Another slate of games is ready to go, beginning with...
Intel Center, Diamond: Smokey v. Sparkles. The first set of the day is 12-ball with the blue cue. Sparkles of Todavía took game 1 with a strong start and just enough of a finish to hold off a four-ball run by Diamond's Smokey to lay claim to a 1-0 series lead. Smokey of the Gems played better in game 2, scoring a four-ball run-out capped by a tough angle shot on the 6 to the top side that secured the win to tie the series at 1 with the Stills' Sparkles, who suffered from a poor break. In game 3, The players jockeyed at the bottom left for their last balls, but Smokey came up with the win for a 2-1 series win. Ranked #91 in 12-ball, Smokey will face Panda of the Southern Monarchs in the bracket quarterfinals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Princess v. Dusky. The red cue gets going today with a set of Accuracy. Archtown's Dusky got off to a slow start, but Tysini's Princess faded late, and the score favored Dusky 3-4 as she went ahead 1-0 in the series. Princess of the Hummingbirds returned the favor in game 2, winning 3-5 over the Arrows' Dusky after allowing the score to be tied before making a strong final push that tied the series at 1. Dusky bounced back with a big win in game 3, winning 1-5 as Princess let things get quite out of hand, allowing Dusky to take the series 2-1. Ranked #122 for Accuracy, Dusky will oppose Zach of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors in the bracket quarterfinals.
Sprint Hall, Victoria: B. Chapman v. Snuggle. The new facility in Victoria opens with a series of 7-ball and the blue cue. Oceanside's Snuggle rained on the first game in the new hall, pulling off a carom-bank, with the 3 ricocheting the cue to the 7, which banked off the left rail en route to the top right for a 1-0 series lead over Victoria's Chapman. Snuggle clinched the series for the Waves in game 2, going 2-0 up by sinking the 1 in the bottom side and the 7 in the top left off the break to prevent the Spurs' Chapman from getting a chance at the game. Game 3 was all Chapman, as she found the highlight reel with a remarkable spin-kick on the 2 to the top side from a bad angle, and she later mopped up the 7 when Snuggle missed it to make it a 2-1 series. Snuggle, the #117 ranked 7-ball player, will oppose Starlight of the Pacific Volcanoes in the bracket quarterfinals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Cowzart v. Cleo. The game is still 7-ball, but with the red cue this time. The Pearl newcomer, Cowzart, took a fairly evenly matched game 1 with a slight surge at the end to move to a 1-0 lead over Everton's Cleo. The Surfers' Cowzart took game 2 in a more convincing fashion, running out the final three balls as the Eagles' Cleo couldn't keep her late run going, clinching the series for Cowzart at 2-0. In game 3, Cowzart saw a three-ball run answered by Cleo's three-ball run-out to salvage a game in the series, making it 2-1. Ranked #123 for 7-ball, Cowzart next plays Noelle of the Central Warriors in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nike Field Events Center, Commerce: Lionel v. Bear. This 9-ball series, played with the silver cue, is another installment of the Industrial Derby between the two small urban core communities. Commerce's Lionel struck first, as he dominated possession in game 1, running three balls from the break and a four-ball run-out at the end to take a 1-0 series lead over Whitewater's Bear. The Tradewinds' Lionel clinched the series at 2-0 with another dominant win in game 2, as it's clear the Shores' Bear was severely outplayed in this series. Bear looked to have a chance in game 3, but his 5-9 combination to the top right ended in a scratch at the bottom right, costing him the game as Lionel took the series 3-0. Ranked #117 for 9-ball, Lionel will face Bear's sister and Capital City Sharpshooters veteran Missy in the bracket quarterfinals.