Takenaka Fights to First at Planet Pool Stop

Tori Hilty

Storming through the o­ne-loss side after a first-round defeat, Hiroshi Takenaka took first place at The Playing Field in Richmond, VA, besting 64 other players that showed for the Planet Pool 9-Ball event.  Takenaka battled through 12 matches, defeating the likes of Don Steele, Sam Monday, and Ryan McCreesh to take first place after being sent to the o­ne-loss side in the first round o­n July 31, 2004, by Keith McCready.

In town for next week's International Challenge of Champions, Takenaka avenged his earlier loss to McCreesh by defeating him 7-3.  This was another commanding win for Takenaka, who had been slicing down his opponents with similar scores since arriving o­n the o­ne-loss side.  Local player "Shorty" Davis was the o­nly o­ne who came close to Takenaka, getting 5 o­n the board before Takenaka reached 7 for the win.

Larry Kressel and Rodney Strickland were the last two remaining o­n the winners' side and battled it out to see who would move o­nto the final match.  Taking command of the match, Kressel defeated Strickland 9-4.

Strickland went to the semifinals to face off against Takenaka, where he was quickly defeated 7-2 by the Japan native.

The final match was true double-elimination format, putting the pressure o­n Takenaka to defeat his opponent twice.  With Kressel close behind, Takenaka finished off the first set 9-7.  The second set was even closer, going hill-hill, before Takenaka pulled ahead to win 9-8.

Results:

1st Hiroshi Takenaka $1,100

2nd Larry Kressel $750

3rd Rodney Strickland $500

4th Ryan McCreesh $320

5th "Shorty" Davis, Chester Taylor $220

7th Damian Stanley, Keith McCready $140

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