The largest field in 15 years saw 122 players attending the annual Metro Pool League 2-point tournament at Doolys Portland to vie for the title and the coveted spot to the national 8-ball championships being held later this year. Defending champion Nok Mantolino picked up where he left off last year and pushed aside his opponents in marching to the 'A' side final. There he would meet Kyle Richard, who was determined to follow up last year's league MVP performance with a 2-point title. He would be disappointed, though, as Nok dispatched him to the 'B' side final against Jeff Saulnier, another top up-and-comer who had battled back through the one-loss bracket looking for his own chance at tournament glory. The semi-final match was close but Saulnier managed to relegate Richard to a very respectable third place finish on route to booking his own place in the final. The penultimate match saw the reigning champ fall behind as Saulnier got to the hill first, but Mantolino's experience and no-quit attitude saw him take advantage of the upstart's mistakes in the last two games and pull away a winner once again. Kudos to all the players who attended to make this such a memorable event for all. Thanks to Tracey Goodyear and her staff for hosting the event. The club is in tip-top shape after recent renovations, including new cloth, balls and lighting for all 20 tables, making it the premiere venue for large events in the metro area. Thanks also to our league sponsor Denis Boudreau at The Billiard Shop for providing door prizes for the players.
