Ernest Porell fell victim to a low handicap in a battle among the winners' side final four and missed a chance to face Corey Tapley for the hot seat. He chalked up three on the loss side and faced him in a true double elimination final, winning the opening set. Tapley, though, came back to win the second set and won the Sunday, May 6 stop on the Lucasi Hybrid New England 9-Ball Tour, which had drawn 21 entrants to Buster's Billiards in Somersworth, NH.
As Tapley was busy sending Steve Therrien west 6-2 in the winners' side semifinals, Porell was wrapped up in a handicap battle versus Sina Brown, who needed to win only three games to his eight. Brown got the three necessary, advancing to the hot seat match. Tapley, needing eight games, as well, defeated Brown, double hill (8-2) and sat in the hot seat, waiting for Porell.
Porell moved over to pick up Dan Simoneau, who'd defeated Stan Rupard 7-5 and Laddie Mills, double hill, to reach him. Therrien drew Terry McDermott, who, with a handicap advantage, had gotten by Gary Columbie and Gil Stadig in two, identical 3-5, double hill victories. Porell advanced to the quarterfinals 6-2 over Simoneau, while McDermott chalked up his third straight double hill win - 3-7 over Therrien - and joined him.
The quarterfinal proved to be McDermott's fourth straight (and last) double hill battle. Porell prevailed 8-2 and turned to his re-match against Brown in the semifinals. He allowed Brown only a single rack in those semifinals for a chance against Tapley.
In the straight-up, race-to-7, double elimination final, Porell took the opening set 7-3. They battled to double hill in the second set, before Tapley prevailed to claim the event title.
