We're two weeks into the second round, and I anticipate maybe another week or so before we can update the standings and create the schedule for the third round. Today should see at least 70 games in some variety. We begin at...
Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden: A. Charlton v. Shaggy. The day begins with a 7-ball doubleheader. Charlton, of Golden, took game 1 with a somewhat-unintentional carom off the 4, which was lined up for the bottom right, that ended up driving the 7 to the top right legally for a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, solid positioning during her four-ball run-out led the Pilots' Charlton to victory over Southridge's Shaggy. The Defenders' Shaggy pulled back to 2-1 in the series with a game 3 win, capitalizing on Charlton's poor positioning later in the game, which had started off very defensively. Charlton claimed the series in game 4, going up 3-1 after Shaggy's five-ball run ended with the 7 bouncing off two pockets but not dropping, aligning for an easy Charlton tap-in at the top right. Shaggy won game 5, using an impressive bank off the top rail to the bottom right on the 6 that doubled for positioning on the 7. Charlton still won 3-2 in the series, and will travel with a #75 ranked 7-ball campaign into the third round at Nissan Hall in Infinity City to oppose Gabe.
Lay's Field Events Center, Victoria: B. Chapman v. Bright. A southwestern rivalry is the other half of our doubleheader. Chapman took game 1 with a three-ball run-out for Victoria, in an otherwise hesitant effort. Tysini's Bright tied the series in game 2, after the Spurs' Chapman had a bit of trouble getting lined up on the 7 properly. Chapman set everything up perfectly in the end for the Hummingbirds' Bright, allowing the latter to run out the final three balls very easily to take a 2-1 lead. Chapman placed just enough defense on her one shot in game 4 to induce an illegal contact pot on the 7 by Bright, retying the series at 2 through a crafty defensive play. Chapman used a four-ball run-out to take game 5 with a well-shot rally. The 3-2 series win sees the #25 ranked Chapman continue in 7-ball for the third round.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Ice Cream v. Bryant. We head north for 15-ball now. After a very rickety start on both sides, Commerce's Ice Cream dominated possession late with a four-ball run and a three-ball run-out to win game 1 and take a 1-0 lead in the series. Maplewood's Bryant took game 2 with a four-ball run-out, tying the series in a much more confident manner than what was displayed in game 1. Emotions boiled over in game 3, as Ice Cream of the Tradewinds got frustrated with the stagnation of the game around the 11, but her hard shot did no good in the end as the Lumberjacks' Bryant chipped out the 15 for the win in the end, taking a 2-1 lead. Ice Cream retied it in another sloppy game 4, but Bryant nearly had the run-out at the end, missing narrowly on the 15 at two pockets after the hard shot wouldn't fall. With the series on the line in game 5, cooler heads prevailed, as both players focused on their play. The game was tight into the final balls, and Ice Cream left the 14 short at the top left, but had it covered by the 15 from low left locations on the table. Sufficiently snookered, Bryant kicked the cue off the back wall toward the top left, jamming the 14 home and getting a straight line on the 15 to the bottom left for a 3-2 series win. With the win, the #108 ranked 15-ball player continues an impressive run into the third round.
Intel Center, Diamond: Citrus v. Dustin. In the Eastern Hills, we are set for 10-ball in the first part of a doubleheader for that event. Central's Dustin continued a strong season with a game 1 win, highlighted by a kick off the right rail through traffic to slice the 2 into the top left. Citrus of Diamond also played well, making shots at odd angles, but her shot selection was not strong. The Gems' Citrus played well and controlled possession in game 2, as the Warriors' Dustin scratched frequently up until the end, where poor aim did him in as Citrus tied the series. Dustin retook the lead with a game 3 win, caroming the cue off the 2 to drive the 10 into the top left after a failed rail carom off that same 2 by Citrus. Dustin secured the series in game 4, using Citrus' short leave on the 6 as the catalyst for a well positioned four-ball run-out to take a 3-1 lead. Citrus had a good four-ball run in game 5, including a double-pot on the 8 to the bottom left and the 9 to the top right with a left rail kick to trigger the 9. Citrus also buried the cue behind the top left pocket's jaws to muck up Dustin's attempt at it, allowing her to take the game. Dustin won the series 3-2, and takes a #66 ranked 10-ball bid to the Nike Field Events Center in Commerce to battle Tigerette in the third round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Puff I v. Paps. The second part of the doubleheader in 10-ball comes from the urban north. Modernistic's Puff I took game 1, which went in a very back-and-forth manner with neither playing driving the game their way at all. The Union's Puff I got the result she deserved in game 2, but it took a bit of luck. After scoring the 7 in the top right with a long shot, the 8 in the bottom right from distance, and the 9 on a bank from top rail to bottom left, Puff I left the 10 short. Pronger's Paps hit it in, but also scratched, pulling the ball back on the table for a winning shot by Puff I for a 2-0 lead. The Tridents' Paps again scratched on the 10, as his carom shot off the 4 followed the 10 into the top left, but it was early enough in the game for Paps to recover and win cleanly later on a short run-out to make it 2-1. Paps tied the series in game 4, making nearly identical bank shots on separate turns for the 7 and 9, both from the bottom rail to the top left. The 10 proved more tricky going the other way, but on his second attempt, he buried it for the equalizer. Paps claimed the series in game 5, as Puff I had an errant shot miss the 4 and send the 10 directly to the top left, where it lay near the edge of the pocket. With ball-in-hand, Paps had no difficulty converted the 4-10 combination for a 3-2 series win. Paps, ranked #104 in 10-ball, is through to the third round, where Midnight of the Tradewinds awaits him at Nike Field Events Center in Commerce.
