Final 8 Standing in Cole Muffler Tournament

Final 8 Standing in Cole Muffler Tournament By Skip Maloney, InsidePOOL StaffAll things considered, the opening day of the first annual Cole Muffler Open 9-Ball Tournament at Michelle’s Billiard Café in Syracuse, NY went rather smoothly. The $5,000-added event was forced to contend with what the venue’s owners and regular patrons might have called a dusting of snow but the rest of us would think of as a major storm. By the time the first cue ball cracked into a rack at about 12:30 p.m. in the afternoon, it had already been snowing for two days and the Tri-County Mall parking lot featured a ton of snow and gusting winds that dropped the wind chill factor into single digits.
“We’re surprised that we got as many as we did,” said Café employee Joe Fabbio, among the 47 entrants competing for the $8,000 in prize money.While the weather created something of an event replete with local talent, including house pro Richie Difulio and Café owners Michelle and Ed Allen, it did attract a contingent of brave travelers from places like Maryland, Chicago, and Canada.The double-elimination, race-to-9 format kept the action going throughout the afternoon and well into the evening. Saturday’s last match between Jim Forsythe and Steve Countryman finished up just after 11 p.m. and was typical of the event’s tight matches. Forsythe and Countryman played a 17th and deciding game, just one of many.On Sunday, the 8-member one-loss bracket was up first, breaking racks at around noon. House pro and local favorite Rich DiTulio defeated Jim Forsythe from Gouverneur, NY, in a match that was dead even through the first 12 games of the race to 9. Forsythe scratched on the 4 ball in Game 13, opening the table for the go-ahead win by DiTulio. In the pivotal Game 14, which would either see the match tied or Forsythe facing elimination, DiTulio failed to make a ball on the break but left Forsythe no shot on the 1. Twice both players stepped to the table, searching in vain for a clean look at the game’s first ball. on his third attempt, Forsythe kicked the 1 out onto the open table. DiTulio pounced on it and the rest of the table as well. Forsythe was going to have to win three in a row.This time, though, when DiTulio again failed to make a ball on the break, Forsythe got a clean look at the 1 and a decent look at a 2-9 combination that ended the game quickly. For Forysthe, it was one down, two to go. But Forsythe failed to make a ball on the break, and when the dust settled, the 1 ball sat patiently on the edge of a corner pocket for DiTulio’s opening shot. He made it, sunk the 2 and stared down a long rail where the 9 ball stood between the 3 ball and the corner pocket. The angle was easy, the shot was clean, and DiTulio moved on.Ryan McCreesh of Frederick, MD defeated Jason Brown of Bridgeport, CT for his slot in the final eight. It was Toronto’s Harry Chaggaris over Frederick, MD’s Mike Davis and Bob Chaperon from Sudbury, ontario defeating countryman Cliff Thorburn, which completed the one-loss bracket matches.From yesterday’s winners’ bracket, Larry Nevel of Madison, WI, stood ready to take on Bridgeport, CT’s Robb Saez. Tom D’Alfonso from Douglas, MA, was matched up with Binghamton, NY’s Seth DelVillano. DiTulio drew Ryan McCreesh and Bob Chaperon will be facing Harry Chaggaris to round out the quarterfinal match-ups, which are currently underway.Visit InsidePOOL for the latest in the sport of billiards and pool.

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