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Kelly v. Zach. The two new faces for the Meteors battle in 10-ball with the blue cue for an intra-team series. Kelly got the best of a tenacious Zach in game 1, as he ended a three-ball run with a bad miss on the 10 that Kelly picked up for a 1-0 series lead. Kelly laid claim to the series with a game 2 win, dominating possession in the end as Zach couldn't corral the 10 on his one chance at it. Zach did himself in for game 3, scratching after trying to get position after the 8, allowing Kelly two easy shots to take the series 3-0. Ranked #114 for 10-ball, Kelly is set to play Delila of the Atlantic Pirates in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Strawberry v. Lionel. The last 15-ball series with the blue cue is coming from the eastern hills region right now. Game 1 started and ended poorly for Pronger's Strawberry, and despite a good middle stretch, Commerce's Lionel came out of the game with a 1-0 lead in the series. The Tridents' Strawberry came up much more confident in game 2, finishing on a four-ball run-out coming off of a series of poor misses by the Tradewinds' Lionel, which helped to tie the series at 1. Strawberry ended game 3 early, bringing the crowd to a roar with a two-rail bank of the 6 off the top and bottom rails to the top side, while the follow-through by the cue drove the 15 to the bottom side, winning the game on a double-pot that made it 2-1 in the series. Ranked #109, Strawberry gets a match with Mr. Snowman of the Viewpoint Sound Meteors in the bracket quarterfinals.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Delila v. Snowball. We stay in the east for Accuracy with the silver cue. Swordpoint's Snowball did a good job of keeping the game even, forcing overtime, where Atlantic's Delila had a narrow miss early, costing her the 3-4 game and putting the series at 1-0 Snowball. The Pirates' Delila played smart in game 2, but neither player looked great. Delila eventually forced overtime, but couldn't put the Blades' Snowball away early. Instead, it took about half the extra rack for Delila to emerge with a 7-8 victory to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Delila started slow but ended up burying Snowball 3-6 for a 2-1 series win as Snowball fell apart around the middle of the game. The #121 ranked Accuracy shooter, Delila will next oppose Kavan of the Victoria Spurs in the bracket quarterfinals.
Honda Driftwood Coliseum, Pearl: Watermelon v. Sydney Sierota. The silver cue stays at the table for more Accuracy. The Harrison rookie Sydney did wonderfully in the game, playing a perfect sequence to take a 0-2 win for a 1-0 series lead over Pearl's Watermelon. The Surfers' Watermelon tied the series at 1 with a much sloppier game, winning game 2 by a score of 5-6 over the Specters' Sydney. Game 3 left no doubt for Sydney, as she dominated her way to a 2-7 win for a 2-1 series win, beating a punchless Watermelon, who scratched twice early. Sydney, ranked #131 for Accuracy, will face Puff III of the Everton Eagles in the bracket quarterfinals.
Ebay Center, Queens: Max v. Midnight. The blue cue returns to play 7-ball. Game 1 went in unremarkable fashion, and Queens' Max lost it late by leaving the 7 short for Westside's Midnight to tap in for a 1-0 series lead in an even game. Game 2 saw a lot of possession from the Rockers' Midnight, but it all went for naught when she missed the 7, allowing the Flames' Max to convert his second chance to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Midnight scratched to end a three-ball run, allowing Max to make the last two balls, taking the game and the series 2-1. Max, ranked #111 for 7-ball, will oppose Spirit of the Lighton Prestige in the bracket quarterfinals.
Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston: Puff II v. Gabe. The game is again 7-ball, but with the silver cue. Boston's Puff II took game 1 after a miss on the 6 by Infinity's Gabe left her with a pair of favorable shots to spark a 1-0 series lead. The Swifts' Puff II clinched the series in game 2, lying in wait for most of the game until the Torpedoes' Gabe missed on the 3, offering Puff II a chance to score a four-ball run-out to move to a 2-0 series lead. Puff II completed the sweep in game 3, having a good start but fading to an even game later on, but Gabe had no finishing touch, allowing Puff II to walk away up 3-0. Puff II, ranked #106 for 7-ball, faces Gabe's Torpedoes teammates in the bracket quarterfinals, playing against the Infinity captain Smudge.
Kraft Forum, Royal: Frosty v. Puff II. The afternoon ends with Rotation and the blue cue, pitting players who excel in volume and efficiency in the B-level against each other. Boston's Puff II turned on the jets late in the game, pulling ahead on one three-ball run before turning in a three-ball run-out to win 8-4 in game 1, going 1-0 over Royal's Frosty. The Swifts' Puff II nearly pushed the Crowns' Frosty to the edge in game 2, and Frosty roared back just in time, working a five-ball run-out for an 8-5 win to tie the series at 1. Things stayed even early in game 3, but Frosty broke out for a four-ball run-out, taking the game 8-4 and the series 2-1. Ranked #103 in Rotation, Frosty faces Shelley of the Infinity Torpedoes in the bracket quarterfinals.