Intel Center, Diamond: Citrus v. Allison. We're back in the hills for a 9-ball series now. Diamond's Citrus shocked the world with a cluster breaker in game 1, kicking off two rails into the 7, which bounced the 9 off the 8 and into the bottom right pocket for a 1-0 lead. The Gems' Citrus took game 2 in a less shocking fashion, frustrating Allison with a defensive first attempt on the 9, leaving the Tysini captain with a low-angle bank shot that she left short for Citrus to tap-in for a 2-0 lead. Allison of the Hummingbirds did do well early on, making the 2 with a kick-carom off the 1 and 9 balls to get to the top left, but the end of the game was all Citrus with her six-ball run-out to clinch the series, with positioning at the forefront of that run. Citrus again hit the highlight reel in game 4, using a two-rail kick off the top and left to pot the 1 in the bottom left, but it was too much too soon, as Allison used a three-ball run-out on some high-difficulty locations to avoid the sweep and make it 3-1. Citrus shot back in game 5, weathering Allison's four-ball run with a kick off the left rail, banking the 8 off the bottom rail and into the top right with positioning to knock in the 9, for a 4-1 series win. Citrus, ranked #90 in 9-ball, advances to the third round, where she will travel to Chevrolet Center in Everton to oppose fellow Youth Movement Club and Eagles player Puff III.
HP Events Center, Eastside: Robyn v. Dusky. To the south, the game is 12-ball. Eastside's Robyn managed to out-play Archtown's Dusky, with her defensive set-up shot on the 1 serving as all she needed to draw the Arrows' Dusky into giving her ball-in-hand on a miss. Dusky's patience paid off in game 2, using top-level shot selection to tie the series as the Sharks' Robyn got stuck chasing one ball while leaving the other one for poor defense. Dusky began game 3 with a strong break, and then worked set-up shots until Robyn gave away ball-in-hand after missing a kick attempt on the 13, allowing Dusky to polish off the shots that were ready before banking the 6 off the bottom rail into the top side for a 2-1 series lead. Robyn retied it with a bit of help in game 4. Dusky was down to one ball and tried to force it to follow the 10, but the cue went down instead. After the scratch, another ball fell before a shot was taken, giving Robyn two wild card balls. Without them, the remaining shots likely would have gone down anyway, but it shortened the game for her despite the controversy when the 12 fell without contact of any kind. Dusky came out with a 3-2 series win after a defensive, strategic, everything 12-ball is supposed to be kind of game. The pocket of battle was the bottom right, which both players needed and were more than willing to kick their way toward for defensive benefits. They switched rails halfway through the battle, but Robyn missed the 3 on her fourth kick attempt, setting Dusky up to take the spare 10 she had in the top left before navigating back to pot the 14 in the bottom right for the win. Dusky is ranked #118 for 12-ball, and does not yet know her third round opponent.
