirino “The Trophy Maker” 7-4, local player Dave Stem 7-4, a hill-hill thriller with Dan Marchini, and finally 7-4 over Rich Johnson would find himself battling Mitchell Keiser for the hotseat. Showing up to that match primed and hungry, Adams would put the set away at 7-3.
Mitchell Keiser would find a way to grind out wins over Mark Wathen 7-4, Michael Stack 7-2, before capturing a $25 bounty on Mike DeLawder besting him 7-5, survived a hill-hill thriller with Miami area player Felix Luna and find a groove against Naples, FL native Francisco Diaz all before falling to James Adams 7-3 allowing James to have the hotseat and awaiting Jason Sheerman on the westside of the chart.
Rich Johnson would have an impressive 5 rounds deep into the winner side. Winning over Jason Richko 7-3, David Uwate 7-5, Daniel Grider 7-4, and Jim Sandaler, all before falling to James Adams. Johnson would not complete another match as the winnder. Jason Sheerman would beat him in a hill-hill match and complete Rich’s weekend.
Upstart player from Naples, FL Francisco Diaz would show some promise and post wins over Lisa McElroy 7-2, Justin Gilsinan 7-4, Finnish player Antti Mattilla 7-4 before falling to Lady Player Chris Fields in a hill/hill thriller. Then falling to Mitchell Keiser7-5. Diaz would then choose to forfeit out of the tournament for unknown reasons.
Dan Marchini would win against Tony Rowells 7-2, Lee Holland 7-4, Allen Ellison 7-3, Dave Ross 7-3, before falling to James Adams in a hill/hill thriller. On the westside he would pick up George Saunders, but would not take the set, letting Saunders pass with a 5-0, securing 8th place.
George Saunders would put a string of wins together after losing to Dave Stem 7-1. On the one-loss side he would beat Luke Sutliffe 5-4, Mike Lear 5-2, Jim Sandaler 5-3, Dan Marchini 5-0, Francisco Diaz 5-0, before falling to Jason Sheerman 5-2, securing 4th place.
Felix Luna would risk a loss with a hill/hill thriller against Junior Player Trenton White, Jason Bowen 7-5, falling to Nathan Rose 7-4. On the one-loss side Luna would pick up Gary Gilsinan and squeak that one out, only to fall next to Jason Sheerman again hill/hill.
Jason Sheerman had a design that was all his own this weekend. He would lose to Nathan Rose in the second round and then went on to grind out 10 matches in a row to reach the one-loss side final against Mitchell Keiser. Sheerman would go on to beat Keiser and secure his first Amateur 9-Ball title in 5 years, and it just so happens it was at Stroker’s Palm Harbor that he claimed his first victory. Sweet homecoming for Sheerman indeed.
Super 16 Recap
James Adams had one thing on his mind this weekend and it showed, it was winning. James had a great run into the finals of the Amateur 9-Ball event and then proceeded to build a charge in the first Super 16 event.
For starters we have Adam Wheeler winning against Donny Mills in a hill/hill thriller. Then he would meet up with Raymond Linares who dispatched Mitch Breedlove 8-3. James Adams would have a hill/hill thriller with Mike DeLawder and wait for Han Berber who had just finished a winning set over Tony Crosby 8-6, an upset since Tony was on a 5-1 deficit. Would not have enough to complete the charge. Jason Richko would best Eddie Sharp 8-4 and wait for Tommy Kennedy to steamed rolled Tim Parisian 8-1. James Roberts would send room owner Jose Del Rio down the hard path 8-4 and wait for Nathan Rose who bested Jason Sheerman 8-6.
Now on the westside, we have Mills and Breedlove, with Donny winning 7-5. DeLawder would then win the set against Crosby 7-4. Tim Parisian would best Sharp 7-2 and Jose Del Rio would march on past Sheerman in a hill/hill thriller.
Back on the eastside, James Adams and Raymond Linares would square off for a chance at the hotseat. Linares would take his first loss in a hill/hill thriller. Adams would be in the second hotseat match in 2 days. On the lower half, Tommy Kennedy and James Roberts would battle for the hotseat, if you call it a battle. Kennedy runs away with the set 8-2.