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Fluffina. The final series of 7-ball with the blue cue leads off the short evening. Tysini's Leandra drew first blood, winning a fairly close game 1 over Maplewood's Fluffina after the latter couldn't quite convert on the 6, making it 1-0 for the host in the series. The Lumberjacks' Fluffina shot back in game 2, tying the series at 1 by winning the game despite a sloppy finish that saw Leandra of the Hummingbirds also miss the 7 twice. Fluffina took the series 2-1, controlling the start and end of game 3, which saw her weather a three-ball run from Leandra that ended in a scratch. Fluffina, ranked #121 for 7-ball, faces Sleepy B. of the Archtown Arrows in the bracket quarterfinals.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sally v. Shadow. The next set is 8-ball with the silver cue. Web City's Shadow popped up in game 1 with a three-ball run-out to take a 1-0 series lead, as Archtown's Sally made the mistake of leaving the 8 short at the top side, which she never got a second chance at. Game 2 had a wild ending, with the Spiders' Shadow scratching, allowing the Arrows' Sally to kick the 12 into the top side and then bury the 15 to the top left. She shot the 8, and made that to the top right, but she put too much on the shot and scratched, giving Shadow the win for a 2-0 series lead. Sally did get a game, winning game 3 in pretty confident form, as Shadow never had much of a chance in the final stanza. Shadow still took the series 2-1, and his #119 ranked 8-ball bid will face his girlfriend, Shaggy of the Southridge Defenders, in the bracket quarterfinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Gabe v. Dani. The red cue gets in on the action with a bit of 12-ball from the southwest. Infinity's Gabe did just enough to keep the table cluttered in game 1, frustrating Dani of Capital City just enough for her to remove her minor defense, allowing Gabe to finish on a three-ball run-out with relative ease for a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 followed a more classical, cerebral style, with Dani of the Sharpshooters battling wits just slightly better than the Torpedoes' Gabe, using defense to overcome giving away a wild card ball until she picked up the win to tie the series at 1. In game 3, Dani overcame another wild card ball, executing a stellar five-ball run-out after working to get everything set up while also keeping Gabe's shots to the perimeter. Dani, ranked #131, faces Gabe's Torpedoes teammate, Shelley, in the bracket quarterfinals after this 2-1 series win.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Mr. Snowman v. Bear. Two captains battle in 10-ball with the silver cue. Bear dominated possession in game 1 for Whitewater, eventually picking up the win to make it a 1-0 series, with a five-ball run-out earning the victory. Viewpoint Sound's Mr. Snowman made a mark too, shooting a jump shot over the 6 to pot the 3 in the top right. The Meteors' Mr. Snowman tied it in game 2, making it a 1-1 series with a wonderful ending. Mr. Snowman kicked the cue off the right and top rails to graze the 9 to the top side, before depositing the 10 in the top right to pull even with the Shores' Bear. Mr. Snowman regretted his failed 6-10 combination attempt in game 3, as it set Bear up to carom the 10 into the top right off the 6, making it a 2-1 series win for the visitor. Ranked #126 in 10-ball, Bear will advance to face Graham of the Eastside Sharks in the bracket quarterfinals.
McDonald's Hall, Atlantic: Amber v. Cubby. The final series of the night is 10-ball with the blue cue. Maplewood's Cubby took a very tight game 1 to take a 1-0 lead over Atlantic's Amber, showing poise on his late shots to collect the 9 and 10, contrasted with Amber's more aggressive approach. The Pirates' Amber tied the series at 1 in game 2, sending the 2 into the mixer, where it bounced off the 5, 7, and 10 and eventually potted the 10 into its called pocket, the bottom right for the equalizer. Game 3 was flat out sloppy, no better exemplified than in Amber's short miss on the 10, which allowed the Lumberjacks' Cubby to mop up the shot for a win and a 2-1 series win. Ranked #120 for 10-ball, Cubby will oppose Debby Ryan of the Southridge Defenders in the bracket quarterfinals.
I apologize for no SCL this morning, as I had a bout of unexpected laziness. The SCL is a tough competition to get behind, so the playoffs could run a bit longer than I anticipated. It won't be played tomorrow, for sure, so only pool is on the schedule.
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