Apple Center, Todavía: Leonardo v. Gizmo. Ending the afternoon slate, we have 7-ball between a muscle man and a more crafty fellow. Central's Gizmo took a 1-0 lead after Todavía's Leonardo left the 7 short at the bottom left after a somewhat sloppy run through the rack. The Warriors' Gizmo didn't let the Stills' Leonardo get a shot in game 2, sinking seven balls in six shots in running the table from the break. Leonardo's four-ball run in game 3 also became meaningless, as Gizmo pounded in the 6 and got position on the 7. In true crafty fashion, Gizmo rattled the 7 out of the top right, but watched it run parallel to the right rail and find safety in the bottom right for a 3-0 series clinching win. Leonardo mopped up game 4 after Gizmo missed contact on the 7, allowing Leonardo a straight-in shot to make it a 3-1 series. Gizmo took game 5 with a highlight, sinking a double-pot with the 3 in the top side and the cue caroming into the 7 to tap it in the top right. Gizmo took the series 4-1, and his #91 ranked 7-ball campaign will continue into the third round.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Chicky Phil v. Sprinkles. For the night sets, we begin with a trio of 9-ball, as the silver cue draws in for the red cue. Chicky Phil of Westside took game 1 against his former teammate, getting a little help as the cue pushed the 7 into the top side, setting up an eventual defense shot on the 9 that resulted in Capital City's Sprinkles missing contact and giving the Rockers' Chicky Phil a tap-in to win. Chicky Phil didn't allow the Sharpshooters' Sprinkles to get a shot in game 2, taking just four shots to sink five balls, ending with a 5-9 combination from distance to the bottom side for a 2-0 lead. Chicky Phil found the highlight reel in game 3, banking the 2 off the right rail and watching it carom into the bottom side after deflecting from the 4, with enough force to push the 4 to the bottom left for the double-pot. It wasn't enough, as Sprinkles had a four-ball run late but left the 9 out about halfway between the bottom side and bottom right about an inch off the rail. Chicky Phil made the shot to the notoriously difficult pocket, but put just a smidgen too much juice on it, watching the cue scratch in the top right to get Sprinkles on the board. Sprinkles tied the series in an unremarkable and slightly sloppy game 4, but it was good enough for her. Sprinkles rallied to take the series in a Poison Ivy game 5 (that is to say, they scratched a lot), winning 3-2 after Chicky Phil failed to make contact on the 9 much in the same way Sprinkles couldn't in game 1. Sprinkles, ranked #65 in 9-ball, next travels to Web City to meet Rainmane at the Home Depot Forum in the third round.
GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge: J. Garcia v. Oreo. The second part of our 9-ball trio is in the southeast, with the silver cue remaining to sub for the blue cue. Swordpoint's Oreo got away with a late scratch as Southridge's Garcia couldn't corral the 9 to the bottom right, allowing the Blades' Oreo to win on a tap-in. Garcia tied the series for the Defenders in game 2, using a four-ball run to set up on the 9, which she missed. Oreo had a shot on it, but shot too hard and scratched after the cue ball was done rolling, resulting in a tied series at 1. Garcia took the lead in a fairly normal game 3, winning after Oreo left the 9 on the doorstep of the top left pocket for a tap-in. Oreo retied the series in game 4, using a 3-9 bank-combination shot as the knockout punch, with surprising accuracy on the low percentage attempt. Garcia took the series 3-2 after Oreo failed to kick the 9 to the bottom left in game 5, taking advantage for another tap-in win. Garcia is ranked #4 in 9-ball, and she will host Ruby of the Archtown Arrows at this venue in the third round.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Patches v. Chimpy. Two of the better players are set to battle in the final of the trio, with the red cue back in action. Boston's Patches played her usual straightforward style, keeping it simple with a three-ball run-out fueled by positioning to top Modernistic's crafty and creative Chimpy, who did convert a 5-7-6-8 combination and followed with a 5-6 combination to the top left. Chimpy had a chance to tie the series for the Union when the Swifts' Patches left the 6-9 combination open, but he whiffed on it, and Patches would make him pay later when she took the 9 with ease after working the 8 Chimpy left short at the bottom left for position. Chimpy played brilliantly in game 3, making all nine balls on runs of four and five, using expert positioning and his usual array of trickery to make it 2-1 in the series. Chimpy tied it in game 4, using a four-ball run-out as a knockout punch with some otherworldly positioning against an opponent who is clearly his equal if not superior. Patches did not get rattled, winning game 5 with a four-ball run-out of her own, taking the series 3-2. With the win, the #16 ranked 9-ball player will host Cassandra of the Diamond Gems at this venue in the third round.
