This is the expected final day of the second round of the B-level games. We begin with seven straight silver cue series, beginning in...
Cisco Arena, Tysini: Leandra v. Frosty. The first two series today form a 12-ball doubleheader. Royal's Frosty beat long odds in game 1, looking doomed from the start before playing a position-and-defense fueled rally that ended with a three-ball run-out to take a 1-0 lead over Tysini's Leandra. The Crowns' Frosty tried an unconventional break in game 2 that failed miserably, but ended up working out when she nursed position again while the Hummingbirds' Leandra failed to execute late in the game, allowing Frosty to claim a 2-0 series lead. Frosty got off to a hot start in game 3, and Leandra's four ball run couldn't sour the ending for Frosty, who potted her last ball with ease for a 3-0 series sweep. Ranked #123 in 12-ball, Frosty will travel to Golden's Amazon Field Exhibition Hall to meet A. Charlton of the Pilots in the bracket semifinals.
Microsoft Center, Del Sur: Kirstin v. Stealth. A burgeoning rivalry takes place in the second half of a 12-ball doubleheader. Swordpoint's Stealth did wonderfully, overcoming an early surge from Southern's Kirstin as well as his own scratch to rebound later in game 1 for a well-assembled win for a 1-0 series lead. In game 2, both players squandered chances to win. For the Monarchs' Kirstin, these were a poorly timed scratch and wasting a wild card ball, while Stealth of the Blades had three scratches that made his win ultimately more difficult even as he went up 2-0 in the series. Kirstin narrowly avoided a scratch late in game 3, holding on for a win in a very tight game, allowing Stealth to take the series 2-1. Stealth is ranked #128 for 12-ball, and he will travel to Everton's Chevrolet Center to face Blizzard of the Eagles in the bracket semifinals.
Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound: Mams v. Leonardo. The next series is Rotation as the silver cue tour continues. Viewpoint Sound's Mams took advantage of a handful of errors from Todavía's Leonardo in game 1, greasing the wheels to roll to an 8-4 win that saw Mams take a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Leonardo led for much of game 2, but the Meteors' Mams did not give up, briefly taking the lead late before Leonardo iced off an 8-7 victory to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Mams' hot start faded in the middle of game 3 when Leonardo tied the score, but Mams recovered for an 8-4 win to take the series 2-1. Ranked #111 in Rotation, Mams continues her bid against Tigerette of the Tradewinds at Commerce's Nike Filed Events Center in the bracket semifinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Smudge v. Puff II. The next series is 7-ball, a quickie to start the second hour of play. Infinity's Smudge took care of the start and the end of game 1, good for a win despite a strong three-ball run from Boston's Puff II in the middle, with Smudge up 1-0 in the series. In game 2, Smudge of the Torpedoes came out with a four-ball run from the break before the 6 slowed things down. The Swifts' Puff II scratched on the 6 eventually, allowing Smudge to work out the rest of the game for a 2-0 series lead. Smudge got a series of good bounces after potting the 5 to get on the 7, sinking it for a 3-0 series sweep. Ranked #100 for 7-ball, Smudge will travel to Harrison's Mercedes-Benz Forum to meet Brownie of the Specters for their bracket semifinals series.
HP Field Events Center, Eastside: Graham v. Bear. This 10-ball series features two strong and determined captains. Eastside's Graham doled out a heavy hit in game 1, winning on a six-ball run-out that featured some very good shot planning and execution to take a 1-0 series lead over Whitewater's Bear. In game 2, Graham made an encore performance, this time running out the last seven balls to clinch the series at 2-0, leaving the Shores' Bear without much of an influence in the result of the series. Graham won game 3 but in a less dazzling fashion, tapping the 10 into the bottom right when Bear left it short. Graham took the series 3-0, and will host former teammate and current Freedom Cascades captain Jasmine at this venue in the bracket semifinals.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Whiskers v. Bryant. The game switches to the closely related event of 9-ball. Maplewood's Bryant got a bit of luck to win game 1, as Infinity's Whiskers scratched to abruptly end a four-ball run, giving Bryant ball-in-hand on the 9, which he converted for a 1-0 series lead. The Lumberjacks' Bryant did all the work in game 2, sinking every ball over a handful of turns at the table to clinch the series at 2-0 over the Torpedoes' Whiskers, who can only blame herself for a short-range miss on the 9 late in the game. Whiskers got a bit of redemption, winning game 3 on a four-ball run-out to make it a 2-1 series. Bryant advances to the bracket semifinals, where his #122 ranked bid will go to Commerce's Nike Field Events Center to play Tigerette of the Tradewinds. I rarely delve too much into pre-blog history, but this victory marks the fifth time in five series that Bryant has defeated Whiskers, a record for most wins against another player and also right up there for number of meetings between two players.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Missy v. Gizmo. The sibling rivalry in 15-ball will bring a close to the silver cue's nine series streak. In game 1, Capital City's Missy and Central's Gizmo exchanged shots and errors almost equally, but Missy took a 1-0 series lead with the slightest glance on the 14 that Gizmo couldn't match, making it easy in the end for Missy to grab the win. The Warriors' Gizmo tied the series at 1 with a game 2 win, capitalizing on Missy leaving the 15 short at the bottom right to tap it in for the win. Game 3 played a lot smoother, with Gizmo coming out on top with the final three-ball run, countering a four-ball run from Missy earlier. Gizmo took the series 2-1, and his #120 ranked 15-ball campaign will travel to Oceanside's AT&T Hall to face Snuggle of the Waves in the bracket semifinals.
Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central: Noelle v. Boots. The red cue finally gets an appearance, playing Rotation. Southridge's Boots did a very strong job in game 1, preventing Central's Noelle from even tying the game once Boots had a lead, which eventually turned into the 1-0 win by a final score of 8-4. The Warriors' Noelle answered with a slightly less impressive game 2 victory, winning 8-6 after allowing the Defenders' Boots to erase her initial lead. Noelle rebounded, winning the game to tie the series at 1. Boots and Noelle battled fiercely in game 3, never gaining a lot of separation until Boots took the game by an 8-5 score at the end, winning the series 2-1. Ranked #131 for Rotation, Boots will travel to Everton's Chevrolet Center to face Blizzard of the Eagles in the bracket semifinals.
HP Field Events Center, Eastside: Graham v. Watermelon. The silver cue makes its last appearance of the round in 15-ball in the Eastern Hills. Eastside's Graham didn't have the greatest game 1, but it worked well enough when he pieced together a four-ball run-out in the end to take a 1-0 series lead over an approximately even-performing Watermelon of Pearl. In game 2, the Sharks' Graham took the loss because he couldn't make contact from a bad angle on the 9, allowing the Surfers' Watermelon to tie the series at 1 with a 9-15 combination to the bottom right from ball-in-hand. Game 3 was far from pretty, but Watermelon made it look good in the end, winning with a five-ball run-out to take the series 2-1. Ranked #113 for 15-ball, Watermelon will now travel to Boston's Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center to face Puff II of the Swifts in the bracket semifinals.
Pepsi Arena, Lighton: Twinkie I v. Charli XCX. The red cue is back in this series to play 12-ball. Lighton's Twinkie I got away with some questionable play in game 1, as Tysini's Charli messed up far worse, illegally potting a ball in an already-occupied pocket that allowed Twinkie I to cruise to a 1-0 series lead on an easy tap-in for the win. In game 2, the Hummingbirds' Charli used a four-ball run to pull herself back into a game after relinquishing her wild card ball, and two turns later she picked up an equalizing win with a tap-in from range on the 7, blasting past the Prestige's Twinkie I to tie the series. Charli ended up winning the series 2-1, dominating with a three-ball run in game 3, followed by ruthless set-up work to push Twinkie I to the limit before giving her a wild card ball to remove her defense. Twinkie I missed contact on her next shot, and Charli put away the final ball to advance. Ranked #129 for 12-ball, Charli will next travel to Infinity to face Shelley of the Torpedoes at Nissan Hall in the bracket semifinals.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Twinkie III v. Sweetheart. The red cue will finish its obligations for the round with Accuracy. Boston's Sweetheart took game 1 very handily, forcing Whitewater's Twinkie III into numerous mistakes that eventually produced the 1-6 final score that gave Sweetheart her 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Twinkie III got back on track with a 2-4 win in game 2, a much more confident approach that buried the Swifts' Sweetheart early to tie the series at 1 game apiece. Twinkie III stepped her game up even more in game 3, saving the best for last by dominating in a 1-3 victory to send Sweetheart packing as the series favored Twinkie III 2-1. Ranked #102 for Accuracy, Twinkie III will host the Everton Eagles' Goldy at this venue in the bracket semifinals.
Ebay Center, Queens: Paige v. Sprinkles. Top players meet in the final series of the round, Accuracy with the blue cue. Queens' Paige couldn't quite hold onto a narrow lead in regulation, as Capital City's Sprinkles performed impeccable defense to prevent that, but Paige took the game 1-2 in overtime after Sprinkles got nothing on the break, putting Paige up 1-0 in the series. Last year's top player Paige of the Flames continued with a brilliant 0-4 dazzler to clinch the series at 2-0. The Sharpshooters' Sprinkles was close for most of game 2, but faded a little after the midpoint and couldn't recover. Game 3 ended up being more for entertainment than anything else, with Sprinkles emerging with a 5-6 victory to make it a 2-1 series win for Paige. Ranked #97 in Accuracy, Paige will host Leandra of the Tysini Hummingbirds at this venue in the bracket semifinals.
Expect a new schedule posted to the website in a few hours. In the next week, we will end the B-level portion of the tournament. By next Tuesday, the bracket semifinals should be complete. The bracket finals are expected to be conducted on Wednesday and Thursday, and the B-level finals should be complete on Friday. Keep checking in throughout. Tomorrow will look like an off day, but tomorrow and Sunday will be combined in one post.
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