Matthew Rezendes returned from a double hill loss in the hot seat match of Stop # 9 on the New England 9-Ball Series to double dip Rick Gatta in the finals and claim the title. The $1,500-added event, held on Saturday, December 3, drew 34 entrants to Stix and Stones in Abington, MA.
Rezendes advanced through the field to challenge Andrew Tankerly in one winners' side semifinal, while Gatta faced Al McGuane in the other. Rezendes sent Tankerly to the loss side 5-2, setting up his first battle against Gatta, who, in a straight-up race to 6, had defeated McGuane 6-4. Gatta, a B player, racing to 7, downed Rezendes (C+, racing to 5), double hill (7-4) and waited in the hot seat for his return from the semifinals.
On the loss side, Tankerly picked up the only D+ player left in the field, Ed Murray, who'd defeated Lida Mullendore 3-4 (Mullendore, a C+, racing to 6), and shut out another C+ player, Brian Greene. McGuane drew Mike Pettit, who'd eliminated Dan Silva 6-1, and Dennis Leveque, the last A- player left, 6-4 (Leveque racing to 7). Tankerly and Murray battled to double hill, before Tankerly won the deciding match to advance to the quarterfinals. McGuane joined him after a 5-4 victory over Pettit (Pettit racing to 6).
In those quarterfinals, Tankerly, racing to 4, gave up only a single rack to McGuane, racing to 7, and advanced to a re-match against Rezendes in the semifinals. Tankerly put up a double hill fight, but Rezendes won it, advancing to his own re-match against Gatta in the finals.
Rezendes took the opening set of the true double elimination final 5-3 (Gatta, the B player, racing to 7). Now, each with a single loss on their match record, they squared off for a second, deciding set. This one went double hill (5-6), allowing Rezendes to claim the event title.
Tour director Marc Dionne thanked the ownership and staff at Stix and Stones, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Molinari, Bert Kinister, AzBilliards, Inside English, Professor Q-ball’s National Pool and 3 Cushion News, Delta 13 Racks, Bob Campbell, Championship Cloth, and OTLVISE Billiard Mechanics of America. The next stop on the New England 9-Ball Series, a partners 9-ball event, scheduled for Saturday, December 11, will be hosted by Crow's Nest in Plaistow, NH.