HP Events Center, Eastside: Taylor Swift v. Crystal. We're onto 10-ball at this point, with the blue cue making its return appearance. Queens' Crystal took control with a game 1 win, an unspectacular game until Crystal's three-ball run-out for the finish. The Flames' Crystal went up 2-0 in the series by icing off a 6-10 combination to the bottom right, a similar shot that Eastside's Taylor previously missed. Crystal clinched the series in game 3, as Taylor of the Sharks again left the 10 vulnerable without potting it. The loss makes a Rookie of the Year award seem less likely for Taylor. Crystal pounded away game 4 with a three-ball run-out in the very unrefined stanza of the series. Crystal completed the sweep in game 5, dominating throughout with Taylor getting few shots in, and her once chance at the 10, she left in line for Crystal. Ranked #100 in 10-ball, Crystal dominated her way into the third round.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Bright v. Kayla. We're up to 15-ball now in the night games. Queens' Kayla struck first in game 1, as Tysini's Bright left the 7 in line with the 15 and the top left, and it was a 7-15 combination that Kayla used to give the Flames a win. The Hummingbirds' Bright tied the series after the 14 got a lucky and unintentional carom off the 15 to find the top right, with the 15 lined up for the bottom side, which Bright also converted to clinch the game. Kayla shot back, retaking the series lead after Bright's scratch on a setup shot resulted in ball-in-hand on the 15. Game 3 was a little heavy on scratches, but the pace still flowed well. Game 4 got sloppy at the end after a jaw-dropping kick-cut on the 11 by Bright, sending the cue off the top rail with spin to the bottom rail, cutting the 11 into the bottom right on a shot most would miss straight on. Bright also took the game after it turned back-and-forth with the jaw dropping shot. In game 5, Kayla ran out the final five balls for a 3-2 series win, with the run beginning with a double-pot, sinking the 11 into the top left with the spin used to knock the 14 to the bottom side and set up the 12 in the top right, the 13 in the bottom side, and the 15 in the top side. Kayla takes her #80 ranked 15-ball bid into the third round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity City: Shelley v. Precious. We're back with 9-ball in this series. Pronger's Precious popped up with a big game 1 win, taking a fairly average game and flipping it around with a 6-9 bank-combination off the bottom rail to the top right, an impressive shot to establish a series lead. In game 2, it could be said that the Tridents' Precious did what she had two, making the final two balls to top Infinity City's Shelley again, with the game being tightly contested throughout. Precious had no shame in game 3, picking up scraps from the Torpedoes' Shelley when she left the 9 slightly off the bottom left pocket, requiring Precious to employ a forceful shot to take the win that she pulled off excellently. Precious continued her run of dominance, using a not-exactly-clean setup from Shelley for a 3-9 combination with a carom by the 3 off the 5 to the top right pocket, pretty much pinned on the right rail, which she executed with just enough accuracy to watch the 9 drop legally for a 4-0 lead. Shelley found the highlight reel with a game 5 bank on the 3, going top rail and just sneaking past the 9 for the successful execution. This was easily matched by a fearless Precious banking the 4 into the top side off the bottom rail and later cutting the 9 authoritatively into the bottom right to complete the 5-0 sweep. Ranked #103 in 9-ball, Precious will again travel, this time to Pearl to oppose V. Braun of the Surfers in the Honda Driftwood Coliseum in the third round.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Mr. Snowman v. Chris. We finish the day with an 8-ball doubleheader. Viewpoint Sound's Mr. Snowman made the blooper reel by putting the cue ball off the table on the break. Capital City's Chris proceeded to shut Mr. Snowman of the Meteors out, allowing just one more shot total and ending with a three-ball run-out. The Sharpshooters' Chris was praised for his patience in game 2, as he cruised to a big lead, but patience bit him hard as Mr. Snowman ran out the last five balls, tying the series at 1 in the process and showing he can play tough games too. Chris retook a series lead at 2-1 in game 3, outlasting a strong effort by Mr. Snowman through patience and set-up shots. Chris clinched the series with a game 4 win, again using a more outlasting strategy to top Mr. Snowman, who has proven beatable but competitive. Chris took another tight game in game 5, again using signature patience to work around the more free-spirited Mr. Snowman. Chris won the series 4-1, and will take a #103 ranked 8-ball bid home to Capital City when he hosts Bear of the Whitewater Shores in the third round at Capital City SuperCenter.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Kiwi v. Smudge. Finally, the second part of the doubleheader comes from the north. Infinity City's Smudge held on after rallying three balls to leave the 8 short, only to see Modernistic's Kiwi run four balls before getting stymied. Smudge of the Torpedoes handled the 8 to take a 1-0 series lead. Smudge controlled most of game 2, holding possession pretty well. Her finishing move for a 2-0 series lead was sneaking the 8 past the 5, which covered about half of the bottom left pocket, and she did so without disrupting it. Kiwi of the Union answered in game 3, running out five balls at the end, including a long-distance bank from left rail to top right on the 8 at the end, making it 2-1 in the series. Kiwi dominated in game 4, using three turns to leave Smudge with just one ball potted as Kiwi tied the series at 2. In game 5, both players flashed brilliance at times with their runs, but it was Kiwi coming out on top with a 3-2 series win after her work on the 8. Kiwi, ranked #9 in 8-ball, is set to host Sweetheart of the Boston Swifts in the third round at this very venue.
Thanks for the patience as this weekend was a bit slow pool-wise. I'm happy to say 80 games got played today, and at the pace established this week, I should be able to complete the second round next Sunday on a short day. When that happens, keep an eye out for new standings and schedules. Enjoy the upcoming week!
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