Emily Duddy and Dennis Kennedy
He battled all day. Dennis Kennedy played eight matches during the Tri-State Tour stop on Sunday, February 19, chalking up an aggregate score of 51-42; a 55% winning percentage that reflected a lot of close contests. With one exception, his opponents were never more than a rack or two behind him. Two of his final three matches went double hill, against Emily Duddy, and though she won the first to gain the hot seat, Kennedy came back from the semifinals to win the second and record his first victory on the Tri-State Tour. The $1,000-added, A-D handicapped event drew 35 entrants to BQE Billiards in Jackson Heights, NY.
Following wins over Franklin Mangiove and Pat Mareno, both 6-4, Kennedy won two straight double hill matches, against Glenn Ramsey and Inna Bediner, to move among the winners' side final four. He won a third straight double hill match, against Alex Osipov, which set him up to face Duddy in the battle for the hot seat. Duddy sent Ed Hugh west 7-3 and then handed Kennedy what proved to be his only defeat of the day.
On the loss-side, Osipov met Kim Meyer-Gabia who'd downed Ben Castaneros and Quin Y. Chin, both 6-5. Two 'Ed's squared off in the other match to determine 5th/6th place; Ed Hugh, fresh off the winners' side final four, and Ed Culhane, who'd defeated Charles Vergara (son of Mhet) 7-5, and Richard Ng (one of Duddy's earlier casualties) 7-6. Culhane eliminated Hugh 7-5, as Osipov dominated his match versus Meyer-Gabia 6-1.
Osipov earned a re-match versus Kennedy with a double hill victory over Culhane in the quarterfinals. Kennedy, though, gave up only two racks against Osipov in the semifinals; the largest margin of victory Kennedy had recorded all day. Kennedy turned for a second crack at Duddy.
Kennedy opened up the extended-race-to-9 with two straight racks, but Duddy came right back to tie it with two of her own. At the end of rack # 7, Kennedy was ahead by only one, but he quickly made it 8-3, with four straight, and was on the hill. Then, it was Duddy's turn. She chalked up five straight to level things at double hill, before Kennedy won the deciding rack to complete his first Tri-State victory.
Brian Jeziorski pocketed more money than Kennedy at this event, by stepping to the table in a 'break and run' contest, and running the table. The feat earned him $700. Next stop on the Tri-State Tour is a $1,000-added, A-D handicapped event, set for Sunday, February 26 at the Cue Bar in Bayside, NY.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff of BQE Billiards for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Sterling-Gaming, Ozone Billiards, Ron Tarr Cues, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, and Human Kinetics.
