Mendez Caroms Home CNY Win

By Bill Rosenberger
 
The CNY 9-Ball Tour hit Baldwinsville, NY, o­n March 12-13, with 45 players filling the mounted dry erase board at Michelle's Billiard Café.  The owners have a bracket mounted o­n the wall, so tournament results can be displayed all week long, and Jose Mendez will proudly have his names displayed as the weekend's winner.

With o­nly o­ne event remaining, many of the points leaders were in attendance, including the top three in Gary Empey, Bruce Carroll, and Mendez.  While Empey went into the event with a sizable lead, Carroll and Mendez could close in with good finishes. Empey had to settle for ninth place, and Carroll was ousted by John Ferrara to finish in fourth, but Mendez roared through undefeated to reach the hot seat match against Dicky Cappotto.    

Because Mendez is a triple-A player, he had to win eight games, but Cappotto, who is o­ne class lower, o­nly had to win seven.  The match was never in doubt, as Mendez sparked a late rally to win 8-5.

In the semifinals, Cappotto faced his good friend John Ferrara, who also regularly plays at Cappotto's poolroom.  The two players know each other's playing styles as well, and it wasn't long before the match reached hill-hill.  In the last game, though, Cappotto came out o­n top to advance to the finals.

Just as in the hot seat match, Mendez had to reach eight, while Cappotto o­nly had to go to seven to win.  They battled back and forth early o­n, but Mendez reached the hill first.  In the twelfth rack, he snapped in the 9 to take a 7-5 lead, but Cappotto bounced right back with a break-and-run to also reach the hill. In the decisive game, the two players traded safes, but Mendez was able to go o­n a small run late in the rack, and he played a 6-9 carom to capture the victory. 

Results:
1st Jose Mendez $950
2nd Dicky Cappotto $640
3rd John Ferrara $450
4th Bruce Carroll $315
5th Dave Dridell, Victor Conti $245
7th Dave Grau, Kevin Deland $170
9th Gary Empey, Danny Sabatino, Jim McMahan, Damon Sobers $40

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