Mike Dechaine came from the one-loss side to defeat tour director Tommy Kennedy in the finals of the Southeast Open 9-Ball Tournament on the weekend of November 7-8. The $1,000-added event drew 15 entrants to Ultimate Billiards in Fort Pierce, FL. A $500-added amateur event drew 17 on Sunday and was won by Anthony Meglino in a 9-0 victory over Prescott Buckwold in the finals. Johnny Aguilar finished third in the amateur event. Matt Holland finished fourth. Dechaine advanced among the winner’s side final eight before heading west on the heels of a victory by Jerry Calderon. Calderon went on to defeat Hunter Lombardo in a hill-hill matchup, before giving way to Kennedy, who’d sent Mike Hutcheson west 7-5, and then gained the hot seat with 7-4 win over Calderon. Dechaine began his six-victory march to the winners’ circle with a win over Mike Bradford and followed it with a win over Randy Epperson, that put him up against Hutcheson. Curtis Kelly, in the meantime, was moving past Sam Staats and Meglino (who played in both events) for the right to square off against Lombardo. Lombardo defeated Kelly 7-4, as Dechaine got by Hutcheson 7-5, and the two met in the quarterfinals. With the races now advanced to nine games, Dechaine dropped Lombardo into fourth place 9-7, earning him a second chance at the man who’d sent him to the one-loss side, Calderon. Dechaine battled to a 9-6 win and turned to face Kennedy. An early 3-0 lead for Dechaine was erased by Kennedy, and the two battled back and forth to an 8-8 tie in the final race to 11. Dechaine won the 17th game and Kennedy broke for the chance to tie it back up. The 1-ball dropped on the break and Kennedy lined up a shot that saw the 2-ball travel three rails and drop in. Unfortunately, the cue ball continued to travel and dropped into a side pocket, giving Dechaine ball-in-hand and the opportunity to run out, which he did, putting him on the hill. A 1-9 combination after the subsequent break sealed the deal for Dechaine.“He played really well,” said Kennedy. “He made some great cuts and a lot of tricky shots to win it.” - by Skip Maloney - AzB Staff - 2009-11-08
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Tommy Kennedy got by Shawn Putnam twice, on his way to a victory on his own Southeast Open 9-Ball tour on the weekend of September 26-27. The $1,500-added Open portion of the event drew 35 entrants to the Southside Billiard Club in Savannah, GA. A $500-added amateur event, won by David Crocker, ran concurrently and drew 29 entrants. Kennedy and Putnam first locked cues among the winners’ side final four. Kennedy sent Putnam over to the battle for fifth place 9-5 to face Mike Staubes in the hot seat match. Staubes had sent J.R. Rossman west 9-7. Kennedy gained the hot seat with a 9-3 win over Staubes and waited for what turned out to be Putnam’s return. Putnam’s move to the one-loss side set him up against Ron Park, who’d gotten by Sam Staats and Ben Sadowski from among the event’s final 12. Rossman faced Jim Rushing, who’d defeated Kevin Caruso and Chad Stokes. Putnam and Rossman advanced to the quarterfinals with identical 9-5 wins over Park and Rushing. Putnam dropped Rossman into fourth place 9-2 and did the same thing to Staubes in the semifinal match that followed. Retribution was in the air, not only in terms of Putnam’s second shot at Kennedy in this tournament, but in light of the fact, as well, that in their last few meetings, including the US Open last year, Putnam had been the victor. The two battled back and forth through the opening games, with Putnam (according to Kennedy) making some ‘ridiculous’ kick shots and successfully utilizing his jump cue. Tied at 6-6, Kennedy edged out in front by two racks, and then added two more, to Putnam’s one, to reach the hill at 10-7. Kennedy watched as a ball in the eighteenth rack drifted a little further than he’d expected, and he was hooked. With ball in hand, Putnam finished the rack and then on the subsequent break, dropped the 9-ball. At 10-9, the two struggled back and forth over the first two balls before Kennedy hooked Putnam on a shot at the 3-ball. Putnam missed and with ball in hand, Kennedy ran the table to finish it. Crocker picked up the $460 first place prize in the amateur event with a hill-hill, 7-6 finals victory over Billy Holmes. Holmes took home $300 for second place. John Hill finished in third place ($200) and Larry Lee finished fourth ($150). - by Skip Maloney - AzB Staff - 2009-9-29
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