Grzegorz Kasica, Adam Kosmin and Mike Strassberg
You have to wonder what a hot seat occupant is thinking when his finals opponent chalks up six racks at the outset of the final match. You also have to wonder what that challenger is thinking as the hot seat occupant proceeds to win nine of the next 10 games to win the match and the event.
"Pool's a funny sort of game," would be an appropriate thought for both of them.
The hot seat occupant under consideration during the March 19 stop on the Tri-State Tour was Adam Kosmin. His challenger in both the hot seat match and finals was Grzegorz Kasica. Kosmin came back from his six-game deficit in the finals to defeat Kasica and win the $1,000-added event that drew 15 entrants to Clifton Billiards in Clifton, NJ.
Following wins over Max Watanabe (double hill), and Luis Jimenez 7- 4, Kosmin faced Sean Emmitt in a winners' side semifinal. Kasica squared off against Frankie Scanlon. Kosmin downed Emmitt 7-3, while Kasica defeated Scanlon 6-4. Kosmin claimed his first of two against Kasica 9-5 and waited for his hair-raising return.
On the loss side, Emmitt picked up Kevin Scalzitti, who'd gotten by Luis Jimenez (by forfeit) and defeated Max Watanabe 7-5 to reach him. Scanlon drew Mike Strassberg, who'd been defeated by Kasica in a winners' side quarterfinal, and won four straight to face him a second time. Strassberg had defeated Dennis Quinn 6-2, and Frank Sieczka, double hill to draw Scanlon.
Emmitt downed Scalzitti 7-4, and in the quarterfinals, faced Strassberg, who'd eliminated Scanlon 6-4. Strassberg survived a double hill fight versus Emmitt for a second shot against Kasica. Kasica, though, working on a major momentum shift, ended Strassberg's loss-side streak with a 6-2 semifinal win.
The opening paragraph scenario ensued, with Kasica chalking up the first six racks of what would be a 16-rack final. Kosmin answered Kasica's six with five of his own to pull within one at 6-5. Kasica chalked up his seventh, and what proved to be his final rack, before Kosmin came back with four more to win it.
Tour representatives thanked the management and staff at Clifton Billiards, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Kamui Tips, Ron Vitello, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics, and Bloodworth Ball Cleaners. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for Sunday, April 3, will be hosted by Steinway Billiards in Astoria (Queens), NY.
