by InsidePOOL Staff

Ed Culhane dominated the field at the October 9 stop on the Tri-State Tour, only to fight to the hill against Mike Ettl—and win—in the finals. The $1,000-added stop hosted a field of 31 A-D players at BQE Billiards in Jackson Heights, NY.

Culhane had an easy time of it, handling Mark Pantovic 7-3 in the winners’ side final four to advance. Meeting him in the winners’ side finals was Ettl, who had just sent to the west side Mike Aro 6-3. Again Culhane had few problems, besting Ettl for the first time 7-3 to await a finals opponent.

Pantovic quickly recovered and eliminated Keith Adamik in a hill-hill match 7-6, while Aro was whitewashed 6-0 by Ron Mason and tied for fifth place with Adamik. Mason went on to face down Pantovic in the quarterfinal match 8-5.

Ed Culhane dominated the field at the October 9 stop on the Tri-State Tour, only to fight to the hill against Mike Ettl—and win—in the finals.

Ettl had a close match with Mason in the semifinals but escaped 6-4 to earn a rematch with Culhane. He took an early lead in the finals and kept it for most of the match, but Culhane finally pulled himself together and made it a hill-hill nail-biter. On the final break, Culhane snapped in the 9 ball for the 9-8 win.

Results:
1st Ed Culhane $600
2nd Mike Ettl $380
3rd Ron Mason $235
4th Mark Pantovic $140
5th Mike Aro $90
Keith Adamik
7th Keith Diaz $65
Geovani Hosang

Huidji See began our first semi-final match with a 4-2 lead over Yukio Akakariyama in the race to 9 games. A behind-the-back shot on the 9 ball left him a bit rough on the 10 in the next rack but he was able to put it away in the corner pocket to go 5-2. See missed a cut on the 1 ball in the next rack but Akakariyama could not capitalize on the opportunity as he missed the shot he had to bring See back into play. But See also missed the 1 and Akakariyama played a safe that left only a bank into the corner. See jawed it and Akakariyama had the chance he needed to get going and gain some confidence and poise. But he fell out of line on the 2 ball and again a safety was in order. He failed to snooker See but left only a bank or a safety opportunity. See chose the safety and Akakariyama missed his jump shot. See looked to clean up but scratched on the 6 ball and left Akakariyama a road map out. He would not falter from here and brought the score closer at 5-3 as the nerves began to show in the arena.

Akakariyama broke and ran the next rack and our margin was down to a single game. He played a great safe on the 1 ball in the next rack that gained him ball-in-hand and, with that, he sailed through the rack that tied us at 5 games apiece. Now it was a short race to four games to determine who would gain entry to the finals. Akakariyama made his first shot in the next rack but was snookered from the 2 ball by the 3. He made a good hit but See was able to put an in-jail safety on him. Akakariyama fouled his shot with no hit and See had the opportunity he needed. He went through the rack easily to lead 6-5. See them made three balls on the next snap and faced an open table that he managed cleanly to lead 7-5. See again made three balls on the break and things began to look impossible for Akakariyama as he was just not getting to the table at all. In moments the score was 8-5. He did get to the table n the next rack but not with any golden opportunities. He played a safe on the 2 ball trying to create one but See jumped, made the hit, and left him tough. Akakariyama made a very thin cut on the 2 ball to get going and knew that to win from here he would have to keep See in his chair. But he had no decent chance at the 3 ball and had to play safe. See returned the favor and Akakariyama pocketed the 3 in the wrong pocket to give See the option of shooting or returning him to the table. See gave the table back. A brief exchange of safeties ensued that left Akakariyama with the first opportunity to find a pocket. But the 8 ball was snuggled up next to the 9 and could not be massaged away. Akakariyama had no choice but to play safe with only three balls left on the table. See missed the shot on the 8 with which he was left but left only a bank into the side that Akakariyama could not convert. See should have been out from there but missed an elementary shot on the 10 ball for the win. Akakariyama made it and had new life at 8-6 and owning the break in the next rack.

See was distraught in his chair. He could not believe that he had blown that shot. But at this stage the pockets become thimbles. He had to recompose himself if he was to win. Things began to deteriorate even more when he missed the 8 ball. But Akakariyama, who should have been out easily, scratched on the 9 ball and conceded the victory to Huidji See.

See is the new World Ten Ball Champion.

The second semi-final match found Jianbo Fu facing Carlo Biado. Biado seemed to be off to a fine start when he ran down to the 10 ball but he hung it in the corner to gift Fu with the first bead. Fu also took the next rack but then missed a 2 ball into the side in the third rack to bring Biado up to shoot. Biado made two tough bank shots to complete the rack and get on the board at 2-1. Neither player appeared comfortable at the table. They were missing shots that earlier in the week had been automatic for them. Their arms were clumsy from the tension. Both of them knew that the first one to get in stroke would take the win and so they concentrated on not giving up opportunities instead of on destroying racks. Fu capitalized on a missed 6 ball by Biado to claim his third rack and lead 3-1. It got uglier as both players became plagued with doubt and the balls refused to fall for either of them. The next rack was a miss-fest claimed by Fu to lead 4-1. Another missed shot on the 8 ball by Biado gave the next rack to Fu as well. Neither player was actually winning racks. They were losing them to one another.

