Frank Sieczka and Joe Romeo
Four years ago, Frank Sieczka chalked up his first victory on the Tri-State Tour. The following year, he added two more tour victories. And then, as far as the winners’ circle went. . .crickets. He was runner-up in two events last year, and in March of this year, he placed fifth in an event won by Joe Romeo. On Saturday, July 21, Sieczka worked his way back into a Tri-State victory, going undefeated, though challenged at the end by Romeo, who’d been sent to the loss side in the opening round and won eight in a row to get into the finals. The $1,000-added 8-Ball event drew 28 entrants to Clifton Billiards in Clifton, NJ.
With Romeo toiling away on the loss side, Sieczka advanced to meet Greg Partlow in a winners’ side semifinal. Joseph Bossert faced Jake Kislowski in the other winners’ side semifinal. Sieczka downed Partlow 5-2 and in the hot seat match, faced Bossert, who’d sent Kislowski west in a double hill battle. Sieczka then defeated Bossert 5-3 and sat in the hot seat, awaiting the return of Romeo. . .
. . . who was busy. With three down, he picked up a forfeit win over Shane Soto and defeated Mac Jankov 5-2 to pick up Kislowski. Partlow drew Roberto Hung Ho, who’d eliminated Christian Long 6-1 and Qian Chen 6-3 to reach him.
Hung Ho defeated Partlow 6-3, while Romeo was sending Kislowski to the (figurative) showers 5-1. Romeo and Hung Ho locked up in a double hill, quarterfinal fight, eventually won by Romeo, who proceeded to deny Bossert a second chance at Sieczka by defeating him 6-4 in the semifinals.
Sieczka and Romeo had not met in the event this past March, when Romeo advanced to the hot seat and Sieczka advanced through the loss side only as far as the 5th/6th slot. Showing no signs of hot seat ‘rust,’ Sieczka took the final 6-2 to claim his first Tri-State title in three years.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Clifton Billiards, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics, Pool & Billiards, Professor Q Ball, Bender Cues and DIGICUE OB. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for Saturday, July 28, will be hosted by Shooter’s Family Billiards in Wayne, NJ.