Back on the one-loss side, DeLawder picks up Linares and Linares pushes through 7-5. Jose Del Rio picks up James Roberts and this time puts him away. Del Rio and Linares would fight for a chance to play and jump back over to the eastside.
Back on the winners side, Kennedy and Adams would square off in a close one. Adams wouldnt have enought to stop TK and would go west to meet up with the winner of the one-loss side hotseat. That would be Raymond Linares.
After some super slow play, Linares and Adams actually get put on the shot clock and turns would trade. With the pressure of the shot clock, uncharacteristic misses and nerve controlling runouts would put Linares and Adams hill/hill. In the middle of what would seem a routine runout, the sound of a miscue coming from Linares’ cue would resonate throughout the pool room as he left a 4 ball runout to Adams with ball in hand. Adams would finish the set and prepare to take on Kennedy in the final. This would be 2 tournaments in 2 days and 2 finals for Adams.
Now in the finals, Kennedy and Adams trade a couple of racks, with Kennedy expressing his creative side of the game. Creating angles and playing combos, this would put Kennedy up 4-1. Adams would fight back with pressured safeties and consistent shot making. At 6-6 Kennedy would pull away. In the early hours of Monday morning, 2 days of super solid play would seem to weigh heavy on Adams shoulders. Taking advantage of one too many mistakes by Adams, Kennedy would secure his first Super 16 Title of 2015 just before daybreak on the horizon.
The Florida Pool Tour would like to thank Jose Del Rio and the staff at Stroker’s Palm Harbor for the wonderful hospitality all weekend long. Combined with amazing restaurant quality food, you cannot find a place that can beat that. Stroker’s Palm Harbor has been an anchor stop on the Florida Pool Tour for years as well as the host location for the US Amateur Championships for the last 5 years. Give Jose and the family there a visit and see for yourself why this is perhaps one of the best pool rooms in the country.
Xtreme Pool Challenge came through with another amazing weekend of LIVE HD quality streaming. We want to thank Gary Patrick and crew for producing one of the best streams available and the best prices around. $5 for an entire weekend of fantastic HD coverage is by far a steal in this industry. By supporting Gary and XPC you are supporting the future of pool and the future of this pool tour.
Tom D'Alfonso completed an undefeated run through a field of forty four other players to win the final Joss NE 9-Ball Tour stop of the 2012-2013 regular season at Snookers in Providence, RI.
D'Alfonso took the hot-seat with a "nip and tuck" 9-8 win over Jeremy Sossei on Sunday afternoon.
Sossei would come back for another shot at D'Alfonso after a 9-6 win over Ray McNamara in the semi-finals.
The final match between D'Alfonoso and Sossei wasn't even close as D'Alfonso ran away with a 9-4 victory. The win was worth $1000 in prize money for D'Alfonso, while Sossei took home $700 for second place.
The second chance event on Sunday drew a field of fourteen players competing for $780 in prize money. This event saw Joe Darigis bounce back from a loss to Kyle Pepin and earn his first second chance event win. On the one loss side, Darigis defeated Tim Parisian 3-2, Pepin 3-1 and then Brent Boemmels 3-2 twice for the tournament win.
Richard Mayo was the proud winner of the $1,200 custom Joss Cue at this tour stop.
The tour now takes a break until the Turning Stone Casino Classic XXI on September 19th – 22nd at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY. This event is almost full with only a handul of openings.
Dennis Hatch (File photo courtesy of Bruce Clayton)
Dennis Hatch and Jerry Crowe won events over the weekend of March 24th – 25th at Salt City Billiards in Syracuse, NY.
The main event saw 27 players competing and Dennis Hatch scoring yet another undefeated run through the field. Hatch took the hot-seat with a very close 9-7 win over tour points leader Bucky Souvanthong.
On the one loss side, Souvanthong found Nelson Oliviera waiting. Souvanthong had had no problem with Oliviera on the winners side, defeating Nelson 9-3. Oliviera was more than happy to return the favor this time with a 9-3 win over Souvanthong.
Oliviera’s strong play in the match against Souvanthong was no match for Hatch in the finals as Dennis ran away with a dominating 9-4 win for another tournament win.
The second chance tournament on Sunday saw Jerry Crowe take the hot-seat with a 3-0 win over Ed Saur. Saur came back from the left side after a 3-1 win over Tim Parisian and the two players squared off again in the double elimination finals.
