The Joss NE 9-Ball Tour kicked off their 19th season the same way they have kicked off their last four seasons; with a "Maine Event" stop at TJ's Classic Billiards in Waterville, Maine. And just like the last four years, Mike Dechaine was crowned the event winner.
This year's event, "The Maine Event IX", saw a field of fifty seven players in the main event. Dechaine and last season's point winner Jeremy Sossei were the players to beat all weekend as they navigated their halves of the bracket to meet up for the hot-seat. That match would be close, but would eventually go to Dechaine 9-7.
The two players would find themselves meeting again in the finals, after Sossei eliminated Kyle Pepin 9-4 in the semi-final match.
The final match would go one set. Sossei took the hill first at 8-7, but Dechaine quickly joined him at 8-8 and then won the case game for the hill-hill win.
The second chance tournament, on Sunday, drew twenty six players back to compete for their share of over $1000 in prize money. Ross Webster would lose the hot-seat to Dan Couture 3-1, but would come back to defeat Jamie Garrett in the semi-finals, and then double dip Couture 3-0 and 3-1 in the finals.
In addition to his seventh place finish, Colin Maloney was also the lucky winner of the $1700 Joss Custom Cue.
The Joss NE 9-Ball Tour will be at Salt City Billiards next weekend for another $1500/$500 added weekend.
January's Turning Stone Classic XXV is filling fast. This event will be the first Mosconi Cup points event of 2016 and players looking to get an early jump on those Mosconi Cup points are urged to contact Mike Zuglan as soon as possible at 518-356-7163 to get their name on the players list.
