Soriano soars in Round Two pool

Veteran cue artist Jerry Soriano resumed his mastery over the island’s billiards crowd in his return to Round Two Bar and Grill last Thursday.

The Saipan Ice and Water Co. employee went unscathed in his first three trips to the pool table, but was upset by eventual runner-up Joe Shaffer in Game 1 of the finals.

Soriano, however, regrouped in Game 2, displaying his entire arsenal of billiards shots to finish what he started in the Garapan sports bar’s Thursday 8-Ball Invitational Tournament.

Soriano first locked horns with fellow pool shark Senen Pangilinan and the used-to-be mustachioed one outplayed the lanky Pangilinan and moved on to second round.

Gary Chisato stood between him and a berth in the winners’ bracket finals, but Soriano didn’t have much trouble dismissing Chisato, which allowed him to challenge Ike Guerrero.

Guerrero also couldn’t prevent Soriano’s advance, as the Corner Pocket habitué imposed his game on the crafty vet, securing himself the coveted first finals ticket and not to mention twice-to-beat advantage in the championship.

Soriano earned $50 for the win, while second place Shaffer and Guerrero took home $30 and $20, respectively.

Other billiards players that participated in the tournament were Ronald Chisato, Ricky Vertudez, and Tony Mullerman.

Entry fee for the invitational billiards tournament is $10 and the 16 slots up for grabs would come in a first-come, first-serve basis.

For more information on the 8-Ball Invitational Tournament, call Round Two at 234-6930.

Last Friday, July 1, meanwhile saw Vincent Quitugua completed an amazing comeback in the 8-Ball Amateur Tournament over at Top Pool Bar.

Quitugua defeated winners’ bracket topnotcher Jun Quitugua twice in the finals to cap a Phoenix-like resurrection following a loss to Reiner Lazaro in the third round.

After opening with successive wins against Ronald Chisato and Dirk Camacho, Quitugua was relegated to losers’ bracket play by Lazaro.

With his back against the wall, Quitugua strung together three straight victories including a payback win over Lazaro in the finale of losers’ bracket play to advance to the championship, where he shocked his namesake for the title.

Quitugua bagged $50 for the win, while runners-up Jun Quitugua and Lazaro settled for gift certificates from Top Pool Bar manager Zheng Jian Qing.

Other up-and-coming pool players that graced the competition were Floyd Tudela, Mark Carlos, Jon Teregeyo, Lawrence Luna, Gentry Williams, Jerald Repeki, Carter Calma, Leonard Pangelinan, B.J. Salmon, and Roman Torres.

For more information on Top Pool Bar’s 8-Ball Amateur Tournament and the watering hole’s planned 9-ball open competition, call 233-6999 and look for Zheng. He can also be reached on his mobile phone at 287-7676.