When Fu took the next rack the world became a very dark place for Carlo Biado. He needed to win eight racks while holding Fu to only two. And Fu was beginning to get comfortable at the table. The lead he enjoyed was oiling his arm. Fu took the next rack to lead 7-1 and Biado looked as if he knew his run was Read more ...]]> http://www.cuesandpool.com/billiard-news/see-the-new-world-ten-ball-champion.html/feed 0 http://www.cuesandpool.com/billiard-news/jones-versus-klatt-in-ultimate-10-ball-hot-seat-match.html http://www.cuesandpool.com/billiard-news/jones-versus-klatt-in-ultimate-10-ball-hot-seat-match.html#comments Sun, 24 Apr 2011 20:32:41 +0000 Pool and Billiards News http://www.insidepoolmag.com/?p=15658 Jones Versus Klatt in Ultimate 10-Ball Hot Seat Match

Ultimate 10-Ball Championships / Frisco, TX

by InsidePOOL Staff

The men’s division at the Ultimate 10-Ball Championships was winnowed down to six players from twelve in the morning and early afternoon rounds, with local favorite Jeremy “Double J” Jones and Canada’s Jason Klatt set to go head to head in the hot seat match.

The men’s division at the Ultimate 10-Ball Championships was winnowed down to six players from twelve in the morning and early afternoon rounds, with local favorite Jeremy “Double J” Jones and Canada’s Jason Klatt set to go head to head in the hot seat match.

Kelly Fisher was the first winner in Sunday’s matches with her 7-0 routing of Monica Webb in a match that saw her leave nothing to chance. Webb was relegated to fifth place, tied with Vivian Villareal, who was bested by Line Kjorsvik 7-5.

Oscar Dominguez and Rodney Morris went to double-hill in their match. Dominguez had the upper hand in the final rack and looked to be the winner until he missed the 10 ball. He shouted in surprise, but there was nothing he could do, and Morris ended up moving forward 8-7.

In another match that ended anticlimactically, Darren Appleton and Jason Klatt were vying to advance to the hot seat match. Appleton held an early, small lead, but soon Klatt inched up to go 6-5 up. Appleton had no shot on the 1 ball in the next rack and attempted a jump shot but scratched, and Klatt cleared the table to reach the hill. Klatt came up empty on the break, and it looked as though Appleton would claim that game, but he hit the 9 ball too softly and it came to rest right in front of the side pocket. With two balls remaining, Klatt had little trouble winning 8-5.

Meeting Klatt in the hot seat match will be Jeremy Jones, who survived a hill-hill bout with Mike “The Fireball” Dechaine in the other winners’ side match. Up 7-6 on Dechaine, Jones missed a 1-7 combo and allowed Dechaine to reach the hill alongside him. Dechaine broke and missed the 1 ball, but Jones then missed a tricky 4-8 combo. It looked to be all Dechaine, but then he surprisingly rattled the 7 ball in the pocket, and Jones dished up to win 8-7.

View the Ultimate 10-Ball Men’s tournament brackets (updated continuously)

View the Ultimate 10-Ball Women’s tournament brackets (updated continuously)

In the match for seventh place, Morris went up against Jeremy Sossei, who leapt out to a strong 5-2 lead. A safety battle over the 3 ball in the next went to Sossei, and then he reached the hill in the following rack. Morris had a chance in the next rack when Sossei missed the 4 ball, and he took that game to move one closer. After exchanging a couple of innings in the last rack, Sossei rattled the 5 ball. The 9 ball was between the cue and the 5 ball, and Morris had to massé around it to make the 5. However, the cue followed the 5 in, and Sossei took that opportunity to clear the table 8-3.

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In the other men’s division match, Charlie Williams went up against Jonathan Pinegar, who held the lead 4-1 until Williams turned it around and made it 7-6 in his favor. It didn’t take too long for Williams to break and run out the final rack to win 8-6.

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Putnam edges into the lead as race heats up

After finishing 13th at last weekend’s Pro Players Championship at Valley Forge, Shawn Putnam has moved into top spot in the 2011 US Mosconi Cup rankings. The 39 year-old from Ohio jumps up from third place following the disqualification of Earl Strickland, who in turn has slumped to third.

After finishing 13th at last weekend’s Pro Players Championship at Valley Forge, Putnam has moved into top spot in the 2011 US Mosconi Cup rankings.

Putnam is just seven points ahead of two-time Mosconi veteran Dennis Hatch, and will be looking to add to his only previous appearance in the event in Las Vegas in ‘05 where he won two matches to help his side to a comfortable 11-6 victory.

It’s tight at the top though, with potential rookie Mike Dechaine just 12 points outside the top three and Corey Deuel and Stevie Moore snapping at his heels. Shane Van Boening is looking ominous at No.7 while Johnny Archer, a nine-time Mosconi winner, has hit the top ten for the first time.

