Turning Stone Classic IX Off to a Good Start

Turning Stone Classic IX Off to a Good Start
by InsidePOOL Staff
The biannual Turning Stone Classic IX, boasting a $25,000-added prize purse, kicked off at 4 p.m. Thursday at the Turning Stone Casino in Verona, NY. The players are through the first round, with few upsets but what looks to be some good match-ups set up for Friday’s play.
Austria’s golden girl, Jasmin Ouschan, who was the EnjoyPool.com 9-Ball Championship winner in 2006, bested her opponent, Jay Hivachek, 9-2 in the first round. Friday Ouschan will meet Louis Ulrich, who defeated Al McGuane Thursday 9-7. Ulrich used to be a tough contender in the San Diego scene before he moved to Atlanta to dominate there.
Allen Hopkins eked out a double-hill win over reigning Reno Open champ Richie “The Alaskan Assassin” but will have to face off against England’s Tony Crosby in the next round. Crosby advanced by virtue of a 9-3 win over Sal Bevilacqua.
World champion Ronnie Alcano swept through the first round without a scratch, defeating Tony Ruberto 9-5. He will be forced to meet fellow countryman Ignacio Chavez, another San Diegoan, Friday. Chavez scored a 9-5 victory over Chris Lynch in the first round.
Two strong Northeast contenders will meet Friday when Matt Krah and Carmen Lombardo get together. Krah bested Jonathan Smith 9-5 in the first round, while Lombardo dealt Dave Peacock a 9-5 loss.
One of Friday’s biggest matches will take place between former world champion Mika Immonen and Dennis “The Hatchetman” Hatch, who won the Viking Cue National Championship in late 2006 and the Gabriels Pro Championship in early 2006. The Finn squeaked by Mike Wallace in the first round 9-8, while Hatch dominated Randy Labonte 9-5.
Another all-Filipino match-up will go off Friday between Al Lapena and EnjoyPool.com 9-Ball Championship winner Dennis Orcollo. Lapena made short work of his first opponent, Ron Casanzio, 9-1, while Lapena dusted Frank Harris 9-2 in the first round.
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