Kim Meyer-Gabia, Mike Zimny and Annie Flores
One way or another, Mike Zimny knew he'd be facing a female in the finals of the Tri-State Tour stop on May 6. He'd gotten into the hot seat with a victory over one of them - Kim Meyer-Gabia - and had watched the other, Annie Flores, work her way through the loss side to face Meyer-Gabia in the semifinals. As it turned out, Zimny and Flores opted out of a final match, declaring Zimny the undefeated winner in the $500-added, A-D handicapped event which had drawn 30 entrants to Castle Billiards in East Rutherford, NJ.
Zimny had already survived a double hill match when he moved among the winners' side final four to face Ed Culhane. Meyer-Gabia, in the meantime, squared off against Mike Aro. Zimny advanced easily to the hot seat match with a 7-1 victory over Culhane, while Meyer-Gabia sent Aro west 6-5. Zimny played his last match, getting into the hot seat with a double hill victory over Meyer-Gabia.
Flores, in the meantime, began her five-match, loss-side trek to the finals with a 7-1 victory over Paul Raval, and a 7-2 win over Tri V. Chau, which set her up to face Culhane. Aro drew Pat Mareno, who'd defeated Ted Lapadula and Mike Rodriguez, both double hill. Flores moved into the quarterfinals with a shutout over Culhane, and was met by Mareno, who'd downed Aro, double hill. Flores' 8-5 victory over Mareno in the quarterfinals, set up a semifinal match between the two, top-ranked females on the 2011/12 Tri-State Tour.
Meyer-Gabia took an early 3-0 lead in the semifinal match, but Flores came back to eventually knot things at double hill, before prevailing for the opportunity to face Zimny in the finals. It was the best finish for both women on this season's Tri-State Tour. Zimny and Flores opted out of the match finals, and split the top two prizes, leaving the undefeated Zimny as the declared winner.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff of Castle Billiards for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Sterling-Gaming, Ozone Billiards, Ron Tarr Cues, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, and Human Kinetics.
