It was a busy weekend, for Ron Casanzio in particular. The 15-year Joss Tour and Turning Stone veteran joined a crowd of players on the Western New York Tour on the weekend of July 9-10, at a renovated Diamond Billiards in Rochester, NY and beat them all. He went undefeated through a field of 22 in a big table 9-ball event on Saturday, and then, through a field of 34 in a bar table 8-ball tournament on Sunday.
Though Jeff Bradshaw would come within a match of being Casanzio's opponent in both finals, it was Corey Welfare in 9-ball, and Bradshaw in 8-ball. Casanzio was awarded Master of the Table honors by tour director Nick Brucato, which, in addition to the $1,325 in cash for winning both events, earned Casanzio a Molinari by Predator Cues prize package. The top three finishers in the 9-ball event also earned a prize package from Kamui tips.
The weekend commenced with a warm-up, bar table 8-ball tournament on Friday night, which drew only six entrants. Three matches won it for tour director Nick Brucato.
They played the big table 9-ball event on Saturday. Casanzio advanced to the hot seat match, after defeating Nick Cappola 9-2. Corey Welfare joined him after sending Bradshaw to the loss side 9-4. Casanzio claimed his first hot seat of the weekend with a 9-4 win over Welfare and waited on his return.
On the loss side, Bradshaw picked up John Purdy, recent winner over Jeff Van Buren 9-5 and Chad Strong 9-6. Cappola drew John Reed, who'd eliminated Dave Giner 9-3 and Jamie Garrett 9-2. Bradshaw and Reed advanced to the quarterfinals, both 9-2, over Purdy and Cappola. Bradshaw took the quarterfinal match 9-5 over Reed, but was denied a shot at Casanzio in the finals with a 9-4 win by Welfare in the semifinals. Casanzio opted out of a second set in the true double elimination final by winning the first one 9-3 over Welfare to claim the 9-ball title.
In the bar table 8-ball event on Sunday, Casanzio and Bradshaw met twice; once in the hot seat and again, in the finals. Casanzio sent Luis Recio to the loss side 5-3 in one winners' side semifinal, as Bradshaw was busy surviving a double hill battle versus Alex Alavardo in the other one. Casanzio claimed his second hot seat 5-3 over Bradshaw and waited for him to get back.
Recio moved to the loss side and picked up Chad Strong, who'd finished in the tie for 9/12 in the 9-ball event and was moving toward finishing a step closer in the 8-ball event. He'd defeated Frank Rodriguez 5-3 and survived a double hill fight versus TD Nick Brucato to face Recio. Alavardo drew John Reed (4th in the 9-ball event), who'd defeated 9-ball runner-up Corey Welfare and shut out Western New York Tour vet Mark Creamer to reach him.
Reed and Recio advanced; Reed, 5-2 over Alavardo and Recio, double hill, over Strong. Reed took fourth place a second time, falling to Recio, double hill, in the quarterfinals. Bradshaw and Recio went double hill, as well, in the semifinals, with Bradshaw advancing for a second shot at Cosanzio in the hot seat. Casanzio claimed his second title with a 5-3 victory over Bradshaw in the finals.
Tour director Nick Brucato thanked Fran and Jeremiah Imburgia, owners of Diamond Billiards, for hosting the event in their newly-renovated (kitchen, all Diamond tables) facility. He also thanked sponsors Molinari Powered by Predator Cues, Kamui Tips, Ozone Billiards, Tetzlaff Billiards and BreakRack.
