Mike Zuglan, Martin Daigle, Mike Dechaine, Jayson Shaw, Regina and Steve Goulding
Mike Dechaine won two out of three matches over Jayson Shaw, to defend his title at the 25th Annual Ocean State 9-Ball Championship.
Dechaine topped a field of 67 players at Snookers Sports Bar & Grill in Providence, RI. He took the hot-seat with a one sided 9-4 win over Jayson Shaw on Sunday.
Shaw's tournament looked to be over in the next match as he watched from the chair as Canada's Martin Daigle made the 9-ball on the break at hill-hill. To Shaw's surprise, the cue ball also found the hole on that break shot and he had a reprieve. Shaw won that game for the 9-8 win over Daigle, and another shot at Dechaine in the finals.
While Dechaine, housepro at Snookers, certainly felt comfortable in his home pool room, Shaw took late control of the first set of the finals and won the match 9-5 to force a second match to determine a final winner.
The second set of the finals was highlighted (?) by a handful of uncharacteristic errors and misses by both players as the length of the event had left them both visibly tired. Dechaine would be the first player to break through the daze and take control of the match, which he won 9-6.
After back to back runner up finishes in 2010 and 2011, Dechaine has now won back to back Ocean State 9-Ball Championships and will see a second banner raised in the rafters of Snookers to commemorate his play. Dechaine joins Mike Zuglan, Mika Immonen, Tony Robles, George San Souci and Dennis Hatch and multiple time Ocean State Championship winners.
The win brings Dechaine to second place on the Joss Tour Points list, within striking distance of point leader Ron Casanzio.
The Joss NE 9-Ball Tour will be at Raxx Pool Room in W. Hempstead NY next weekend for another $1500/$500 added tournament and second chance event on Sunday. After the Raxx tour stop, the tour will take a break until February.
Joss Tour director Mike Zuglan will start taking signups for the Turning Stone Classic XXII (taking place Sept 18th - 21st) in early January. As always, players are encouraged to sign up for this event early.
