Zachary Almonte and Hunter Sullivan
Coming into last Saturday’s (Aug. 17) stop on the Predator Tri-State Tour, Hunter Sullivan’s wins on the Predator Tri-State and the Garden State Pool Tours over the past five years were tied at two apiece (his May win on the Garden State Tour was an ‘upper bracket’ win). He came from the loss side on Saturday to win the ‘rubber’ event on the Predator Tri-State Tour. The win this past weekend marked the first time that he’d won an event on both tours in the same year. The $500-added event drew 44 entrants to Diamond Jim’s Billiards and Pub in Nanuet, NY
The event featured a number of rounds of double elimination before four competitors from the winners’ side of that bracket combined with eight from the loss side to advance to single-elimination. Sullivan came from the loss side, having lost his opening match and won four on the loss side to qualify for single-elimination.
The eight loss-side competitors battled to be among the four who advanced to meet the four winners’ side competitors in the second round of single elimination. Sullivan’s single-elimination journey was almost derailed in that opening round, as he faced a double-hill challenge from Nilson Perez. He survived that battle and advanced to face Aidan Wagner in the event’s quarterfinals.
Joining Sullivan among the advancing loss-side competitors were Eric Lopez, who’d defeated Pachon Valladares 7-5 to draw Eduardo Agulay, Bob Toomey, who’d eliminated Derek Burt 7-4 to pick up Zachary Almonte, and Marc Lamberti, who’d ousted Vicky Moore 6-3 to face Brooke Villa.
Sullivan and Lopez moved into the semifinals with 7-5 wins over Wagner and Agulay, respectively. From the lower end of the single-elimination bracket it was Almonte and Villa who advanced to the semifinals; Almonte defeating Toomey 6-2, Villa downing Lamberti 6-4.
Sullivan and Lopez came within a game of a double-hill battle for advancement to the finals, with Sullivan prevailing 7-5. Almonte gave up just a single rack to Villa and advanced 6-1 to join Sullivan for the final.
Sullivan and Almonte engaged in only the second, double-hill match of the single-elimination phase. Sullivan won it to claim the event title.
Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Diamond Jim’s for their hospitality, as well as title sponsor Predator Cues, Romer’s Trophies, Phil Capelle, and Sterling/Gaming. The next stop on the Predator Tri-State Tour, scheduled for Sat., September 7, will be hosted by Shooter’s Family Billiards in Wayne, NJ.
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