They met twice; once, in a winners' side semifinal and again, in the finals of the $1,000-added February 16 stop on the Tri-State Tour. Vinny Ferri had the last word, winning three on the loss side to meet and defeat Jerry Ritzer in the finals of the event that drew 26 entrants to Rockaway Billiards in Rockaway, NJ.
As Ferri and Ritzer were battling it out in one winners' side semifinal, Eric Hill and Greg Ackerman met in the other. Ritzer sent Ferri over 6-4, as Ackerman was busy surviving a double hill fight against Hill. Ritzer then moved into the hot seat with a 7-4 victory over Ackerman and waited for Ferri to come back.
Ferri opened his three-match march back to the finals against Tony Ignomirello, who'd just defeated Ada Lio 7-2 and Allison Honeymar 7-5. Hill picked up Paul Spaanstra, who'd eliminated Tri Chau 7-3 and Roger Hanos, double hill. Hill engaged Spaanstra in his second straight, double hill match and came out on top, advancing to the quarterfinals against Ferri, who'd downed Ignomirello 6-3.
Ferri won two 7-4 matches in a row, defeating Hill in the quarterfinals and Ackerman in the semifinals, for a second shot at Ritzer in the hot seat. Ritzer, making his first appearance on the Tri-State Tour since 1997, took the opening rack of the extended-race-to-9 finals. Ferri took the next two, before Ritzer knotted things at two apiece. Ferri came back with three in a row, the last of which was won when Ritzer left the 9-ball hanging in a pocket. Ferri maintained the lead, reaching the extension at 7 racks, and winning two more to win 9-4 and claim the event title.
Tour representatives thanked the ownerships and staff at Rockaway Billiards, as well as sponsors Sterling-Gaming, Ozone Billiards, Qpod, Cues, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, and Human Kinetics. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for February 22, will be hosted by The Cue Bar in Bayside, NY.