The US Mosconi Cup Ranking consists of 12 events – eight domestic events and four ‘World’ events. Points will be allocated as per the BCA Points List and each event will be weighted depending on total purse, size of field and number of top-ranked players competing.

Only players finishing in the last 32 of each event will be allocated points and at the conclusion, after the 2011 US Open, the top three players will automatically gain entry to the Mosconi Cup side.

The remaining two players will be Matchroom Sport wildcard picks although the ranking will play a part in this.

The next qualifying event is the Ultimate Ten Ball Championship which runs from 21 to 24 April and takes place in Frisco, just north of Dallas, Texas.

The Ranking

1. Shawn Putnam 272

2. Dennis Hatch 265

3. Earl Strickland 257

4. Mike Dechaine 245

5. Corey Deuel 232

6. Stevie Moore 229.50

7. Shane Van Boening 221.50

8. Mike Davis 194.50

9. Gabe Owen 190.50

10. Johnny Archer 176

11. Robb Saez 167

12. Rodney Morris 159.50

13. Hunter Lombardo 158.50

14. Charlie Williams 150.50

15. Max Eberle � Read more ...]]> http://www.cuesandpool.com/billiard-news/putnams-advances-to-lead-mosconi-race.html/feed 0 http://www.cuesandpool.com/billiards/fernandez-earns-first-joss-billiards-victory.html http://www.cuesandpool.com/billiards/fernandez-earns-first-joss-billiards-victory.html#comments Mon, 04 Oct 2010 03:12:20 +0000 Pool and Billiards News http://www.insidepoolmag.com/?p=12882 Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour / Waterville, ME

by Lea Andrews

Dave Fernandez, who has made it to the finals of a Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour event but never to the winner’s circle, chose the tour’s season opener, “The Maine Event IV,” to earn his first title. Fernandez and 36 others gathered at TJ’s Classic Billiards in Waterville, ME, October 2-3 for the $1,500-added event, which was sponsored in part by Jon Lekis, owner of Total Amusements.

Fernandez and 36 others gathered at TJ’s Classic Billiards in Waterville, ME, October 2-3 for the $1,500-added event, which was sponsored in part by Jon Lekis, owner of Total Amusements.

Fernandez took care of Cody Francis 9-4 to reach the hot seat match against fellow past runner-up Ivaylo Petrov, who’d eased past Gareth Steele 9-3. Fernandez managed to notch up the final rack in their hill-hill match, sending Petrov over to the left side 9-8.

On the one-loss side, TJ Laflamme ousted Cleiton Rocha 9-5 and Ashley Nowlan 9-5 to meet up with Francis, who held him to seven games, planting him in fifth. Meanwhile, Jeff Kennedy was making a strong push towards the finals, making his way through Joe Dupuis 9-7 and Colin Maloney 9-7 to face Steele. Kennedy’s 9-5 win put him into the quarterfinals against Francis and put Steele into fifth, and another 9-5 victory put Kennedy one step closer to the finals, but Petrov cut his journey short. Looking not only for another appearance in the finals but also a rematch with Fernandez, Petrov hammered out the win 9-7.

In the first set of the true double-elimination final match, Petrov managed to push ahead, forcing the second set 9-7. At first, it seemed the second set would be a blowout, with Fernandez getting out to a strong 8-2 lead. But Fernandez wasn’t the only one vying for his first-ever win, and Petrov fought his way back, managing to get within one at 8-7. A dry break sealed his fate, though–Fernandez closed out the set with a smooth run-out, clinching the much sought-after title 9-7.

Notably absent at “The Maine Event IV” was Taylor Reynolds, the 12-year-old daughter of room owners Steve and Tammy Reynolds, who last year, at age 11, made history as the youngest person ever to win a match on the Joss Tour. Ms. Reynolds, a multi-faceted athlete, chose to honor her commitment to her basketball team rather than reap the benefits of her home court advantage.

In Sunday’s $500-added second chance non-pro event, 17 players competed for their share of the $840 total purse, the biggest chunk of which went to Joe Dupuis, who went undefeated through the field, ultimately taking down Doug Brown 3-2 in the finals. The next tour stop is October 8-9 at Trick Shot Billiards in Clifton Park, NY. For more information, please visit www.insidepoolmag.com/calendar.

The countdown to December’s Turning Stone Classic XVI has begun and the field is filling fast. Secure your spot by calling tour director Mike Zuglan at 518-356-7163.

Open Event Results:
1st Dave Fernandez $1,100
2nd Ivaylo Petrov $800
3rd Jeff Kennedy $600
4th Cody Francis $400
5th TJ Laflamme $250
Gareth Steele
7th Ashley Nowlan $100
Colin Maloney

Second Chance Results:
1st Joe Dupuis $300
2nd Doug Brown $200
3rd Dave Vezain $150
4th Bob Dennis $100
5th Ernest Porell $45
John MacFarlane