Dan Harris, Travel Team Coordinator
The PebbleCreek Billiards Club (PCBC) and CantaMia (CM) Billiards Club staged two action-packed days of high-level 8-ball in a dual-location, dual-week format. Four CM players traveled to PebbleCreek on Sept. 11 for a morning session; four PCBC players returned the visit to CantaMia on Sept. 18 for an afternoon session. When it was all over, CantaMia prevailed 4 matches to 1 and 58 games to 38.
CM was seeking revenge after PCBC’s victory last month that spoiled the debut of CM’s new 8-foot Rasson tables with tournament-tight 4½-inch pockets. They brought their biggest weapon: Stan Elliott, winner of CM’s in-house 8-ball tournament for four of the past five years and a player who had not faced PCBC since July 2025. Elliott dominated at both venues and proved pivotal to CM’s victory in this friendly but tightly contested rivalry.
September 11 Morning Session at PebbleCreek (CM won both matches and the game count 34-18)
First Match: Round-Robin (32 games)
After players observed a moment of silence marking the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, each PCBC player faced every CM opponent twice. CantaMia jumped to a 12-6 lead and never looked back, finishing 21-11. CM’s Elliott was flawless, sweeping all eight of his games and setting the tone. Lynn Warren led the home side with six wins in eight outings, losing only to Elliott.
Second Match: Ranked Heads-Up (20 games)
Players were paired according to round-robin results across five rounds. PCBC opened with a 5-3 edge, but CM answered with a decisive seven-game surge and closed out the match 13-7. CM’s Elliott and teammate Kelly Strieby shared top honors, each winning four of five games. Bill Frustaglia paced PCBC with three wins in five.
September 18 Afternoon Session at CantaMia (CM won 2 matches to 1 and the game count 24-20)
First Match: Round-Robin (16 games)
The teams traded racks early and stood tied at 3-3 before CM reeled off the next five games to clinch a 10-6 win. CM’s James Fogerty topped all players with a perfect 4-0 record. Bill Frustaglia and Lynn Warren led PCBC with 2-2 records.
Second Match: Round-Robin (16 games)
Again the score was knotted at 3-3 after six games, but this time PCBC seized control and steadily pulled away for a 10-6 victory. Blair Dreyfus was dominant with a perfect 4-0 record. A highlight of the session came when CM’s Tom Juliano pocketed the 8-ball on the break, drawing applause from the crowd.
Third Match: Ranked Heads-Up (12 games)
Players were re-paired by round-robin performance and completed three rounds in the time remaining. CantaMia dominated and won eight games to four, and CM’s Fogerty and Elliott led all by winning all three of their games. The loudest roar of the day erupted when CM’s Juliano barely missed pocketing another 8-ball on the break.
Both clubs displayed exceptional skill, sportsmanship, and camaraderie throughout the two-day event. This hard-fought series has quickly become one of the season’s most anticipated rivalries. The next showdown is already on the calendar, and both teams will be sharpening their games to claim victory next time.