Saur won the first set of the finals 3-1, but Crowe came back to win the final set 3-2 for the tournament win.
The Joss NE 9-Ball tour will be at Raxx Billiards in West Hempstead, NY next weekend (March 31 – April 1) for a $2000 added weekend. $1500 will be added to the main event and $500 will be added to the second chance tournament.
Players are still urged to contact Mike Zuglan soon in order to reserve their spot in the season finale at Turning Stone Casino on August 23 – 26. Mike can be reached at 518-356-7163.
110 players show up for the Poison Tour event at Cuephoria in Winter Park Orlando Fl, 2-18-12.
64 players showed up for the Saturdays Amateur event, Jon Wing would be the man to beat as he made his way to the finals with some very strong wins over Walter Blacker 7-4, Jeff Mabry, 7-4, Jarred Schlauch 7-5, Larry Harvey 7-5, Ali Sohali 7-3 and then a bruising win over big money Jason Richko 7-2 to win the hotseat.
The one loss side would see George Saunders make a big push, after taking a 7-4 loss to Jason Bowen he would go onto record wins over Richard Knight 5-2, Kevin Paquette 5-2, Ted Lepak 5-4, Chip Dickerson 5-3, Ali Sohali 5-0 and then a 5-3 win over Jeannie Seaver to set up a semi final match with Jason Richko, Richko would put an end to his run with a hard fought 5-4 win to leave Saunders in 3rd.
The final would see Jon Wing fly out the gates and take the first 5 racks, just when it looked like it was all over Richko took his first rack and then broke and ran the next 3 to close to 5-4 the next 3 racks were traded but this was all Wing needed to take his first Poison Title with a 7-5 win. Congrats to Larry Giles, Richard Murray, Mike Delawder and Kevin Paquette for finishing 13th-16th place they received paid entry into Sundays event also Cassidy Mulligan received $50 for top female finisher.
The 10-Ball open event would draw in 46 players with Corey Deuel proving he is the man to beat at any event. Deuel made his way through to the hotseat swiftly with strong wins over John Filax 6-3, Tony Crosby 6-3, Chris Fields 6-0, Mike Delawder 6-3 and then a hard fought win over George Saunders 6-5 to reach the hotseat to face Tim Parisian. Parisian made his way through with some hard fought wins over Richard Knight 6-3, John Souders 6-2, Rich Schau 6-4 and then Nick Applebee to set up his match with Deuel. The hotseat match was one way Traffic with Deuel running out a 7-1 win. While all this was going on Tony Crosby was making a push on the one loss side with wins over Michael Hopponen 5-3, Charles Valenciana 5-1, Jeff Mabry 5-1, John Souders 5-1, Jeannie Seaver 5-4, Paul Mullins 5-2, Nick Applebee 5-3, Rich Scahu 5-0 and then a 5-1 win over Tim Parisian to set up a rematch with Deuel. Crosby would go onto beat Deuel 7-3 to force a sudden death one rack shootout. Deuel would win the one rack shootout showing his creative side making a clever 2-10 carom to take back to back titles on the poison tour.
The tour would like to thank Faheem Zia and his Cuephoria staff for hosting a great event, the tour and its players enjoyed this new non smoking pool room. Also Predator by poison our title sponsors. Check out www.uspoisontour.com for tour info and dates.
Stroker’s Billiards Palm Harbor Fl, was the host location for the Poison Tour Season Opener 1-28-2012.
The $1000 Added Amateur event would kick off Saturday with 56 players showing up which included 7 ladies taking advantage of the $20 entry. The Tampa Bay area is known for being a very strong pool playing community and this one would prove it to be correct as 5 players in the last 6 all play regularly at Stroker’s pool room.
Room owner Jose Del Rio was looking strong in the event making his way to the hoseat match with some strong wins over Master table mechanic Wes Burden 7-4, Jeanie Seaver 7-5, Sascha Kauper 7-4 and then Jason Bowen 7-5. Mike Monosky would be his opponent as he made his way there with strong wins over John Donnelly 7-5, Sherry Sandaler 7-5, Julio Del Pozo 7-4, Dan Whitten 7-2 and then Art Seaman 7-5. The hotseat match would go in favor of Mike Monosky as he grinded out a strong 7-5 win. While all this was going on big money Jason Richko who had taken a 7-6 loss to journey man Art Seaman would go on to win 6 straight wins to before losing a hard fought match to Jason Bowne 5-4 to end up in 4th place. Bowen would then take down room owner Jose Del Rio leaving him in 3rd place and put himself in the final to play Monsosky.
