Call it the pitter-patter of little feet; well, smaller anyway. Sitting in the hot seat on the June 24 stop on the Lucasi Hybrid New England 9-Ball Tour, Stan Rupard watched as Terry McDermott completed a five-match, loss-side winning streak to face him in the finals. With a D+ handicap, she had gotten by an A player (Choneyi Tenzin), a C player (Eli Davenport), an Open player (Nick Conner), a B+ player (Josh Rupard), and another A player (Dan Simoneau) to reach him. Rupard, though, held McDermott to a single rack of the three she needed for a first victory in the true double elimination finals and completed his undefeated day. The event drew 22 entrants to Legends Billiards in Portsmouth, NH.

From among the winners’ side final four, Rupard began his three-match march to the event title by sending his son, Josh to the loss side 6-3. In the hot seat match that followed, he faced Dan Simoneau, who’d sent Conner west 6-6. Rupard got into the hot seat with a 6-4 victory over Simoneau and watched as those ‘little feet’ made their way in his direction.

McDermott, who’d been sent west by Josh Rupard from among the winners’ side final eight, began her return voyage to the finals with the victory over Tenzin 3-5. She followed it with the win over Davenport 4-3, which put Conner in her path. Josh Rupard met up with Sina Brown, who’d survived two straight double hill matches against Joe Meuse and Will McDonald to reach him. McDermott ended Conner’s day in a double hill win and in the quarterfinals, got a re-match against Josh Rupard, who’d shut out Brown.

McDermott wreaked her vengeance and came out on top in the quarterfinal match against Josh Rupard, 3-1, and then, in the semifinals, with Simoneau racing to 10, she completed her loss-side streak with a 3-8 victory. She’d vanquished the son, but Dad, Stan Rupard, allowed her only a single rack in an 8-1 victory that secured the event title.

Steve Therrien stopped a three-match, loss-side challenge by Austin Roberts to go undefeated at a stop on the Lucasi Hybrid New England 9-Ball Tour, on Sunday, April 22. The event drew 20 entrants to Legends Billiards in Portsmouth, NH.

Therrien and Roberts were among the winner’s side final four, but didn’t face each other. Therrien took on Steve Kaptan, while Roberts battled Jason Deangelo. It was Therrien and Deangelo advancing to the hot seat battle; Therrien with a 7-3 win over Kaptan, and Deangelo, 5-3 over Roberts. Therrien then sent Deangelo to the semifinals, 7-2, and waited in the hot seat for Roberts.

Roberts moved over to meet Will McDonald, who’d defeated Sara Kaplin 6-2 and Charlie Matarazzo 5-2. Kaptan picked up Jeff Scott, who’d given up only two racks, total, defeating Patty Jackson and Randy Marcotte (sp?). Roberts and Kaptan returned to their winning ways immediately, downing McDonald and Scott, both 6-2.

Roberts used two straight 6-3 victories, over Kaptan in the quarterfinals and Deangelo in the semifinals, to complete his loss-side trip and face Therrien in the finals. Therrien completed his undefeated day with a 7-3 victory that captured 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.

Alex Popov went undefeated to become champion of the 6th Annual Robert Dionne Memorial Tournament, held under the auspices of the Lucasi Hybrid New England 9-Ball Series, on Sunday, January 22. The $1,140-added event, which drew 41 entrants to Legends Billiards in Portsmouth, NH, was organized to memorialize Tour Director Marc Dionne‘s father, who passed away the day before the first event in 2007. A portion of the proceeds are slated for the St. Jude Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. 

From among the winners’ side final four, Popov had to first get by his eventual finals opponent, Corey Tapley, and then, last year’s champion, Choneyi Tenzin. Popov sent Tapley over in a 5-5 (handicapped) victory, and was met, in the battle for the hot seat, by Tenzin, who’d sent Joey Meuse west 7-2. Popov prevailed again in a handicapped match 4-6 to sit in the hot seat, awaiting Tapley’s return.

First up for Tapley was Laddie Mills, fresh off a 5-5 victory over Rich Britt. Meuse drew Will McDonald, who’d just defeated Mark Holmes 5-1. Tapley advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-4 victory over Mills, and was joined by Meuse, who’d defeated McDonald 7-2. Tapley gave up only a single rack in his quarterfinal victory over Meuse and turned to face Tenzin, looking to repeat as event champion. Tenzin battled him to double hill, but Tapley had a two-game, handicap advantage and advanced to the finals with a 5-6 win.

It was a straight-up race to five in the true double elimination finals. Popov took the opening set to secure to become the 6th Robert Dionne Memorial champion.