The Final was all Bowen as he cruised through the set with a 7-2 win to set up a 1 rack sudden death Shoot out. The one rack shoot out is always a nervy affair and this one would be no different Monosky would run the balls to the 6 only to miss, Bowen would hold his nerve and run the last 4 to take his first Poison Tour Title. Congrats to Kira Brown who mad top lady player and received $50
Corey Deuel would be the man to beat as he made his way to the hotseat with wins over Carrie Moxley 7-3, Richard Knight 7-5, Tim Parisian 7-4, Tony Crosby 7-1 and then a hotseat win over Mike Davis 7-5. On the one loss side Jason Richko would go down to Trevor Braymore 5-2 and Jose Del Rio would go down to James Roberts 5-0 to leave them in 7th-8th place. Louis Altes would then beat Braymore and Tony Crosby would take Down Roberts to leave them in 5th-6th place. Crosby would then go onto beat Louis Altes 6-1 leaving him in 4th, Mike Davis would end the run for Crosby with a 6-3 win to give him a revenge final match with Deuel.
The Final would be a tight affair with both Players trading racks but Deuel would come out on top with a strong 7-5 win and the first 10-Ball title on the Poison Tour.
The Tour would like to thank Stroker’s Pool room and its staff for hosting another great event. We would also like to thank Poison Cues our title sponsor for supplying the best cues on the market.
The next event will be at Cuephoria Billiards Café, Winter Park (Orlando) Fl, February 18th-19th 2012 this should be a great event in a brand new room. We look forward to seeing you there.
Mike Zuglan's Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour stop #7 was at Joe Speach's Salt City Billiards this past weekend. While 45 players shot for the $5100 in prize money, the great pool fans of the Syracuse, NY fans got to see some great pool and enjoy some of the best food you ever tasted at a sporting event. Sausage and peppers, tortalini soup, barbecue beef, macaroni and meatballs, carrot cake and more were on the menu. If you didn't cash at this tournament you could at least gain 5 pounds. Adding $1500 and playing on some great Gold Crown one tables with Simonis cloth and using centennial balls made this a really great event.
Saturday started with some very tough matches Ron "Julio" Casanzio had to beet Chuck Altomare, Ryan McCreesh and Mike Zuglan to go through the day unscathed, Rochester's Lyn Wechsler had to win over Raphael Saldana, last weeks winner Ray Cruz and have an incredible comeback from an 4-8 deficit to win on the hill against Bob Levandowski. Joining Casanzio and Wechsler on the winners side for the day was Teddy Garrahan and Jim Forsythe. On the one loss side we had Tim Parisian, Mike Zuglan, Gary Empey and Bob Levandowski. Making the cash line but not returning Sunday was Time Allen, Mike Hurley, Ryan McCreesh and Claude Spence.
Sunday Started with Teddy Garrrahan beating Wechsler only to lose to Julio for the hot seat. Casanzio had beaten Forsythe and now had to wit for the play on the one loss side.Wechsler upset Zuglan 9-7 and then lost to Gary Empey. Garrahan beat Empey for the losers side and got a chance to meet Ron Casanzio in the finals. In the finals the people got to see why we call Ted Garrahan the Magic Man. Garrahan won the first set of the true double elimination 9-5 including an incredible out from the hill that included a jump shot a table length combination and a carom. In the second set it was 6-0 by the time Casanzio got to shoot and when he did he played great. Playing safe and scratching his way to win 4 games Julio then proceeded to snap two 9's in a row to get to 6 and we all thought it was going to be a match again. But when Casanzio broke and made nothing Ted made the one and a 2-9 carom to win the match.
All the staff at Salt City did a great job and the fans got to see great pool with no admission charge. We look forward a returning next year and I personally am not eating a thing the week before this event. Many thanks to Joe and Judy Speach for a great job. Next stop on the tour is Nov. 17 in Levittown, NY(Long Island) at Leisuretime Billiards.
